Does a Home Warranty Cover Plumbing Systems? – Forbes Home

A home warranty is neither home insurance nor plumbing insurance but rather a contract for service designed to cover repairs and replacements on your home’s most essential appliances and systems. Home insurance, on the other hand, is designed to protect the value and structure of your home, as well as fix major damages, but it likely does not cover fixing the source of those damages, the cost of hiring a technician for repair or the replacement of the parts or the whole appliance or system.

A home warranty policy can save you from unexpected financial strain when essential items in your home break down due to normal wear and tear. Instead of hiring your own technician or plumber, which could cost hundreds of dollars an hour, or paying out of pocket to replace an appliance or system that costs thousands, a home warranty costs a nominal monthly or annual fee plus a flat fee for service claims that require a technician dispatch.

That way, when something requires fixing, your costs are already covered.

Usually, yes. A reputable home warranty company policy likely offers at least one policy that includes essential plumbing fixtures on the list of what’s covered.

Many home warranty companies offer more than one plan and include a policy for appliances, a policy for major home systems and a policy that combines the best of both lists, with optional add-ons for customizable coverage for other parts of your home.

Plumbing coverage will vary depending on the configuration of each company’s policies. Some may include whole-house plumbing systems, whereas others may specify plumbing coverage for the kitchen or laundry appliances. If plumbing is covered as a whole-house system under your home warranty, it likely applies to the cost of repairs for indoor pipes and plumbing, including leaks or breaks, fixing or replacing faucets and valves, build-in motors, pumps, basket strainers, bathtub cleanouts, showers, toilet blockages, stoppages and more.

Usually, a home warranty policy only covers costs of repair and equipment when items malfunction due to normal wear and tear. Hiring a plumber can be expensive, but not nearly as expensive as repairing damage to your home when plumbing goes wrong. Maintaining your plumbing with regular tune-ups and repairs can save you a big expense later, and a home warranty policy that includes plumbing features can make that bill significantly less costly.

However, a home warranty with plumbing coverage may not be worth the money for some homeowners. If you have a home full of brand new appliances and systems that are either still covered under the manufacturer’s warranty or unlikely to fail due to wear, you are unlikely to use your home warranty. If you have the cash saved for a rainy day or a plumbing emergency, or if you save the money you would spend on a use-it-or-lose-it home warranty policy, you can put those funds towards plumbing maintenance instead.

Exclusions may apply to home warranty plumbing coverage, so read the fine print on your policy.

The best home warranty companies offer add-ons (item by item coverage) for things like your septic system, outdoor plumbing systems and additional home plumbing. This may include your lawn sprinklers, spas and swimming pools, guest home plumbing or an outdoor kitchen, that may not otherwise be included in your base policy without additional cost.

Plumbing repairs may also not be covered if your equipment has preexisting conditions, aesthetic damage or if it hasn’t received routine maintenance. Home warranty companies also usually are not responsible for damages from natural disasters, nor will they repair the parts of your home that are damaged by leaky plumbing.

Read each contract carefully to understand when plumbing failures are covered and when they are not so you can customize your home’s insurance protection for any scenario.