Problem with drains cover on my home insurance

clarrie8466

I have buildings, contents and emergency cover through webmoney. The emergency cover is subbed out. Recently I had a drains blockage. I called emergency cover and they came and cleared it. It happened again the next day and so I called again. Turns out I have bricks jamming up the syphon. The mergency cover insurance feels a clearance of the backlog is all they need do rather than clearing the bricks. They are too big to go through, but can't be retrieved without the syphon being dug up (at an estimated cost of £1200). The emergency services only have to clear the drain, and also only work up to a value of £500 (although limitless times).

I do not know how the bricks got there - it could be deliberate (we have a problem neighbour), or it could be from a house extension 2 years ago and its taken this long for them to be swept down the drains from the back of the house.

I checked back with webmoney and they say my house policy only covers damaged drains and not blocked drains. So I seem to be between a rock and a hard place. Surely a blocked drain (that can only be cleared for a few minutes/hours) is damaged?

Any advice would be very gratefully received!

Clarrie

Quentin

From what you say your drain isn't damaged but is blocked.

If the company are able to come limitless times, then they will be quite happy to keep coming!

Are you certain its unlimited visits and it's without subsequent cost to you (by way of increased premiums)?

clarrie8466

Yes its definitely unlimited (each up to the value of £500), and it will have no effect on the house insurance as it is part of the home emergency cover (which does not count).

Problem is that when you make a call it will be a good 4 plus hours before a waste engineer comes out and in that time there is sewage all over the road and next door's driveway! So its not desirable to carry on this way.

Yes, its technically not damaged but blocked.

Quentin

No its not desirable.

But it's also not covered by your insurance, so if you want to fix it you will have to get the job done. (At your own expense)

clarrie8466

An unremovable blockage is an eventuality I had not dreamt of, and I do not think I would be alone in thinking that the insurance would cover for such events.

Does anyone know of an insurance company that gives a comprehensive cover for drains? I shall certainly be looking to change my company when the policy comes up for renewal. Honesty plainly doesn't pay, as had I accidentally damaged the syphon whilst attempting to remove the blockage it would be covered..... actually I don't know if there is any damage because they can't CCTV to the other side of the blockage so here's hoping!!

Quentin

Honesty does pay - if you dishonestly make a claim and get found out you face big trouble - including having to self insure everything for possibly the rest of your life!

Your policy will spell out what is and isn't covered. If you feel this is covered, then appeal their decision to refuse the claim. But otherwise bite the bullet - changing insurer won't mean a new insurer will cover this!

clarrie8466

I am not dishonest, and do not intend to be. I am annoyed that this is not covered though. I ask about insurers because I would like to make sure that next time (god forbid!) it is covered!

clarrie8466

Actually let me go back to my original post. Are the insurers right to say this is not covered. Is this sort of blockage not damage?

Quentin

clarrie8466 wrote: »

Is this sort of blockage not damage?

No .

magpiecottage

I'm not sure I agree with Quentin @ 1@13 pm.

A blockage caused by something that is supposed to be there (such as a gradual build up of fat deposits) would not seem to be covered.

On the other hand, the bricks will not have gradually accumulated there. They will have arrived at once.

So you may have a case and it would be worth pushing explaining this to the insurer and asking them to reconsider. I am not saying you will necessarily win but I think it is less clear cut than has been suggested.

Quentin

magpiecottage wrote: »

I'm not sure I agree with Quentin @ 1@13 pm.

A blockage caused by something that is supposed to be there (such as a gradual build up of fat deposits) would not seem to be covered.

On the other hand, the bricks will not have gradually accumulated there. They will have arrived at once.

So you may have a case and it would be worth pushing explaining this to the insurer and asking them to reconsider. I am not saying you will necessarily win but I think it is less clear cut than has been suggested.

I can only give my opinion like you.

But I already advised the OP to appeal to their insurer (@ 12.44!)

To keep on asking for our opinions in this thread won't resolve the problem, no matter how many of us agree/disagree.

Another solution might be to try a better unblocking company - the one being used seems happy to keep getting paid to do a temporary unblock.