FAQs and What We Do

• What is the average lifespan of an exterior water service line?

  HomeServe sends local, licensed contractors to repair tens of thousands of utility lines (exterior electric, gas, water and sewer) every year. We are proud of the important role HomeServe plays in arranging the repairs and replacements of our country’s aging residential infrastructure system.

  What about exterior water lines? It is difficult to determine when a pipe may fail, but key contributors can include the type of material the pipe is made of, the age of the pipe, and soil conditions. A 2017 study in the Journal of American Water Works Association, based upon our data, found that failures in water pipes occur most often in homes that are between 30 and 60 years old. The median age of homes in the U.S. is about 40 years, so the threat of failure is – or should be - a rising concern for many homeowners as many service pipes may be functioning on borrowed time.

• How much do these types of home repairs cost?

  Many of the repairs can be quite expensive and an unexpected blow to a homeowner’s wallet. For example, as of December 2024 an exterior water line replacement averages about $3,000 nationally. With the modest cost of a water line service plan from HomeServe, homeowners would still see financial benefit if the service line needed a replacement after a couple of decades versus saving the modest monthly fee. To learn about costs for other household system repairs, visit our individual product pages elsewhere on homeserve.com to learn about national average cost data for repairs or replacements.

• Is a home protection plan worth it?

  Since 2015, HomeServe has been conducting its State of Home Survey, which helps us understand how financially prepared homeowners are for a sudden emergency repair expense. The 2024 survey found that over one-third (41%) of respondents have $500 or less set aside for an unexpected emergency home repair. The reality is that many homeowners don’t have a rainy-day fund, or if they do, they don’t have enough money in it to cover an emergency repair.

  This data is consistent with the Federal Reserve’s 2024 Report on the Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households, which found that 37% of adults say they either could not cover an emergency expense costing $400 or would cover it by carrying a balance on credit cards or borrowing from friends or family.

• Does my homeowner's insurance cover home repairs?

  Homeowners are often surprised to learn that they are responsible for the repair and replacement of their broken, blocked, or failed service lines (water, sewer, electrical and gas) on their property.

  Basic homeowners insurance does not typically cover repairs from normal wear and tear to service lines (water, sewer, electric, etc.,). However, homeowners should contact their insurance company to determine actual coverage.

  Also keep in mind:

  1. Some home insurers offer a rider that can be added to basic homeowners insurance for an additional fee. These insurance riders come with deductibles that typically range from $500-$1,000.
  2. Finding a trusted home repair contractor can be a big hassle. Plus, emergency call out fees can be very expensive. With a claim under an insurance rider, the homeowner is typically responsible for finding a qualified and trustworthy contractor to complete the repair, paying them out of pocket, and waiting for reimbursement. With a plan from HomeServe, a vetted, local contractor from our service network will make the covered repairs. HomeServe pays the contractor directly, taking the inconvenience and cost out of a home emergency repair.

• What is the relationship between HomeServe and its utility and municipal partners?

  Over 1,300 municipalities and utilities in North America partner with HomeServe to make our service plans available to their residents, members or customers. Each agreement is a little different and is tailored to meet the needs of the specific community or partner. These partnerships allow HomeServe to offer homeowners plans that make sense for their area and savings. And utilities and municipalities benefit by not having to create this type of program on their own for their customers; we take care of it. No matter the partner, signing up for a service plan from HomeServe is completely optional.

• Why do municipal or utility logos appear on HomeServe mailing materials?

  We’re committed to transparency in our communications, and all marketing done in connection with HomeServe’s more than 1,300 municipal and utility partners is approved prior to use. HomeServe’s partnership agreements allow the company to use related logos to indicate that there is a formal partnership in place, which shows homeowners that the offering is legitimate. It also demonstrates that these entities have approved of HomeServe for the benefit of their customers, members or residents.

• What is the relationship between HomeServe and Service Line Warranties of America and Service Line Warranties of Canada?

  Service Line Warranties of America (SLWA) and Service Line Warranties of Canada (SLWC) are both brands that HomeServe operates under in its municipal business relationships. For over a decade, SLWA has been endorsed by the National League of Cities (NLC) as the exclusive provider of the NLC Service Line Warranty Program available to NLC members around the U.S. SLWC is the companion brand available through the Local Authority Service (LAS) Program of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO), as well as municipalities in other Canadian Provinces.

  Whether it’s the HomeServe, SLWA, or SLWC brand, homeowners get emergency repair peace of mind and can expect to receive the same high level of professionalism, expertise, and commitment to quality.

• How does HomeServe receive and respond to online reviews or complaints?

  Every time a repair is completed, our customers are offered an opportunity to rate their experience and share their feedback with us – the great, the good, and sometimes, the not so good. When we fall short of our customers’ expectations and they tell us why, we have a team dedicated to exploring the issue, reaching out to the customer, and determining what’s possible to make things right. Because there are countless places online where customers can offer their feedback, HomeServe has chosen to engage with customers primarily in the following places:

  Reputation.com, Google and The Better Business Bureau. There may be times when customers share feedback on various social platforms, and we take those into consideration on a case-by-case basis.

• Can I opt out of receiving marketing materials?

  You can opt out of marketing emails by clicking the unsubscribe link included therein. You can opt out of each text message campaign by replying “STOP” to any message received as part of that campaign. You can opt out of direct mail advertisements and telemarketing calls by calling 1-855-336-2465. If you opt-out of one or more types of marketing communications, you may still receive administrative, transactional, and other nonmarketing messages from us, including surveys.