Personal property coverage in your homeowners insurance may help to protect you if a power surge damages or destroys your electronics and appliances, up to the limits of your policy. For example, if a power surge causes an item to overheat and perish, your homeowners insurance may be able to help cover the cost.
Can you claim damage from a power surge?
If a power surge causes damage to your property, you can file a claim with your insurance carrier to recoup your losses. Make a list of the electronics (and other personal property) in your home ahead of time in case you need to file a claim. This will not only assist you in determining the appropriate level of coverage, but it will also make filing a claim easier.
Here’s what to do when filing a power surge claim:
1. As soon as it is safe to do so, assess the damage that has occurred.
The insurance claims adjuster will want to know what harm was done, so be thorough and write down everything that happened, including the date and time.
2. Submit a claim to your insurance company.
You can file a claim with American Family Insurance online, by contacting your agent, or by calling 1-800-MYAMFAM (1-800-692-6326). You can also use My Account or the MyAmFam app to file.
3. Think about your deductible.
Before your insurance pays the cost, you’ll almost certainly have to pay a deductible. If the cost of repairing or replacing the damaged property exceeds your deductible, you can choose to proceed with the claim, and your adjuster will work with the insurance carrier to determine a repair settlement.
4. Obtain payment
You’ll get a check or checks to repair or replace your damaged item if your claim is approved.
Why does my house keep having power surges?
During power grid switching, power surges might come from the electric utility business. Lightning is another typical cause of power surges, especially the most violent ones. When major equipment such as air conditioners and refrigerator motors turn on and off, power surges can occur.
Surges of electricity can enter a home in a variety of ways. Lightning can strike via the cable TV or satellite dish cable, the incoming telephone lines, or the incoming electrical service line in the case of a storm.
What is power surge insurance?
As a result of load shedding, power surge damage insurance claims are on the rise. Voltage fluctuations can frequently cause household appliances to be damaged beyond repair.
Does homeowners insurance cover lightning damage?
The way your insurance provider assesses lightning damage is determined on your insurer and the type of damage that occurred. We’ll show you how it works in most cases.
Lightning strikes can start fires inside or outside your home, destroy expensive appliances and gadgets, damage wiring in the walls, and even shock and harm you or a family member. The good news is that almost all homeowner’s insurance policies cover lightning damage. Coverage for the following items is included in your policy:
Personal property has been damaged. If your personal property, such as appliances or electronics, is destroyed by lightning, you’ll usually get reimbursed for the real cash worth the price you’d pay today for a comparable item after depreciation. Replacement cost coverage, which pays what it would cost to replace your personal property at its current worth, should be available.
Other structures, such as a garage or shed, may be harmed. Your homeowners policy should cover any damage to your covered outbuilding caused by lightning.
Costs of living increase. If your home was destroyed by lightning and is being repaired or rebuilt, your homeowner’s insurance will cover the cost of living somewhere else, such as a hotel, as well as other additional costs while your home is uninhabitable.
Does home insurance cover short circuit?
The majority of homeowner’s insurance policies do not cover electrical problems. Electrical faults are characterized as anomalous equipment failures that might cause your electric wire to short circuit or emit defective currents, generally involving transformers or generators. While some insurance companies would refuse to cover electrical defects outright, others will provide coverage for a fee.
Can a power surge damage a refrigerator?
An increase in voltage caused by a power surge creates an electrical current inrush within the refrigerator. This surge generates an excessive quantity of heat, which can cause damage to the refrigerator’s various components. The ice maker in the refrigerator can potentially be damaged by a voltage surge.
Should I worry about power surges?
Since its inception, power surges have been the scourge of electrical systems. Depending on the voltage driven through the system, a power surge can burn out a computer or ignite a house fire. But, for the most part, they’re quite innocuous. A quick increase in the amount of power flowing through your home is normally either too small for you to notice, or it is absorbed by surge protectors and other appliances you probably have strewn about the place. However, there are occasions when you simply cannot afford to ignore a power spike. Let’s take a look at why power surges are such a problem and what you can do about it.