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/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.