Anyone got a view on this, I had always assumed that building insurance would cover this, these guys from Thames Water go around trying to sell insurance on the pipe between your house and the street (under your drive for example)?
Had something in the post about this recently. Sounds like a monumental rip off. Big business is at it all the time, thinking of anyway they can to stiff you. British Gas and BT are among the worst IMO.
From what i've heard a lot of household insurance policies don't cover this for some reason you need to check your individual policy. Can't remember how they manage to worm there way out of responsibility but i've heard/read of a few people who have come unstuck by this and it's very expensive.
We were looking at taking on this insurance as our neighbour has just paid £11 for an annual insurance to the pipe which runs from the street to your household. The neighbour has stated that they had a friends who had to pay over £500 to replace/fix the pipe in which run under their driveway.
I would have though this would have been included within the household insurance, and maybe is worth contacting your household insurer prior to coming to a decision.
Escape of water from a fixed source is usually covered under buildings insurance, but only the repairs. The process of digging up and finding the leak isn't and as already said, this can be very expensive. But because our water systems are in a somewhat precarious state, insurance companies are seeking lots of loopholes to avoid paying out. It really is worth contacting your insurance companies and asking the question directly. Our company used to do private water pipe repairs (before we retired) and we loved the insurance companies because their loopholes gave us a fair bit of work.
I have a feeling that whilst Thames Water push these policies, they are told by the regulator to cover the first leak for free. Never had to test this and you probably have to push hard to get them to do it for nothing but this is what i have been told - think in fact i read it in the Telegraph.
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I would have though this would have been included within the household insurance, and maybe is worth contacting your household insurer prior to coming to a decision.