Sewer Line Insurance in Myrtle Beach: Homeowners Policies, Utility Plans and Warranties
Sewer line insurance in Myrtle Beach: what homeowners policies exclude, GSWSA's $2.85 plan, flood rules and warranties compared.
In most cases, a standard homeowners policy will not pay to fix a sewer line that wore out, corroded or filled with roots; the Georgetown County Water and Sewer District (GCWSD) tells customers that most policies do not cover these repairs. What can help in Myrtle Beach and Horry County is GSWSA’s optional Service Line Maintenance plan for its customers, a water backup endorsement, flood insurance for storm-driven backups, or a carefully read private warranty. Every Myrtle Beach Sewer Line Repair job starts with camera video you can share with an insurer.
Call (843) 429-6659 to get camera video and an itemized quote you can forward to your insurer.
Call nowDoes homeowners insurance cover sewer line repair?
Rarely, when the problem is the pipe itself. Insurers generally treat a line that cracked, sagged, corroded or filled with roots as wear and maintenance, and GCWSD’s 2022 service line brochure warns that most homeowners policies will not pay for these repairs. Two national insurers’ consumer pages also say service line failures are typically not covered.
One of those insurers says a policy may pay when a covered peril caused the damage, but that the cause is usually excluded; tree roots usually are not covered. Damage inside the house is a separate question: the Insurance Information Institute says a typical policy does not cover sewer backups unless you buy that coverage separately or as an endorsement. Who pays also depends on who owns the failed section, as who is responsible for sewer line repair explains.
Sewer line insurance options compared
| Option | Usually covers | Usually does not cover | Who offers it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard homeowners policy | Some sudden, accidental damage, per the wording | Wear, corrosion, roots, settling; backups unless added | Your insurer |
| Water backup endorsement | Damage from a sewer or drain backup, up to a limit | Repairing the sewer line | Homeowners insurers, as an option |
| Service line coverage | Repairing buried lines on your lot, which can include wear and roots | Costs over its limit | Some insurers, as an option |
| NFIP flood insurance | Damage from a sewer that backed up during a heavy rainstorm | Clogged-pipe backups; landscaping and septic systems | The National Flood Insurance Program |
| GSWSA Service Line Maintenance | Lines between the street right-of-way and the house, plus backup damage | Pipes inside the building, irrigation, pools, outbuildings | GSWSA, $2.85 a month (water and sewer) |
| GCWSD Service Line Protection Program | Lines between the street right-of-way and the house | Private grinders, septic tanks, natural disasters (2022 terms) | GCWSD, in Murrells Inlet |
| Private service line warranty | Covered repairs, up to a cap | Contract exclusions, often pre-existing problems | Private warranty companies |
GSWSA Service Line Maintenance: coverage, cost and claims
GSWSA bills this optional coverage monthly. For enrolled customers, it services and maintains the water and sewer lines from its system in the road right-of-way to the building’s outer wall and reimburses damage those lines cause, a sewer backup included.
- Price: water and sewer together run $2.85 a month for the first residential equivalent unit (REU) and $0.60 per extra unit; water or sewer alone is $2.60, plus $0.55.
- Enrollment: if the charge is on your GSWSA bill, you are in; otherwise call (843) 443-8202. Under GSWSA’s developer policy, buildings whose units share one sewer service line get Sewer Service Line Maintenance, billed monthly, so condo owners should check the association’s bill.
- Claims: phone GSWSA before any plumber, us included. An independent adjuster GSWSA picks sets the damage payment before repairs, limited to reasonable costs from actual damage and excluding damage caused by the customer’s negligence.
- Restoration: if GSWSA digs, it restores the sidewalk, driveway, shrubs or landscaping, and may trim or remove vegetation whose roots harm the lines.
- Exclusions: plumbing within the building’s perimeter (generally including drains under a slab), irrigation, pool and outbuilding lines, and faucets away from the main building.
- Fine print: GSWSA and the customer can each end the program on 30 days’ notice, and the terms say nothing about waiting periods or pre-existing problems, so ask before relying on it for a failing line.
Plans from GCWSD and the city utilities
For Murrells Inlet customers, GCWSD’s Service Line Protection Program protects water and sewer lines running from the district’s system at the road right-of-way to the building’s outer wall. Its 2022 terms leave out private grinders and pump stations and their force mains, private septic tanks, natural disasters, sewer pipes over 4 inches and water pipes over 2 inches. If you phone a plumber before GCWSD, the repair bill is yours, and signing up in the middle of a break costs $100 and locks you in for three years. Coverage begins once the service is added to your account, GCWSD says; ask it for current prices.
We have not confirmed a service line plan from the four city utilities (Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, Conway and Loris), so ask at the number on your bill before buying a private plan.
