Service Line Warranty Program

What is the relationship between Service Line Warranties of Canada and the County of Brant?

The arrangement between the County of Brant and Service Line Warranties of Canada was established based upon work done by the Local Authorities Services, a not-for-profit organization created by the Association of Municipalities of Ontario. The service works with Ontario municipalities to help lower costs and enhance staff capacity through co-operative procurement efforts, and other programs. Local Authorities Services conducted due diligence and selected Service Line Warranties of Canada as its preferred service partner to provide a low-cost warranty type service offering to the residents of Ontario municipalities. Brant is one of 70 other municipal entities in Ontario that have made this program available to residents.

Why did Brant partner with Service Line Warranties of Canada?

There are several benefits the voluntary program brings to Brant and its residents, including:

• Educating residential property owners about their responsibilities for the maintenance, repair and replacement of water service and sewer lines (portion from their homes to the property line) – at no cost to the County of Brant.
• Assuring the County of Brant that all repairs are performed to code and that all appropriate permitting is pulled.
• Reducing expense to property owners and the Brant because the service plans encourage residents to report exterior water service and sewer leaks in a timely manner. Timely exterior water service line repairs conserve water and reduce water loss for the Township. Timely sewer line repairs also minimize wastewater pollution, helping the environment.
• Resulting in fewer calls and involvement of Brant personnel regarding infrastructure that is the responsibility of property owners saves overall taxpayers money.

How common are utility line breakages and what are the common repair costs?

Each year, Service Line Warranties of Canada, together with its parent company HomeServe, performs tens of thousands of water and sewer service line repairs for customers in North America. It is very difficult to determine when a pipe may fail, with key contributors being the type of piping material, age of the service pipe, soil conditions and installation quality. Water line repairs can be costly – a replacement averages $2,600. With the modest cost of the service plan, homeowners would still see financial benefit if the service line didn’t break for another few decades versus saving the monthly fee at current rates.

Doesn’t my homeowners insurance already cover these repairs?

Typically, no. Most homeowners are surprised to learn that they are responsible for the repair and replacement of broken or leaking utility lines on their property. While most basic homeowners policies will pay to repair the damage created by failed utility lines, they typically do not cover the cost of the repair of the line itself. Service Line Warranties of Canada encourages residents to call their insurance company to determine their actual coverage.

But isn’t this program the same as homeowners insurance?

You should contact your home insurance company to find out what is provided with your coverage. Some insurance companies do offer upgrade coverage for the water and sewer lines by adding a rider or endorsement to the existing base homeowners policy. These insurance riders come with deductibles that typically range from $500-$1,000.

The Service Line Warranties of Canada plan offered to residents has a zero deductible. If a homeowner has a single claim in a year under the homeowners insurance rider, they may pay substantially more than paid with a no-deductible Service Line Warranties of Canada plan.