When Your Power is out Does Homeowners Insurance Kick in?

By Features Insurance.com

At best a power outage is a minor inconvenience that gives the family a chance to eat by candlelight and the kids an opportunity to discover a world away from the TV and computer.

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But power failures that last for days wreak havoc, especially in the dead of winter or at the peak of a summer heat wave. Whether homeowners insurance covers the consequences of a power outage depends in part on how the outage occurred, where you live and the fine print of your home insurance policy. (See: "Hurricanes and insurance: 5 must-know facts.")



"You need to talk to your insurance agent or company to make sure of what's in your policy," Colmans says.

Generally here's how home insurance would come into play in the following four scenarios:

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1. Food in the freezer and refrigerator spoiled.







3. Electronics are fried.



Brault says American Family home insurance generally covers common home electronics, such as televisions, stereos and DVD players for damage from power surges up to $1,200 per item. Computers and their data storage devices do not have the $1,200 per item limit, he says. (See: "It's not your father's insurance: coverage for the modern man.")

4. Frozen water pipes burst.

Damage from burst water pipes that freeze as a result of a power outage would be covered, St. Onge says.

Before winter sets in, take steps to prevent plumbing disasters. The Insurance Information Institute recommends installing an emergency pressure release valve to protect the plumbing system from increased pressure caused by frozen pipes. This can help prevent the pipes from bursting. Also, locate the pipes and figure out how to shut the water off now, so you can give good directions to the plumber if the pipes freeze in the winter. The faster you shut off the water after the pipes freeze, the better your chances of preventing a water disaster.

The original article can be found at Insurance.com:
When your power is out does homeowners insurance kick in?