Hi all,
I thought I would share this in case it affects you or thinking about this type of insurance.
I received yesterday from Severn Trent Water a letter and a fancy pamphlet inviting me to take out a plumbing/drains and mains supply pipe insurance policy with a company called Homeserve for 9 quid for the first 12 months and then 96 quid per year thereafter. I currently have a similar policy with British Gas called Homecare400 which covers internal plumbing only and electrical repairs as well as the gas boiler annual service and repairs. This costs me £34 a month and has paid for itself in the past on the boiler and central heating pump.
The reason the letter from Severn Trent interested me was they are making great play on your responsibility for the mains water supply pipe from the boundary of your property to the property itself and that the insurance they are offering via Homeserve will cover any leakage repairs etc. Back in 2011 our mains water supply pipe burst under the centre of the house just under the floor and found out it was not covered by the British Gas plumbing policy I had as it excluded the mains supply pipe to the house. My general house insurance also wouldn't cover any repairs as it only covers for accidental damage to any mains pipe and they concluded I wasn't covered as it wasn't classed as accidental.
Anyways back to the Severn Trent offer of taking out insurance on the mains supply pipe. I did some digging on the internet and came across an OFWAT report entitled "Service and delivery – performance of the water companies in England and Wales 2009-10" I think this report was compiled at a time when we had a period of drought in 2009/10 and the water companies were dragging their feet in affecting speedy watermains repairs.
http://www.ofwat.gov.uk/regulating/casework/reporting/rpt_los_2009-10supinfo.pdf
If you look at page 60 of the report there is table listing the water companies together with their free supply pipe repair policy. For Severn Trent it says for external leaks "Free repairs on pipework is offered for both domestic and non domestic consumers conditional on: it prevents leakage; there is ready access; it does not interfere with structures/buildings; pipes of diameter of
32mm or less.
So basically from how I see it they are pushing you to take out potentially unecessary insurance when in fact they are obliged to undertake any leakage repairs outside of your property within your property curtilage for free. There is no mention in the blurb they sent me in fact the opposite that its your responsibility to affect any repairs and with subsequent cost. This particularly anoys me as it can quite plainly play on the elderly and vulnerable who would otherwise take out this insurance and being non the wiser.
It kinda smacks of PPI insurance.
I have e-mailed Severn Trent Water and awaiting an explanation.
Tim.
I thought I would share this in case it affects you or thinking about this type of insurance.
I received yesterday from Severn Trent Water a letter and a fancy pamphlet inviting me to take out a plumbing/drains and mains supply pipe insurance policy with a company called Homeserve for 9 quid for the first 12 months and then 96 quid per year thereafter. I currently have a similar policy with British Gas called Homecare400 which covers internal plumbing only and electrical repairs as well as the gas boiler annual service and repairs. This costs me £34 a month and has paid for itself in the past on the boiler and central heating pump.
The reason the letter from Severn Trent interested me was they are making great play on your responsibility for the mains water supply pipe from the boundary of your property to the property itself and that the insurance they are offering via Homeserve will cover any leakage repairs etc. Back in 2011 our mains water supply pipe burst under the centre of the house just under the floor and found out it was not covered by the British Gas plumbing policy I had as it excluded the mains supply pipe to the house. My general house insurance also wouldn't cover any repairs as it only covers for accidental damage to any mains pipe and they concluded I wasn't covered as it wasn't classed as accidental.
Anyways back to the Severn Trent offer of taking out insurance on the mains supply pipe. I did some digging on the internet and came across an OFWAT report entitled "Service and delivery – performance of the water companies in England and Wales 2009-10" I think this report was compiled at a time when we had a period of drought in 2009/10 and the water companies were dragging their feet in affecting speedy watermains repairs.
http://www.ofwat.gov.uk/regulating/casework/reporting/rpt_los_2009-10supinfo.pdf
If you look at page 60 of the report there is table listing the water companies together with their free supply pipe repair policy. For Severn Trent it says for external leaks "Free repairs on pipework is offered for both domestic and non domestic consumers conditional on: it prevents leakage; there is ready access; it does not interfere with structures/buildings; pipes of diameter of
32mm or less.
So basically from how I see it they are pushing you to take out potentially unecessary insurance when in fact they are obliged to undertake any leakage repairs outside of your property within your property curtilage for free. There is no mention in the blurb they sent me in fact the opposite that its your responsibility to affect any repairs and with subsequent cost. This particularly anoys me as it can quite plainly play on the elderly and vulnerable who would otherwise take out this insurance and being non the wiser.
It kinda smacks of PPI insurance.
I have e-mailed Severn Trent Water and awaiting an explanation.
Tim.
It looked like the pipe had bent over someones knee which had kinked it. It lasted 40 years and eventually popped on the kink. Luckily as the burst was just under the floor it didn't flood the house however to get at it the hot water tank along with the floor all had to come out. I had to go through 3 plumbers before I could get one willing to do the work at a cost of 1700. Think I would be unlucky for the pipe to burst again :? 
I guess hence the push to persuade consumers to take out insurance.