Does homeowners insurance cover water damage from appliances

Homeowners Insurance for Refrigerators and Food Spoilage

Your homeowners insurance policy covers much of your personal property, including large appliances, from specific perils like theft, fire or damage from a storm. This typically includes protection for your refrigerator, which can be a costly appliance to replace or repair if it is damaged.

Your homeowners policy may not provide coverage for every type of damage to your refrigerator. That’s why it’s important to understand your policy’s details regarding insurance coverage for damage to a refrigerator and any loss of food due to a power outage. You also may want to explore equipment breakdown coverage, which offers protection for a broad range of household appliances and equipment against mechanical or electrical failure. Ask your Travelers representative about this unique coverage.

Does Homeowners Insurance Cover a Damaged Refrigerator?

Whether your homeowners insurance covers a damaged refrigerator depends on how the damage occurs. Your homeowners policy will likely help with the costs of repairing or replacing your refrigerator if the damage is due to a sudden covered event like a burst pipe, fire or lightning.

However, a homeowners insurance policy typically does not cover damage to a refrigerator that breaks down due to regular wear and tear, or that is caused by lack of maintenance.

Coverage for Refrigerator Leaks

Many refrigerators have cold water dispensers and built-in ice makers. These conveniences can contribute to water leaks that may damage other appliances and surrounding areas. Your homeowners insurance may cover damage that results from a refrigerator leak, subject to your deductible and policy limits. However, any repair or replacement of the refrigerator itself typically would not be covered.

Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Food Spoilage Caused by a Power Outage?

Coverage for food spoilage due to a power outage is extremely limited in a standard homeowners policy. Your homeowners insurance potentially could cover spoiled food due to a power loss if your refrigerator was directly damaged by a lightning strike or a power surge. If you want to make a claim for spoiled food, it’s a good idea to take pictures of the food in the refrigerator to support your claim before you discard the contents.

If you think you could benefit from additional protection against food spoilage or power outages, talk to your Travelers representative to explore coverage options.

Prepare for the Unexpected

Taking preventive measures can help protect your refrigerator and other valuable appliances from a lightning storm or other power surge:

• Install a whole-house surge protector to your home electrical system.
• Add point-of-use surge protection devices (SPDs) and outlets. Be sure to use the correct SPD for your refrigerator and washing machine.
• During a storm, unplug unused appliances (except your refrigerator), especially sensitive devices such as computers.
• Keep your refrigerator clean and well maintained.
• Freeze containers of water and gel packs and transfer them to your refrigerator to help keep food cold in the event of a power outage.
• Discard spoiled food regularly.

Never taste food to check for spoilage. When in doubt, throw it out. Learn more about food safety during a power outage:

• When to save food and when to throw it out from foodsafety.gov.
• Keeping refrigerated food safe during emergencies from the USDA.

Looking for more ways to help keep your family protected? Find a Travelers representative near you to get a homeowners insurance quote that covers your appliances. Get protected with home insurance from Travelers.

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Homeowners insurance may help cover home appliances in certain situations. Policies can have different terms, so you should make sure you understand what your policy covers.

Typically, homeowners insurance policies cover appliances lost or damaged due to a covered incident, such as a fire or lightning strike. But they don’t cover the cost to repair or replace an appliance as a result of normal wear and tear. For example, your homeowners policy won’t cover a replacement dishwasher if your old one stops working. But, if you have an accidental kitchen fire that destroys your dishwasher, your homeowners policy will determine whether and to what extent that damage is covered, so be sure you understand your protection.

What Is a Covered Peril?

Homeowners insurance policies generally cover damage caused by certain risks, including:

• Fire
• Lightning
• Windstorm
• Hail
• Smoke
• Theft
• Sudden and accidental water discharge from certain household systems or appliances

If your appliances were damaged or destroyed due to one of these covered events, your homeowners insurance would most likely pay for a repair or replacement of the appliances involved.

Homeowners Insurance Coverages Explained

There are different types of home insurance coverage within your homeowners policy, and your appliances will fall into several of these categories. Appliances that plug into electrical outlets and are not built-in or permanently attached, like many toasters or blenders, will most likely be covered under your personal property coverage. However, larger items that are built-in, such as a hot water heater or central air-conditioning compressor, will likely be covered as part of your dwelling protection. If the built-in or permanently attached appliance in question is part of a detached garage and is damaged in a covered event, it would likely fall under your coverage of other structures.

For a better understanding of how your homeowners insurance policy can help cover the costs of damage to or loss of your appliances in the event of a covered event, talk to your local independent agent or Travelers representative. That’s also a good time to ask if you may be eligible for certain insurance savings, such as a home buyer or loss-free discount.

How to Protect Your Appliances

Make sure your home plumbing, air-conditioning and heating systems, as well as water connections to appliances, are in good working condition to help prevent water damage inside your home. Perform an annual inspection of your home plumbing to look for signs of leaking or corrosion and check your appliances for signs of damage or wear and tear. Consider having a licensed professional inspect and service your air-conditioning system, too.

It’s always a good idea to take care of your home to avoid potential damage or loss, but having a good homeowners insurance policy is also an important way to help protect yourself from the potentially devastating costs of an unforeseen event. If you’re in the market for homeowners insurance, learn more about Travelers home insurance and how you can save money by bundling your policies.

Contact your local independent agent or Travelers representative to get a homeowners insurance quote.

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