What Is Plumbing & Drainage Cover?

Plumbing and drainage cover in the UK is a combined policy for properties for drains, pipes, blockages and repairs. While costs and policies can vary between providers, it’s designed to shield homeowners from unexpected costs, ageing pipework and external drain issues.

At Express Drainage Surveys, we provide professional surveys to help homeowners assess the risks in the system before any problems escalate. This is a service which complements plumbing and drainage cover, which is why we wanted to cover the policy in more detail this month, including a definition, what it covers, what it doesn’t cover and much more.

What exactly is plumbing and drainage cover?

Plumbing and drainage cover is a policy that helps homeowners deal with the cost of repairing faults in their plumbing system and drainage network. Here in the UK, these types of policies are often offered as a monthly or annual plan, and stand separate from standard buildings or contents insurance.

Plumbing cover usually relates to the internal pipework. That includes things like pipes connected to sinks, toilets, baths and showers. Drainage cover, however, focuses on the external drains that take the wastewater away from the property to the main sewer.

While some providers will offer plumbing and drainage cover combined, others may sell them as separate policies. It should go without saying that the level of protection you need will depend on your property, and what you’re actually covered for will be in the specific policy wording – so it’s worth taking the time to understand what is and is not included before you purchase your cover.

Many homeowners buy the combined coverage for financial peace of mind. Since unexpected drainage repairs could be costly – especially if excavation is needed – it protects against sudden and extensive issues.

What does plumbing and drainage cover usually include?

We’ve already mentioned that policies can vary between providers, but most UK plumbing and drainage cover will include protection against a range of common issues.

Internal plumbing cover should include:

Burst or leaking pipes
Faulty internal waste pipes
Toilets that don’t flush properly
Leaks beneath sinks or baths

Drainage cover will often include:

Blockages in external drains
Damaged or collapsed pipes underground
Tree root intrusions that have created cracks or blockages
Repairs to the lateral drains connecting to the main sewer line

You will often find these other common costs taken care of as part of the coverage:

Emergency call-out charges
Labour costs added to repairs
Repair or replacement of damaged sections of pipework

Some policies may also even contribute towards any excavation costs to access drains, but there may be a cap to this. You should also note that many providers will only pay to a certain limit per claim or per year.

What is not usually covered?

Making sure that you also understand the exclusions to your policy is just as important. Plumbing and drainage cover is not the same as a maintenance plan, so insurers are often careful and specific about the things they will not pay for.

Things commonly excluded from policies include:

Any pre-existing damage that occurred before the policy started
Poor workmanship or any faulty installation work
DIY plumbing repairs
General wear and tear (this depends heavily on the policy)
Blockages caused by any misuse, such as flushing inappropriate items
Cosmetic damage or extensive work after the repairs are complete

Because pre-existing conditions are very rarely covered, it’s important that homeowners understand the condition of their drains before they take out insurance. That’s where professional drainage surveys can be valuable.

Common drainage problems that make cover useful

Because drainage systems are underground, they’re often hidden from sight, which means there are problems that can develop over time, unnoticed until they become really serious.

Blocked drains: A blocked drain is pretty common for UK homes. This is often caused by food waste and grease, wet wipes and sanitary products or soap residue and limescale. Be on the lookout for the early warning signs, which include:
- Slow-draining sinks
- Unpleasant smells around drains
- Gurgling sounds from within the drains
Fat, oil and grease buildup: The fat, oil and grease poured away in kitchen sinks has been known to create much larger and stubborn blockages for drainage systems. It’s one of the most common causes of recurring blockages, as it cools and solidifies further in your pipework.
Tree root intrusion: Tree roots are naturally drawn towards sources of moisture and so have been known to force their way through the smallest of cracks in drainage pipes. Once they find their way in, the roots tend to expand and slow the flow of your drains, so not only are they doing structural damage, but they also create a blockage.
Collapsed or damaged pipework: There are a number of reasons drainage pipes can collapse, including age-related deterioration, ground movement, heavy traffic over the ground and poor installation. This often means excavation is required to replace that segment of the system, and this is why it’s one of the most costly problems you can face as a homeowner.

Who is responsible for drainage repairs in the UK?

The responsibility for repairs to drains in the UK can depend on where the problem is. Homeowners will usually be responsible for drains within their property boundary and lateral drains connecting their property to the sewer.

Water companies, on the other hand, are responsible for public sewers and shared sewers that serve multiple properties. For more information, please refer to our previous post on the topic.

Whether plumbing and drainage coverage is worth it when it comes to blockages depends on a variety of factors, including the age of your property, whether you have large trees near your drains and whether you would struggle to cover unexpected repair costs.

How Express Drainage Surveys can help

If you need specialist help with professional drainage services, look no further than our team at Express Drainage Surveys. We help homeowners every day, and the following are just some of the services we offer:

When you diagnose underlying drainage problems early, it can help to avoid unexpected costs further down the line, make informed decisions about insurance coverage and keep your property’s drainage system working at its best. Contact us today to discuss your drainage and any issues with our team.