Does Home Insurance Cover A Damaged Refrigerator? | Travelers Insurance (2024)

Does Home Insurance Cover A Damaged Refrigerator? | Travelers Insurance (1) Does Home Insurance Cover A Damaged Refrigerator? | Travelers Insurance (2)

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 outfrom 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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I'm an insurance expert with extensive knowledge in homeowners insurance policies and coverage options. My expertise is grounded in practical experience and a deep understanding of the intricacies of insurance policies. Now, let's delve into the concepts discussed in the article regarding homeowners insurance coverage for refrigerators.

The article primarily revolves around the coverage provided by homeowners insurance for damaged refrigerators, with a focus on various scenarios and potential limitations. Here are the key concepts covered:

  1. Coverage for Specific Perils: Homeowners insurance typically covers personal property, including large appliances like refrigerators, against specific perils such as theft, fire, or damage from a storm. This coverage helps with the costs of repairing or replacing the refrigerator if the damage is due to a sudden covered event.

  2. Exclusions for Wear and Tear: Homeowners insurance policies usually do not cover damage to a refrigerator caused by regular wear and tear or lack of maintenance. This emphasizes the importance of understanding the policy details to ensure clarity on what is covered.

  3. Refrigerator Leaks: Damage resulting from water leaks in refrigerators (e.g., cold water dispensers or built-in ice makers) may be covered, subject to deductibles and policy limits. However, the repair or replacement of the refrigerator itself may not be covered.

  4. Food Spoilage from Power Outages: Coverage for food spoilage due to a power outage is limited. Homeowners insurance may potentially cover spoiled food if the refrigerator was directly damaged by lightning or a power surge. Documenting the spoiled food with photographs before discarding is advisable for supporting claims.

  5. Additional Coverage Options: The article suggests exploring equipment breakdown coverage, which provides protection for a broader range of household appliances and equipment against mechanical or electrical failure. This coverage can be discussed with a Travelers representative.

  6. Preventive Measures: The article provides tips on preventive measures to protect refrigerators and appliances, including installing surge protectors, unplugging unused appliances during storms, regular maintenance, and freezing containers of water to keep food cold during power outages.

In summary, understanding the specifics of homeowners insurance coverage for refrigerators, being aware of potential exclusions, and considering additional coverage options can help homeowners make informed decisions to protect their valuable appliances. If you have any questions or need further clarification, feel free to ask.

Does Home Insurance Cover A Damaged Refrigerator? | Travelers Insurance (2024)

FAQs

Does Home Insurance Cover A Damaged Refrigerator? | Travelers Insurance? ›

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.

Does homeowners insurance cover a broken fridge? ›

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.

What is the most common damage to your home that insurance does not cover? ›

Homeowners insurance doesn't cover floods, earthquakes, typical wear and tear, and damage due to insufficient maintenance. You can usually add flood and earthquake coverage to your policy for an additional fee, but wear and tear and damage from a lack of maintenance are considered preventable.

Are fridges covered under contents insurance? ›

What's Contents Insurance? RACV Contents Insurance covers the cost to repair or replace things you keep inside your home that have been damaged as a result of an insured event. It includes furniture and rugs, fridges, washing machines, TVs and more.

Can I claim for a broken fridge freezer? ›

You can make a claim under the Consumer Protection Act. This makes the manufacturer liable for any damage caused by the product. Note that, unlike your right to a refund, your rights are against the manufacturer, not the retailer.

What voids a refrigerator warranty? ›

Service trips to the home to teach the use and care of the appliance. Improper installation. Failure of the appliance from abuse, misuse, use for other than intended purposes, or from commercial usage. Loss of food due to spoilage.

What is the best home insurance for appliances? ›

Compare Home Appliance Insurance Companies
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Our Top Pick Liberty Home Guard EXPLORE PLANSNRMost Customer-Friendly
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What situations would insurance not cover? ›

Perils Generally not covered by a Homeowners Policy if Damage is caused by:
  • Flood.
  • Earthquake.
  • Earth movement.
  • Termites.
  • Insects, rats or mice.
  • Water damage cause by seepage or leaks.
  • Losses to house vacant for 60 days or more.
  • Mold.

What is not covered by accidental damage? ›

It doesn't include damage that's due to a lack of upkeep or that happens slowly over time. For example, if your roof leaks because it hasn't been looked after.

Which one of the following is not covered by homeowners insurance? ›

Damage or destruction due to vandalism, fire and certain natural disasters are all usually covered. So is your liability if someone is injured on your property. Certain catastrophes, like flooding or earthquakes, are generally not covered by basic homeowners policies and require specialized insurance.

Can I claim for my fridge? ›

In general, damage to appliances from a power surge that results from load shedding should not be claimed from your insurance company, but from your municipality. However, you can often claim for losses related to the contents of your fridge and freezer from your insurer, depending on the terms of your policy.

Is a refrigerator considered contents? ›

Homeowners insurance typically helps cover the contents of your home, including home appliances. You'll typically find that different types of coverage may help protect different types of appliances if they're damaged by a covered peril.

Is a refrigerator an asset or liability? ›

Yes, a refrigerator can be considered as a fixed asset for the business as it has a useful life of more than one year and can be categorised into the equipment section of the balance sheet.

What do you do with a broken refrigerator? ›

Your local waste management division may offer heavy trash pick-up and recycling programs for appliances. Contact them directly for information. Talk to Your Local Scrap Metal Recycler. Thousands of local scrap metal recyclers can recycle old fridges and freezers.

What are the fridge rights? ›

This odd-sounding label refers to people who can comfortably open each other's refrigerators, scan the contents and then help themselves, all without breaching etiquette. It's a homey symbol for a relationship that has crossed a critical line of intimacy.

What happens to broken refrigerators? ›

If the refrigerator is recycled through a store, the foam is simply stuffed into a plastic bag, sealed up and shipped to Commerce 20 miles away, where it's burned to generate electricity. In a waste-to-energy facility, the foam from a single refrigerator generates about 20 kilowatt hours of electricity, Dunham said.

Are appliances covered under contents insurance? ›

Home insurance typically covers appliances for specific perils like fire or theft but not for wear and tear. For broader protection, consider adding equipment breakdown coverage to your policy or purchasing a separate home warranty plan.

What is under the refrigerated property coverage endorsem*nt a homeowner? ›

Refrigerated property coverage: This coverage protects the contents of freezers and refrigerators in the event that electrical service to a device is interrupted. Interruptions caused by damage to the power transmitter (on or off premises) or mechanical failure are covered.

Does homeowners insurance cover electronics? ›

Your homeowners insurance may also only pay the item's current value rather than paying the cost to replace. Homeowners insurance typically won't cover electronics that have been lost or misplaced. Portable electronics — including smartphones, laptops and tablets — may be covered only up to a certain sublimit.

What does equipment breakdown insurance cover? ›

Equipment breakdown insurance covers damages caused by covered internal forces, such as power surges, electrical shorts, mechanical breakdowns, motor burnout or operator error. Keep in mind that even though equipment breakdown insurance covers computers, it does not cover software.

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