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Insuring your plumbing and drainage
If you are a homeowner, you are responsible for all plumbing and drainage within your home and generally responsible for the drains within your property boundary.
More than 75% of homeowners have experienced a plumbing or drainage emergency at some point (note 1). These problems don’t just happen in the winter – you can be affected at any time of the year.
What’s more, repairs can be expensive, as research shows that 1 in 2 plumbers charge more in the evenings and weekends for an emergency (note 2). It could also be hard to find a qualified tradesman in an emergency.
The diagram shows the problems you could face and the costs surveyed plumbers and engineers would typically charge a customer without Plumbing and Drainage Cover.
That’s why we would like to introduce you to HomeServe Membership Ltd who arrange and administer Plumbing & Drainage Cover (note 3). With this cover, you can ensure a hassle-free solution to a plumbing or drainage emergency.
In the event of an emergency, just one call to HomeServe will ensure a plumber is dispatched to your home. A HomeServe approved plumber will aim to arrive in 2 hours. Once the job has been completed, simply sign to say you’re satisfied, and the bill will be settled direct, within the cover limits.
When the electrics, boiler or plumbing goes wrong in your house, there's no time to waste - you need to resolve the problem fast!
From a blocked toilet to problems with your central heating system or electrics, HomeServe offer a range of packages to protect your home in an emergency. Find out more>
15% online discount
When you take out a policy through our website you'll automatically receive a 15% discount (for the first year) on any home emergency products, including:
Plumbing and Drainage cover. Find out more>
Electrical cover. Find out more>
Boilers and Heating cover. Find out more>
Combined home cover. Find out more>
For cover exactly where you need it around your home you can apply for a policy that suits you today. Remember, there's a 15% discount if you apply online!
Homeserve notes
Plumbing and Drainage - Summary of Cover
What is covered?
1. Repair/replacement to leave the external underground drain running clear covered up to £4,000 per claim (inc VAT). Cover includes up to 2 claims per year for individual drains up to the main sewer and shared drains within your property boundary.
2. Emergency repairs to your internal plumbing and drains up to £2,000 per claim (inc. VAT), with up to 2 claims per year.
What is not covered?
Non-emergencies • central heating breakdowns • maintenance e.g. replacing tap washers, existing problems • replacing tanks, cylinders, sanitary ware or radiators • guttering, downpipes and rainwater drains • shared drains outside your property boundary • external water supply pipe.
What about my external underground water supply pipe?
One free underground water supply pipe repair service per property is provided by Cambridge Water. However this is not an emergency service.
What is defined as an emergency?
An emergency is sudden and unforeseen damage to your plumbing or drains which immediately (a) exposes a risk to your health; (b) creates a risk of loss or damage to the property or (c) makes the building uninhabitable. An uncontrollable internal emergency is where you can’t temporarily stop the incident from causing further immediate internal damage (i.e. by turning the water off or not using the facilities).
Who is eligible to apply?
All homeowners are eligible to apply, unless the property is a flat, mobile home, bed-sit, in multiple occupancy or is used for commercial purposes, in which case the property cannot be covered. Council or Housing Association tenants will not need this service.
When will I be covered?
Your policy starts the day your application is processed.
Who provides Plumbing and Drainage Cover?
The insurance policy is provided and underwritten by Inter Partner Assistance SA, The Quadrangle, 106-118 Station Road, Redhill, Surrey, RH1 1PR, United Kingdom office, registered number FC008998. It is arranged and administered for you by Homeserve Membership Ltd, Cable Drive, Walsall, WS2 7BN (Registered in England no. 2770612). You will therefore have a contract with Homeserve Membership Ltd to arrange and administer the policy on behalf of the insurer, for which the cost to you is £15 and a separate contract with Inter Partner Assistance SA. The total price you pay of £72.24 is unaffected by these arrangements. References to ‘Plumbing and Drainage Cover’ or ‘Cover’ in all documents include the services within both contracts.
Can I spread the cost of cover?
If you pay by Direct Debit you can pay quarterly or monthly. Quarterly payers will pay four instalments of £18.06. Monthly payers will pay 12 instalments of £6.02. Payment by any other method will be one annual payment.
What happens next year?
If you choose to pay by Direct Debit or credit card, excluding Maestro, your policy will automatically renew. You will receive your new policy documentation in advance of renewal to give you time to consider whether the cover is still right for you.
If you make any claim on the policy this may affect your future premium.
What if I am not satisfied?
If the insurance policy does not provide the cover you need, you should return your Policy Summary to Freepost RLYC-LXAL-GEEH, Customer Admin Department, HomeServe, Walsall, WS2 7BN, within 28 days of the start of the period of insurance or within 28 days of the day you receive the policy documents, whichever is the later. Any premium paid will be refunded in full, providing no claim has been made. The first 3 months of this policy is offered to you as a trial period (the trial period). If you are not satisfied with this policy for any reason, then you may cancel it by informing HomeServe of your wish to cancel the policy at least 14 days prior to the end of the trial period.
If you cancel after the initial 28 day period (which includes your statutory 14 day cancellation period), your cover will cease and you will not receive a refund of any premiums already paid.
For full terms and Conditions please call HomeServe on 0800 4089232.
(note 1) Based on an independent survey of 1,276 respondents, February 2009 (this figure includes some emergencies or breakdowns that may not be covered by this.).
(note 2) HomeServe Statistics. November 2008
(note 3) You will have a contract to arrange and administer your policy with HomeServe Membership Ltd, Cable Drive, Walsall, WS2 7BN (registered in England no. 2770612) and a separate contract for insurance with Inter Partner Assistance SA, The Quadrangle, 106-118 Station Road, Redhill, Surrey, RH1 1PR, United Kingdom office, registered number FC008998. References to ‘Plumbing and Drainage Cover’, or Cover’ in all documents include services within both contracts.
HomeServe is a trading name of HomeServe Membership Ltd. Cambridge Water Company is an appointed representative of HomeServe Membership Ltd, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority.
HomeServe Membership Ltd will use your information and may pass it on to their service providers, their own group companies and Cambridge Water group companies, for the purpose of administering your policy, training and statistical analysis. We, or they, may contact you by post or telephone with offers of interest. If you do not wish your information to be used for this purpose, please inform the Customer Contact Agent.
