In most cases, coverage for a power outage is based on the cause and location:
- If a power outage is caused by something your insurance covers (like a fallen tree or lightning strike) and it happens on your property, your damage might be covered.
- If the power outage starts somewhere else, like at your local utility company, your home insurance usually won’t cover it.
- If the power outage is caused by something not covered by your insurance (like flooding), you might only be covered if you have specific insurance for that, like flood insurance.
Spoiled Food Coverage
- Home insurance often covers food that spoils due to a power outage if the outage is caused by something your policy covers. For example, if a tree on your property knocks out your power, you might get reimbursed for spoiled food.
- Your claim might be denied if the power outage is due to:
- Planned power cuts aka rolling brownouts
- Nonpayment of your electricity bill
- Electrical grid failures
- Events not covered by your policy (like earthquakes, floods, or normal wear and tear)
- Faulty or poorly installed equipment
- Most insurance companies limit coverage for spoiled food to around $500, and you might have to pay a deductible. Your power company might also reimburse you, so it’s worth checking with them.
Hotel Stays During Power Outages:
- Power outages rarely make a home unlivable, so your home insurance usually won’t cover hotel stays during an outage. Loss of use coverage (Coverage D) only kicks in if your home is uninhabitable due to a covered event.
Electronics Coverage
- You might be able to claim for electronics damaged by a power surge caused by a covered event, like a lightning strike. Power surges can damage things like computers and TVs, but if the surge is from a covered event, you might be able to repair or replace them.
Frozen Pipes Coverage
- If your pipes freeze and burst due to a power outage, your home insurance might cover it, as long as your home wasn’t vacant or unoccupied.
Having good insurance and knowing what it covers is important. Make sure you’re prepared for power outages to protect your home.
*Coverage is subject to the policy as written.