March 1, 2021

Late last year, the City of Newport launched an important partnership with Service Line Warranties of America (SLWA) that provides tremendous benefits to homeowners. Through the partnership, Newport homeowners have access to affordable, optional service repair plans that cover home emergencies like repair or replacement of the water and sewer lines on their property. Many homeowners are unaware that, when a problem arises with these pipes, they – not the city – are responsible to make repairs.

While homeowners are always advised to check out the details of their homeowners' insurance before signing up for a service plan, most basic homeowners' policies do not cover repairs to failed utility lines that fall on a homeowner's property. And while some insurance companies offer a rider that can be added to a policy for an additional charge and with a deductible that can range from $500-$1,000, a SLWA service plan starts at $5.75 per month and has no deductible. If you have a single claim in a year under the homeowners' insurance option, you will pay substantially more than you would with a zero-deductible SLWA plan.

In all of the information Newport homeowners receive about our plans, we make it clear that they are optional. Residents have no obligation to purchase them. And the city logo is used on the mailings to assure residents that the mailing is legitimate and that a partnership is in place.

The City of Newport's program with SLWA is not unique. There are 1,000 utilities and municipalities - including several in Oregon like the City of Ashland and Coos Bay - that work with SLWA and HomeServe, SLWA's parent company, in the U.S. to make these services available to residents. Our success is a result of a commitment to help customers with the cost and inconvenience that comes with common home repairs. We work with only local, licensed and insured contractors to ensure home repairs get taken care of quicky and professionally.

Our business is based on delivering exceptional customer service and complete transparency.

We are proud to have an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau and to serve the residents of Newport.