Help me find a Gas/Water/Sewer Line Insurance (Pittsburgh: house, utilities)

[piyoimut]

I live in Churchill with Wilkins-Penn Joint Water Authority (WPJWA) as water company, Duquesne Light for electicity, and People's gas for gas.

I read on the news that Pittsburgh water authority (PWSA) have a default opt-in Insurance for the Water and Sewer line for $5..
how about for those with WPJWA, does anyone know?

Is there a good company that will provide this type of insurance?
I just don't want to get caught without coverage when/if we (crossing finger) ever need this kind of service in our house as this might cost a lot to fix.

I heard Dominion provide these insurances, but is there any other that is better?

Thanks in advance and.. Merry Christmas!

[gg]

Generally speaking that insurance is a scam, but to each their own. If you want to know where every line is call your borough and tell them you want a "One Call". They can tell you if you need to call to get that. I believe the boro will come out and order if for you? I have had about 3 one calls at my home just because I have done so much work. They will mark everything underground.

[ditchdigger]

Sorry I can't give a definitive answer to the questions asked in the opening post. FWIW, the following might help some...

There were a few pages of discussion about it here: https://www.city-data.com/forum/pitts...insurance.html and Dominion's name was mentioned several times.

Coincidentally, the recent resignation of the head of Pittsburgh's Water and Sewer Authority was brought about by his connection with several of these insurance firms: Motion floated to fire water chief before he quit

If you want to know where every line is call your borough and tell them you want a "One Call". They can tell you if you need to call to get that. I believe the boro will come out and order if for you? I have had about 3 one calls at my home just because I have done so much work. They will mark everything underground.

That wasn't really what the OP asked about, but as long as the subject is open, here's the website for the PA One Call System:
Pennsylvania One Call System

My personal experience--don't bet the ranch on them marking everything, or everything they mark being correct. Just sayin...

[ki0eh]

Originally Posted by ditchdigger

Coincidentally, the recent resignation of the head of Pittsburgh's Water and Sewer Authority was brought about by his connection with several of these insurance firms: Motion floated to fire water chief before he quit

Thanks for the link to the old thread and the follow up story. I thought something smelled a little odd about the mandatory insurance...

Originally Posted by ditchdigger

That wasn't really what the OP asked about, but as long as the subject is open, here's the website for the PA One Call System:
Pennsylvania One Call System

My personal experience--don't bet the ranch on them marking everything, or everything they mark being correct. Just sayin...

You can now call 811, it's a free service to homeowners digging on their own property but if you're digging on someone else's they will want a $50 annual membership fee. The One Call system does not mark lines themselves, they tell the member facility owners that someone's digging and then the facility owners (the individual utilities) are responsible for sending someone out to actually locate the lines and to mark them with the appropriate standard colors.

Line locating is FAR from an exact science, often the as-built drawings are left for years later or never, plastic lines were most commonly put in without a locating tape, or even if they have a little metal tape that's not brought to the surface for someone to clamp on to. However it is a necessary precursor to digging - not only is it the law, but carrying out your responsibilities moves responsibility for an oops often to someone else, plus any information is usually better than nothing.

[piyoimut]

Thanks for the One Call info!

I will call my home insurance agent to see if they have coverage for these..

[Sportsync]

It's not a scam, I would've loved to have coverage on this for $5 or $10 per month. We always laughed at the insurance before, but we're the ones crying now. We just had our line break (our house is 41 years old), it's an old cast iron tube broken from some old tree roots. Cost to repair $6,000. Homeowners does not cover it because it is not within the walls of the home, it connects the home to the street sewer. Not many homeowners policies will cover it from what I've heard.

[mckeesport_alum]

Just received a call from PWSA stating their $5/month line insurance program has been discontinued as of today (March 18). Looks like I will be looking for a new provider.

[Lobick]

Water authority ends controversial line warranty