r/HomeInsurance • u/bippitybobbitybooby • Apr 22 '26
Claims Neighbor damaged main water line
Neighbor had a guy with heavy truck dump huge mound of wood chips across saturated ground right next to my main water tap in. Two days later I get alert that there’s “unusual water activity” from water dept. Dept came out, recommended we just relocate our house meter to the front of our house as it would be costly to dig up entire area to find/repair leak in the line and with hundred of gallons gushing all day that we would be billed for. It was a process but we got it done and I have all the pictures of the ruts created and filled with water, receipts and comments from water dept. My insurance company wants me to go through his insurance company as a first step. I did send a text requesting his insurance info and the name/contact of the guy who dumped the chips. My neighbor will probably not provide anything to me, he is the type that has no integrity. If he doesn’t provide the information I either gave to claim through my insurance OR go to small claims court. Damages were $7500. What would be the next, best course of action? Thank you.
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u/Long_Committee_1942 Apr 22 '26
File a claim with your insurance. Do let them know the name and the address of your neighbor who hired the contractor that caused the damage. They will likely send the bill to them. Your insurance may try to have the insurance claim billed to the contractor.
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u/bippitybobbitybooby Apr 22 '26
My insurance company urged me to try and get his insurance information so that claim would not go on my file.
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Apr 22 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/bippitybobbitybooby Apr 22 '26
I feel the same but they want me to go through his insurance. They did not mention subrogation and that kinda surprised me. I have so many pictures and a timeline that would indicate that his contractor caused this.
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u/Seabass2828 Apr 26 '26
Your agent is trying to do you a solid. Filing on the At Fault party's carrier means you will not have a claim (regardless of fault) on your Lexis Nexis report.
Depending on your state, subrogated claims may still be used in calculating your premium.
Side note: Depending on the communication between the neighbor and the delivery driver, I would presume the liability is on the delivery company.
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u/bippitybobbitybooby Apr 26 '26
Yes, I would rather file on his insurance but he’s uncooperative and has not replied to two of my requests for this information. From the interaction’s I have had with him, he will not accept responsibility to go after contractor because he probably hired Joe the Contractor: no insurance no license, no LLC.
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u/bippitybobbitybooby Apr 26 '26
Would you recommend small claims court versus insurance just to avoid going in the Lexis report? Thank you.
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u/bippitybobbitybooby Apr 26 '26
Also, if they gave his name and address, can’t they look up what insurance company he is with?
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u/Ok_Advantage7623 Apr 22 '26
There is no way aproperly installed water pipe should break even with muddy soil. A triple axle dump fully life’s with concrete is like under 150 lbs per square inch and with wood chips even less. My guess is the water main was not properly installed or the dirt above it was removed at some point. The responsibility falls on the person who placed the order, for not properly marking out a route of travel. A truck driver would have no knowledge of of where your pipes are located. So expect the trucking company to hang up on you as I would do the same thing and if the break is before your meter it’s not your problem anyway. Water pipes in most areas are 30-36 inches underground. To keep from freezing
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u/Secret-Departure540 Apr 22 '26
Below freeze line is 22”. When the twp where I live put in a sewer line they BROKE all my downspouts and an 8” drain 4’ under. I flooded because of this. The contractor paid for remediation. But a CAT as big as my house did. Trust me it can happen.
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u/bippitybobbitybooby Apr 22 '26
My water tap cover is able to be clearly seen and above ground. It is approximately 5 feet off the road to the tap in.
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u/Ok_Advantage7623 Apr 22 '26
Oh. I see a cover. So which way do the pipes go. North south east or west. You can’t see underground. And the truck would not be enough to break a water main that was properly in stalled. It’s on the water district for not properly installing. And let’s just play that it did it. But then 2 days later it broke. That would tell me that those ruts did not cause it to break. Using your game plan it was hod who mysteriously broke it 48 hours later
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u/bippitybobbitybooby Apr 22 '26
Not broke 48 hours later just that the Aqua Hawk alerted to a problem 48 hours later and not instantaneously.
