If you've ever experienced property damage caused by a sanitary sewer backup, chances are you found that the damage was not covered by any insurance coverage. All local governments in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania are afforded sovereign immunity against third party claims for property loss damaged under the Policitical Subdivision Torts Claim Act. Some exceptions do apply, but generally conditions are very specific for exceptions to be validated.
The Tort Claims Act states that "a local agency cannot be held liable for a dangerous condition of a water or sewer system unless it had actual notice or could reasonably be charged with notice under the circumstances at a sufficient time prior to the event to have taken measures to protect against the dangerous condition"
Because most water breaks or sewer system backups are unforeseen events, they generally don't fall under this exception. Therefore, damage to your home or property is not compensable by the Township or its' insurance carrier.
Some homeowner insurance policies offer additional insurance to guard against this type of loss. Costs for such coverage is generally minimal. The Township suggests you contact your homeowner insurance agent to review possible coverage for this type of loss. The time to discoverd that you're not covered for this type of claim is not when the event occurs. A little preparation, a few phone calls, and a minimal annual investment may be all you need to give you peace of mind when it comes to these type of unexpected losses.