Accidental damage insurance protects your home and its belongings from a variety of mishaps that could result in financial loss or damage. It essentially covers any damage produced by an unintentional and unanticipated external action. For example, if your television or refrigerator is damaged while in transit, or if you spill paint on the carpet by accident, the insurance will cover the costs. While most home insurance policies contain unintentional damage coverage, other insurers may offer it as an add-on.
Is it worth getting accidental damage cover on home insurance?
Accidental damage coverage is normally available as an add-on to your homeowner’s insurance policy and can be a cost-effective method to avoid costly mistakes. We look at what it is, what it covers, and whether or not you should purchase it.
Consider this scenario: you arrive home one day to find your children have decided to create a masterpiece on your pricey new lounge suite.
Consider what you’d do if your weekend’s DIY home renovation project turned out to be more of a pipe-bursting exercise.
Most individuals would immediately contact their insurer, but if you only have basic buildings and contents insurance, you may not be covered for such issues.
Accidental damage insurance, which is included in most extended home insurance policies and available as an add-on for regular policies, protects you against unforeseen and unintended incidents that cause physical harm to your goods or cause them to cease working properly.
Accidental damage insurance may be an option for protecting your expensive smartphone, whether it’s an iPhone or not, in the event that it’s damaged, stolen, or lost.
However, there are exclusions, so read our guide to see where your normal house insurance ends and incidental damage coverage begins – and what you’ll be insured for if you obtain it.
What does accidental damage mean in home insurance?
Standard contents insurance usually covers your belongings in the event that they are stolen, or if they are damaged or destroyed by a fire or flood. In most cases, a normal policy will not protect you if your items are damaged as a result of an accident.
If you add accidental damage to your policy, you may be covered for repairs or replacements if an item is damaged or destroyed in your home as a result of an accident. For example, if your kid draws with a pen on the sofa or your wall-mounted TV slips off its bracket and breaks, you may be entitled to compensation.
What does accidental cover include in home insurance?
- Damage caused by chance Unforeseen mishaps around the house can happen in ordinary life, and insurance can help cover them.
- It can be incorporated as a basic feature or as an add-on to your home and/or contents insurance policy.
- Carpets, furniture, ornaments, televisions, and other items that have been damaged may be covered under your policy.
Accidents can happen in the house, no matter how careful we are. While normal house and belongings insurance will cover storm damage, burst pipes, and falling trees, incidental damage insurance will cover things like red wine spills, laptop drops, and children’s toys tossed through TV screens. If your policy doesn’t already include incidental damage coverage, you can add it to your house and/or contents insurance to protect yourself from unintentional mishaps.
We’ve put together a list of frequently asked questions to assist you better grasp this useful coverage choice.
What counts as accidental damage?
Accidental damage is defined as damage to your property or contents caused by an external force. For example, spilling a drink on the carpet and ruining it, or drilling a hole in a pipe.
Accidental damage coverage is sometimes included in home insurance policies, although it’s normally provided as an add-on.
You can purchase unintentional damage coverage for both your belongings and your building. Don’t assume you’re covered for the other just because you have one.
Can you claim carpet damage on insurance?
Carpets can be a grey area when it comes to insurance – are they part of the fixtures and fittings, or are they possessions like any other?
Carpets are treated as contents by the courts and the Financial Ombudsman Service. That’s because, despite the fact that they’re fitted and almost everyone leaves theirs behind when they move, they may theoretically be rolled up and transferred.
That implies that, unlike tiles, wood, and laminate flooring, your carpets will be covered by your home contents insurance, not your structures insurance.
Can I claim for a broken window on my house insurance?
It is normally black or white if you are a homeowner. Either you’re covered by insurance or you’re not. If you don’t, you’ll have to pay for a new window.
Home insurance can be divided into three categories: contents only, buildings only, or a combination policy.
Contents insurance covers damage to or loss of your personal belongings, however it does not cover a shattered window.
Buildings insurance, on the other hand, covers the structure of the building, including the windows.
A unified policy, unsurprisingly, will address both structure and substance.
Even if you have buildings insurance, you should double-check your policy; nonetheless, most policies should cover a damaged window.
Does accidental damage cover screen damage?
Any external, apparent damage to the smartphone’s screen that inhibits the smartphone’s use or functionality is referred to as screen damage. 3.3. The Plan’s advantage of accidental screen damage prevention is in addition to the manufacturer’s guarantee.
Does accidental damage cover pets?
Unfortunately, most typical homeowner’s insurance policies do not cover pet-related damage. Some policies will cover any pet damage, while others will only cover scratching, gnawing, tearing, vomiting, and fouling.
Is it worth claiming on house insurance?
If you make a claim on your homeowner’s insurance, you are responsible for the excess. However, you will pay a twofold price in the form of canceled no claims bonuses and increased premiums for up to five years later.
As a result, it’s not worth filing a claim until the incident’s cost exceeds the excess.
What is not covered by accidental damage?
An external force causes accidental harm when it occurs suddenly and unexpectedly. It’s not the same as damage from normal wear and tear or a breakdown. Accidental damage coverage can be added to either your contents or buildings insurance. Or you could do both.
- If something falls off a shelf and smashes your bathroom sink, adding accidental damage coverage to your buildings insurance will protect you. If a football destroys your window, for example.
- If you’ve added incidental damage coverage to your contents insurance, you’ll be covered for things like knocking over a TV or smashing your glass coffee table.
- Accidental damage protection will not cover you if your machine, for example, crashes due to its age.
- Check with your insurer because portable electronics and clothing are frequently excluded from contents insurance accidental damage coverage.
- Animal-caused damage, such as a pet chewing on your furniture, is usually not covered.
- Your buildings insurance incidental damage coverage would not cover poor workmanship or design.
As part of your buildings insurance, you may only claim for damage to your house or garden if you have incidental damage coverage. As part of your contents insurance, you can also insure anything inside your home or yard.
Items left outside of your home are unprotected. Accidental damage, for example, would not protect you if you dropped your laptop while strolling down the street. Personal possessions cover, on the other hand, can protect your belongings when they’re away from home. Before you add a cover to your insurance, double-check the details.