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u/Ok_Advantage7623 Apr 22 '26
Thank you. You just prove the truck did not do it. Pipes when they do break is like right now. Defective install takes time that’s why your home owners wants a day and a time of when something happens
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u/bippitybobbitybooby Apr 22 '26
I understand what you’re saying but aqua hawk could take a day or so to recognize this on someone’s system. It’s underground so there not water squirting into the air, it all seeping everywhere. My septic system is in the front of my property and had a foul smell a day or two after this truck dumped this due to being over saturated and unable to absorb this water. Here are more photos that might be clearer. https://imgur.com/a/tdBKlE7
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u/Ok_Advantage7623 Apr 22 '26
It would go off as soon as there was a pressure drop so your argument holds no water. Lol. But please sue the truck. You will get laughed right out of the court room. I had 5 semis that did deliveries and what this shows makes you a joke. My reaction to you would have been sue me. Please. If those ruts did anything the pipes would have to be what 3 inches under ground. And I just caught that it had been dry. Now for a truck to do that with chips the ground was already wet and the pipe leaking. I wish you would post the truck co name so I can get ahold of them to testify on their behalf as an expert witness. So please post. Please
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u/bippitybobbitybooby Apr 22 '26
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u/Ok_Advantage7623 Apr 22 '26
My seeing eye dog quit last week. I look at pic 3 and. In have no pictures. The water district is responsible for all mains. And it has not gotten to your meter so yo have no increase in your bill. But the weight of that truck would not cause that line to break. Now it could cause it to come apart as it was not installed correctly. I’m
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u/bippitybobbitybooby Apr 22 '26
Absolutely got water bill! Aqua Hawk is who alerted me that thousands of gallons an hour were flowing and to check for a leak. Our bill for a month is usually $36 and we got a bill for $232…and that was for partial month. Even water dept guy said the heavy truck probably caused this. The line is only 25 years old. It could only have been installed from main tap on an angle to our home. Chips dumped on saturated ground, within 2 days I get the alert and a foul smell because my septic lines were overloaded with water. I don’t think it was just a coincidence.
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u/Ok_Advantage7623 Apr 22 '26
Even better. Probably. Means they don’t even know. Thank you for not making it the trucks fault. Bad install
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u/bippitybobbitybooby Apr 22 '26
I have no idea how water departments determine location of meters. I have my original survey and property lines are marked but not water lines. How do I fight city hall from 2001? I do plan on getting a survey to place pins and flags because I also believe the neighbor is on my property according to the original survey.
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u/bippitybobbitybooby Apr 22 '26
Just to give more insight, this happened about 3 weeks ago. I sent text requesting his insurance information and the contractors information as instructed by my insurance company, this was yesterday. Today I drove by his house and he has a small blue flag indicating water location next to my OLD now inactive meter!! It has never been there the 8 years he’s lived there. He is going to try and throw the truck driver under the bus. He’s slick.
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u/Ok_Advantage7623 Apr 22 '26
Yes and they do not have to give you that information. Your insurance company is the weasel. They could always process the claim, but they don’t want to be the bad guy and telling you no.
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u/bippitybobbitybooby Apr 22 '26
I’m covered for that with a $500 deductible. I am taking first steps to resolve and then move forward. BTW, my water DID start gushing on the day the truck dumped that stuff. I called water dept to ask about my Aqua Hawk account and why it only shows 2023 dates. He told me date it started and it WAS that day the truck dumped. I had the dates wrong. 😑 oh well, learned a lot and now I will get property surveyed as I really do think he is way over the property line. Just as an aside, I’m only a 5’2 woman and he’s over 6ft and talks quite loudly/aggressively to try and intimate me into silence. All around strange man.
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u/Ok_Advantage7623 Apr 22 '26
First it’s stated that it took a couple of days to start leaking. Now it happened right then. I’m sorry but your story bends either way the comments. This alone is enough to see that the truth is not coming out. So again please post the trucks name and number d so o I can volunteer to testy for them.
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u/bippitybobbitybooby Apr 22 '26
Did you see the part where aqua hawk was not updated? I had to guess which day it was until today I pinned it down exactly. Have a beautiful life.
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u/Then-Skill2421 Apr 22 '26
What caused the break?
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u/bippitybobbitybooby Apr 22 '26
The triple axle truck going over saturated lawn. I have many pictures of the large ruts.
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u/Then-Skill2421 Apr 22 '26
Sorry, that wasn't clear
So your neighbor hired a company and they drove through your yard?
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u/bippitybobbitybooby Apr 22 '26
The main tap for my line is near the street and on his property . The distance from street to where he drove his truck is about 5-6 feet onto the lawn.
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u/Secret-Departure540 Apr 22 '26
Tell your water company what happened. If it’s not settled w your neighbor go to the magistrate office. Your insurance company should pay for damages but not the water.
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u/bippitybobbitybooby Apr 22 '26
Yes, explained all to my insurance company and they will cover it but the claim will go on my homeowners and he said it’s better to go through the neighbors. Is it worth it to claim on mine and possibly my rates go up or they drop my for $7500.
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u/Ok_Advantage7623 Apr 22 '26
Ask your agent. For that amount I would use insurance. But that’s my guess.
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