Pitch fibre pipe drain claims

[Insco]

Did you know that if your home was built between 1950 and 1980 there is every possiblity that your drains are made from a material known as pitch fibre pipe.

The cost of repairing a damaged pitch fibre drain can be considerable, but the cost is often met by your Buildings Insurer.

Some Buildings Insurers clearly state in their policies that they do not cover any damage whatsoever to pitch fibre pipes ( such as Allianz, Sterling, the Post Office)

Other Insurers, in particular Halifax, now attempt to rely upon policy exclusions for "wear and tear" - the small print

Do yourselves a big favour moneysavers - if your home was built between 1950 and 1980 - (1) Try to find out what your drains are made of - if they are pitch fibre pipe then (2) Check your Buildings Insurance policies very carefully (3) Change to an Insurer who would consider damage to a pitch fibre pipe as a valid claim

[Sweetcaz]

Have just read this after it was thrown up on a google search.

Has anyone experience of insurance companies who do cover claims for repairs to pitch fibre drains? I am in the process of buying a house that has these an although I am getting a proper survey of the drains done I would rather take out insurance that covers any big claims.

Thanks

[dacouch]

Any Home Insurance will not pay for normal "Wear and Tear" eg the pitch fibre drains have failed due to their age. Wear and Tear is up to the home owner to pay.

A Home Insurance will normally cover (Unless the policy has an exclusion stating it will not) cover damage to pipes caused by specific causes. These are normally subsidence, heave, tree root ingress (Roots damaging the pipe) or accidental damage eg a heavy lorry drives up your drive and the weight damages the pipe or you damage it while digging.

It would be easier for us to tell you if a policy has a specifc exclusion for pitch fibre drains if you know which companies are quoting you.

Once again a Home Insurance will not pay to repair a pitch fibre pipe or any other type of pipe that has failed due to wear and tear / age

[Sweetcaz]

Oh I was lead to believe by the firm inspecting the drains that some insurers will still pay out even for wear and tear?

[dacouch]

Every single home policy specifically excludes wear and tear for all claims, otherwise they would end up paying for out every time the house needed any normal maintenance eg the roof was worn out so needs a new roof etc etc.

There are some stand alone policies eg a Home Emergency Policy or a policy covering the pipes that are sold as add ons or stand alone policies that might include cover for repairing the pipe following a burst due to wear and tear

[Insco]

Originally Posted by Sweetcaz

Oh I was lead to believe by the firm inspecting the drains that some insurers will still pay out even for wear and tear?

The ombudsman does not accept at this time that pitch fibre pipes are damaged by normal use ( WEAR AND TEAR)

You need an Insurer who has no general or specific exclusion for gradual deterioration at this time - there are plenty of home policies out there which fall into this category - those from Direct Line, Natwest, HSBC, Admiral , some AXA Insurance policies, some Aviva policies, CastleCover ( for over 50s) - just check. These Insurers have a very real added value and a distinct competitve advantage if your property is served by pitch fibre pipes.

Other Insurers do have gradual deterioration exclusions, but do not presently apply them in the context of damage to pitch fibre pipes - such as Churchill or RIAS. Just call them and ask.

If you have pitch fibre pipes avoid Halifax General Insurance ( St Andrews) Insurance plc) who also underwrite the Sainsbury's Bank home insurance. Also avoid Zurich, Allianz, MMA, the Post Office, many RSA policies and the Paymentshield policies ( to name just a few) if you have pitch fibre pipes ( a house built between 1960 and 1980 - or any drain repairs effected during this period means you could have pitch fibre pipes.) and are worried about any damage that might occur to them.These Insurers routinely reject claims for damage to pitch fibre pipes - necessitating a long haul through to the Financial Ombudsman Service if you want to contest that they never properly explained the exclusion in the context of underground services.

[Insco]

Originally Posted by dacouch

Any Home Insurance will not pay for normal "Wear and Tear" eg the pitch fibre drains have failed due to their age. Wear and Tear is up to the home owner to pay.



Once again a Home Insurance will not pay to repair a pitch fibre pipe or any other type of pipe that has failed due to wear and tear / age

Sorry dacouch - not true. Pitch fibre pipes do not wear out through normal use according to the ombudsman.

[sujy]

My drains were pitch fibre and required replacing / repair. I was with Norwich Union Direct at the time (now aviva) back in 2007 and they did cover the works as accidental damage even though they had just deteriorated over time.
In my case, as I'm sure often happens you may not be solely responsible for the private drains in your garden if other people also derive benefit from them (i.e their sewage also flows through the pipework). However this also means that you are jointly responsible for any pipework through which your sewage runs until it meets the public sewer so if any blockage occurs or the pipes collapse everyone has to contribute to the repairs regardless of whose garden the fault is actually within.

[Kittian_the_Blue]

Originally Posted by Insco

Sorry dacouch - not true. Pitch fibre pipes do not wear out through normal use according to the ombudsman.

That was the view of the last ombudsman - the current Ombudsman is undecided and is waiting for a referral before he makes his mind up.

[Insco]

Originally Posted by Kittian_the_Blue

That was the view of the last ombudsman - the current Ombudsman is undecided and is waiting for a referral before he makes his mind up.

There are plenty of recent Financial Ombudsman Service ombudsman's final decsions that confirm that it is not accepted by the Financial Ombudsman Service that pitch fibre pipes wear out through normal use ( wear and tear).

What referral is the current ombudsman waiting for?

[Sweetcaz]

Thanks Insco for clearing that up for me. I was sure that was the case as the drains company I had check the drains for me before purchase said it is still able to be claimed for under home insurance.

Thank you for the pointers on which companies to try. Much appreciated

[raskazz]

Originally Posted by Kittian_the_Blue

That was the view of the last ombudsman - the current Ombudsman is undecided and is waiting for a referral before he makes his mind up.

I'm not sure what you are referring to here. The Ombudsman made clear its position on the issue here (or at least as clear as a technical insurance issue can be!):

http://www.financial-ombudsman.org.u...bre-pipes.html