Question

So I had posted that I would be debt free by the end of the year. Guess what happened? The village water main line broke last night in front of my neighbor's house and it all flowed into my parent's basement. All the appliances in the basement have to be replaced. Furnace, hot water tank, washer, dryer and freezer. The insurance policy they took out in 1972 has never been updated and looks like they are paying out of pocket for the cleanup and replacements. I do live with them and haven't been able to pay rent to them because of how much I was in debt. Last month I started paying them rent again so that will help a little plus whatever I buy for the house cause I do help out that way. I'm thinking of course paying whatever I can to help and put any extra money to them instead of debt. I wouldn't have known how to handle helping them out before TBM but thanks to this group I do now.  

Answer 1

Will the village water board not be helping out since it’s not your parents fault and was not directly on their property.  

Answer 2

Ur home or ur parents home insurance doesn't cover the damage?  

Answer 3

The village said act of god and we live in a funny district . I'm village and addressed in one place but I'm actually in a town of another place. We get our water from the village but the town rents from the village. I live four houses from the line separating the town and village. We have an outside company looking into it for my parents along with the town supervisor. Their policy was limited on flood insurance. I dont have any policy cause I never thought I needed one cause everything was under them. That's something I'll have to check into I only have my car. The policy is very limited. I think it would have covered them if the pipe burst in the house but because it was outside its different. Plus I think the village is sick of paying water damage for flooding because almost every week a water main is going.  

Comments

You should argue that because that's really not what an act of god clause is - act of god is something completely outside human control like a tornado. A water main is fully in human control.  

Answer 4

This is why we have a home warranty! If anything happened we could be out tens of thousands of dollars. We pay $400/year for it but it’s so worth the “insurance” it gives. Maybe after this mess is all taken care if they could look into one. That’s such a bummer though and SO expensive, but really kind of you to help them out!  

Comments

@mosqueda I hate to be a negative Nancy but home warranties generally do not cover anything outside of the home. I was on the hook for a $500 septic bill a month after we bought our home because the pipe that connects our house to the septic was rotten through about 2 feet from the house. The pipe had roots and what not causing the plumbing to back into the house, which was also considered foreign objects and not covered as well. I am not saying don't have the home warranty, we still have ours but I know to be a bit cautious of relying on it too much.  

Answer 5

Yeah it's a wake up call for sure. Their policy is from 1978.  

Answer 6

The good thing is that the insurance doesn't want to pay a nickel for this so they may be your friend in getting the village to pay. If there has been a ton of mains breaking I'd be contacting the local news, your city/county/state legislators.  

Answer 7

The town supervisor and an independent contractor is helping us

Answer 8

Oh man I’m so sorry!  

Answer 9

Thanks everyone.