Water backup and service line endorsements
A water backup endorsement covers damage when sewage or water comes up through your drains. The NAIC’s homeowners insurance guide (updated October 25, 2025) names sewer backup among common optional add-ons, and the Insurance Information Institute says the coverage usually comes at a nominal cost. It typically pays for cleanup and damaged floors and walls, often belongings too, up to a limit; one national insurer notes it does not cover physical damage to the sewer line.
Service line coverage, where offered, pays to repair buried utility lines on your property. One national insurer’s published example shows a $12,000 limit with a $500 deductible per occurrence, lists wear and tear, rust and corrosion, and root invasion among covered causes, and notes it is not available in all states. Ask your agent which you have, and at what limits.
Flood insurance and storm-driven sewer backups
Flood insurance can cover a sewer backup, depending on the cause. FloodSmart, the NFIP’s site, says a policy “would cover water damage to your home from a sewer that backed up during a heavy rainstorm” but “would not cover damage from a sewer backup caused by clogged pipes,” and it leaves out property outside the insured building, landscaping and septic systems among them. Standard homeowners policies generally exclude flood, and FloodSmart notes a 30-day wait before most new policies start, so buy before hurricane season, which GSWSA dates June 1 to November 30. For storm prep and cleanup, read flood sewer backups.
Is a sewer line warranty worth it?
A sewer line warranty is typically a service contract, not insurance: you pay monthly, and the company pays for covered repairs to the buried line, up to a cap. Some offers arrive by mail looking official, so check who backs the plan, and read the contract for:
- Caps per repair and per year.
- Pre-existing conditions and any waiting period.
- Exclusions such as collapsed pipe, roots, drains under the slab, grinder pumps or septic lines.
- Restoration of a driveway, sidewalk or landscaping.
- Claims: who picks the plumber and how repairs are approved.
A plan is most likely to pay off on an older clay, cast iron or Orangeburg line, near big trees or under a driveway. In Loris, 56.1% of homes were built before 1980; in Carolina Forest, just 1.1% were (U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024). For scale, Angi’s cost guide for sewer lines (updated August 3, 2026) gives a national average replacement cost of $3,319, and most homeowners pay between $1,388 and $5,323; our sewer line replacement cost guide walks through what drives the price. A sewer inspection first shows what you would be covering.
What to document if you file a claim
Claims often turn on cause, since a storm-driven backup, a sudden break and a worn-out pipe can be treated differently. Keep:
- Photos and video of the damage before cleanup, including water lines on walls and ruined belongings.
- The utility’s findings: when you called GSWSA, GCWSD or your city, and what it found on its side.
- The camera video and written report: what failed, where, how deep, and which side of the property-line cleanout it sits on.
- The written, itemized quote, listing the pipe repair apart from cleanup, restoration, the permit and utility fees.
- Receipts for emergency cleanup, drying and discarded items.
Call your insurer early and stop using water to limit further damage. Our sewer backup page covers the first hour.
Before you buy a plan: a checklist
- Check your GSWSA bill for the Service Line Maintenance charge before paying for the same coverage twice.
- Look for common gaps: pipes inside the house, grinder pumps, septic tanks, natural disasters and irrigation.
- Ask how pre-existing problems are handled, and get a camera inspection first.
- Learn the call-first rule: GSWSA wants the first call on backups, and GCWSD’s terms make you pay if a plumber comes first.
- Read the cancellation and price-change terms.
Repair options are on our sewer line repair in Myrtle Beach page.
Sewer line insurance FAQ
Is a worn-out sewer line covered by homeowners insurance?
Usually not when wear, corrosion or roots caused the failure, and GCWSD warns that most policies do not cover these repairs. Some insurers offer service line coverage as an optional add-on, so ask your agent.
What does GSWSA’s Service Line Maintenance plan cost?
$2.85 a month covers water and sewer for the first unit, with $0.60 added per extra unit; either service alone is $2.60, plus $0.55. Enroll with GSWSA at (843) 443-8202.
Can I sign up for a plan after my sewer line breaks?
GSWSA’s published terms do not say, so ask before counting on coverage. GCWSD charges $100 and a three-year commitment to join during a break, and private warranties often exclude pre-existing problems.
Will flood insurance pay for sewage that backs up during a hurricane?
It can, if flooding caused it. FloodSmart’s own example covers a sewer backup during a heavy rainstorm but not one caused by clogged pipes, and most new flood policies wait 30 days to take effect.
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Sewer or water line trouble?
Call for a camera inspection and a written quote.
Call for camera video and a written, itemized quote you can share with your insurer.
Sewer and water line repair for Myrtle Beach, Conway and Horry County. Camera inspection first, written and itemized quotes, licensed plumbers.
Call (843) 429-6659