Does your homeowner’s insurance cover sewer backups?

Homeowner’s insurance helps protect your home, but sewer backups are often not covered under a standard policy. A sewer backup can cause serious damage to floors, walls, furniture, and personal belongings, and repairs can be expensive. Reviewing your coverage now, before a problem occurs, is a simple way to avoid an unwelcome surprise.

In most cases, sewer or drain backup coverage is an optional add-on to your homeowner’s insurance. If you are not sure what your current policy includes, the easiest step is to call your insurance agent and ask.

It is also worth knowing the difference between sewer backup coverage and flood insurance. Flood insurance covers water entering your home from outside, such as heavy rain or rising water levels. Sewer backup coverage applies when wastewater comes up through drains or toilets inside the home. They address different situations, and some households may benefit from having both.

You may also want to ask your agent about service line coverage, sometimes called sewer lateral coverage. The sewer lateral is the pipe running from your home to the City’s main sewer line, and homeowners are generally responsible for the portion on their property. Repairs to that pipe can be costly, and some insurers offer this protection as an add-on.

When you speak with your insurance agent, consider asking:

Does my policy cover sewer or drain backups?
If not, how much does it cost to add?
Do I have flood insurance, and how is it different from sewer backup coverage?
Is there coverage available for my sewer lateral?

Sewer backups can happen for a variety of reasons, including heavy rainfall, aging infrastructure, or items that were flushed or poured down drains. The City is committed to maintaining the public sewer system and works to address issues as they arise. Even so, backups can occasionally occur, and having the right coverage in place is one of the best ways to protect your home and your finances.

To learn more about preventing sewer backups, visit www.mt-pleasant.org/sewer

Summary of Minutes of the Mt. Pleasant City Commission Meeting – August 12, 2024

Summary of Minutes of the regular meeting of the City Commission held Monday, August 12, 2024, at 7:00 p.m., in the City Commission Room, 320 W. Broadway St., Mt. Pleasant, Michigan with virtual options.

Approved the agenda as presented.

Received petitions and communications.

Approved the following items on the Consent Calendar:

5) Minutes of the regular meeting of the City Commission held July 22, 2024.

6) Acceptance of funding from Charter Township of Union for the north section of the Mid-Michigan/GKB Pathway.

7) Purchase of Neptune 360 AMR Software and equipment from Ferguson Waterworks of Mt. Pleasant, MI.

8) Warrants and payrolls.

Approved an extension of the Month-to-Month Lease Agreement with Robert Lee Ervin with an amendment to require quarterly reporting on a calendar year schedule with a termination date of December 31, 2025.

Approved the purchase of a 2024 Ford F-150 Pickup truck through the MiDeal extended purchasing program and a Ram ProMaster work van from dealer stock.

Approved entering into a Per Hour contract with Blystone & Bailey CPAs of Mt. Pleasant, MI for Third Party Accounting Services.

Approved the Deficit Elimination Plan for the Storm Sewer Fund as of December 31, 2023.

Received a proposed ordinance to amend Section 96.05 Lawn Maintenance and to set a public hearing to allow for public input on said ordinance amendment for Monday, August 26, 2024, at 7:00 p.m.

Receive a proposed ordinance to amend Table 154.405.A District Standards: CD-4 General Urban, and CD-5 Urban Central Character Districts and related sections in Article IV: Building and Lot Plans & Standards, Article VI: Administration & Enforcement and Article VII: Definitions of the Mount Pleasant Zoning Ordinances regarding Setbacks and Building Standards and set a public hearing on same for Monday, September 9, 2024, at 7:00 p.m.

Approved and conducted a Closed Session pursuant to subsection 8(h) of the Open Meetings Act to consider material exempt from discussion or disclosure by state or federal statute.

Adjourned the meeting at 9:58 p.m.

Summary of Minutes of the Mt. Pleasant City Commission Meeting – 2/26/2024

Summary of Minutes of the regular meeting of the City Commission held Monday, February 26, 2024, at 7:00 p.m., in the City Commission Room, 320 W. Broadway St., Mt. Pleasant, Michigan with virtual options.

Approved the Agenda as presented.

Received petitions and communications.

Approved the following items on the Consent Calendar:

6) Minutes of the regular meeting of the City Commission held February 12, 2024.

7) Authorized the Mayor to sign an acceptance contract for the grant from MSHDA, approved allocation of $50,000 HODAG funds, and confirmed the program parameters as presented.

8) Bid of Monchilov Sewer Service, LLC of Fairgrove, MI for 2024 Sewer Relining and a portion of the alternate bid work.

9) Bid of M&M Pavement Marking of Grand Blanc, MI for 2024 Pavement Marking Project.

10) Bid of Hutch Paving, Inc. of Warren, MI for 2024 Milling & Resurfacing Project and budget amendment.

11) Bid of Lakeshore Construction of Mt. Pleasant, MI for the 2024 Sidewalk Replacement Project, and budget amendment.

12) Bid of Block Farm Operations, LLC of Weidman, MI for 2024 Lime Residuals Removal Project.

13) Contract with Metron Farnier of Boulder, CO for authorization to purchase AMI-equipped residential water meters.

14) Contract with Mead and Hunt for the Airport Feasibility Study and budget amendment.

15) Warrants and payrolls.

16) Contract with Lakeshore Construction of Mt. Pleasant, MI for the 2024 Chipp-A-Waters Sidewalk Project.

17) Correspondence to CMU Board of Trustees regarding the upcoming CMU President search.

Held a public hearing and approved resolution #5 to accept the special assessment roll and set payment terms for Special Assessment District #1-2024.

Approved a contract with Malley Construction Inc. of Mt. Pleasant, MI for the 2024 Parking Lot #3, Town Center Reconstruction Project; and a contract with Three Rivers Corporation of Midland, MI for the Town Center Restroom Building Construction Project.

Approved contract with Progressive AE of Grand Rapids, MI for Mission Street Corridor Plan, and budget amendment.

Approved Resolution in Support of Ceasefire in Gaza and Israel.

Held a Work Session Discussion on Climate Change Action Plan.

Adjourned the meeting at 9 p.m.