Despite how inconvenient power outages are, they happen all too frequently, and they can often cause several issues in your household.
One of the most irritating and costly consequences of extended power outages is the loss of food due to spoilage. Meat, seafood, poultry, and many other refrigerated and frozen foods can go off in a matter of hours if there is no electricity to keep the fridge or freezer they are in cold.
As such, if you want to be prepared for an extended power outage, one of the questions you may ask yourself is: will homeowners insurance cover spoiled food?
One of the most irritating and costly consequences of extended power outages is the loss of food due to spoilage. Meat, seafood, poultry, and many other refrigerated and frozen foods can go off in a matter of hours if there is no electricity to keep the fridge or freezer they are in cold.
As such, if you want to be prepared for an extended power outage, one of the questions you may ask yourself is: will homeowners insurance cover spoiled food?
What is spoiled food coverage?
As the name suggests, spoiled food coverage is a type of coverage that will protect you in the case of your fridge and/or freezerís contents being spoiled. It is either included in, or can be added to, your insurance policy.
However, spoiled food coverage only covers spoilage that is caused by a power outage inflicted by a covered risk, or if the cause of the outage occurred on your property as a result of a covered risk, or by a malfunction in your fridge.
Food that is spoiled due to accidental actions, such as unplugging our appliance or forgetting to close the door, or any other uncovered risk, will not be covered by spoiled food coverage.
However, spoiled food coverage only covers spoilage that is caused by a power outage inflicted by a covered risk, or if the cause of the outage occurred on your property as a result of a covered risk, or by a malfunction in your fridge.
Food that is spoiled due to accidental actions, such as unplugging our appliance or forgetting to close the door, or any other uncovered risk, will not be covered by spoiled food coverage.
Does homeowners insurance cover spoiled food?
Whether or not homeowners insurance covers spoiled food by default depends entirely on your policy, as this can vary from company to company. As such, it is always best to check with your insurance provider to make sure.
Some homeowners insurance policies do include spoiled food coverage however, if yours does not, then it may be a good idea to request for this coverage to be added to your existing homeowners insurance policy to ensure youíre covered in the event of an extended power outage.
Typically, your homeowners insurance will cover a certain amount of food spoilage, usually in the range of $500 or $1,000 though this, too, can depend on your policy.
Not only can your homeowners insurance cover you in the case of food spoilage due to a power outage, but sometimes utility and power companies will reimburse this cost, too, if the power outage is their fault. In the event that your fridge and/or freezer contents are spoiled due to a power outage, it may be a good idea to get in contact with your power company and find out if they will reimburse you.
Some homeowners insurance policies do include spoiled food coverage however, if yours does not, then it may be a good idea to request for this coverage to be added to your existing homeowners insurance policy to ensure youíre covered in the event of an extended power outage.
Typically, your homeowners insurance will cover a certain amount of food spoilage, usually in the range of $500 or $1,000 though this, too, can depend on your policy.
Not only can your homeowners insurance cover you in the case of food spoilage due to a power outage, but sometimes utility and power companies will reimburse this cost, too, if the power outage is their fault. In the event that your fridge and/or freezer contents are spoiled due to a power outage, it may be a good idea to get in contact with your power company and find out if they will reimburse you.
When does homeowners insurance cover spoiled food and when doesnít it?
Homeowners insurance can cover spoiled food if spoiled food coverage is included in your policy, but it will only do so under specific circumstances ñ these being when the power outage is caused by a covered risk.
So, for instance, homeowners insurance will cover spoiled food if the power outage is caused by a covered peril such as:
ï A downed tree
ï A named hurricane
ï A storm (i.e. lightning strike, water damage)
Some insurance companies, however, offer coverage for food spoiled by any power outage for an additional premium.
Though, for most homeowners insurance policies, spoiled food will not be covered if the power outage was caused by a risk that is not covered by the policy, which can often include:
ï Blackouts caused by power line issues
ï If the electricity was turned off for servicing, or due to non-payment
ï Flooding
So, for instance, homeowners insurance will cover spoiled food if the power outage is caused by a covered peril such as:
ï A downed tree
ï A named hurricane
ï A storm (i.e. lightning strike, water damage)
Some insurance companies, however, offer coverage for food spoiled by any power outage for an additional premium.
Though, for most homeowners insurance policies, spoiled food will not be covered if the power outage was caused by a risk that is not covered by the policy, which can often include:
ï Blackouts caused by power line issues
ï If the electricity was turned off for servicing, or due to non-payment
ï Flooding