Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Freezer Failure?

Power outages can be merely inconvenient or utterly devastating. A prolonged outage can leave you with a refrigerator and freezer full of spoiled food. If you want your home insurance to help pay for things that go bad quickly, like milk, meat, and vegetables, your company might pay up to a certain amount. Or it might not provide a single penny of coverage.

That’s because coverage for food going bad depends on the insurance company and the type of event that caused the power outage in the first place. For example, some home insurance companies will cover up to 0 if a blackout affects your neighborhood. But insurers generally won’t cover food spoilage if you accidentally knock out your power while renovating your kitchen.

But before you throw away your steaks and fresh vegetables, read this to learn about the best home insurance companies and how to file a claim for food spoilage.

Having your freezer suddenly stop working can be a huge inconvenience and expense. Not only will you likely lose all the food stored inside, but repairs or replacement can cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars. So does homeowners insurance cover freezer failure?

Unfortunately, the answer is usually no. Homeowners insurance generally doesn’t cover mechanical breakdowns or failures. But there are some scenarios where your policy may provide coverage, which we’ll explain below.

What Does Homeowners Insurance Typically Cover?

A standard homeowners insurance policy covers your dwelling and personal belongings against damages caused by specific types of events called “covered perils.”

Common covered perils include

Fire or lightning
Windstorm or hail
Vandalism or theft
Damage from vehicles or aircraft
Volcanic eruption
Falling objects
Weight of ice, snow, or sleet

So if your freezer gets destroyed by a fire or damaged during a severe storm, your policy would cover the repair or replacement cost.

But outside of these types of catastrophic events, homeowners insurance does not cover mechanical or electrical breakdowns. A freezer stopping due to a faulty motor, worn-out compressor, clogged drain line, or control board failure would not be covered.

Limited Coverage for Food Spoilage

While the freezer itself won’t be covered for mechanical issues, most homeowners policies provide limited coverage for food spoilage. This is usually a subset of Personal Property coverage.

If a covered peril causes a power outage that results in freezer food spoiling, the policy may reimburse you up to policy limits – often $500 to $1000. For example, if lightning strikes near your home causing a surge that makes your freezer inoperable, any food loss would be covered up to the limit.

But again, if the failure was due to mechanical breakdown not caused by a covered peril, food spoilage would not be reimbursable.

Also keep in mind that the deductible on your policy may exceed the food spoilage limit, in which case it wouldn’t make sense to file a claim anyway.

Supplemental Coverages to Consider

While your homeowners policy may not cover freezer breakdowns, there are some add-ons available that can help protect you:

Home Warranty: This type of policy covers repairs and replacements for appliances and home systems, including freezers, due to mechanical failure. If the freezer stops working for any reason, the warranty would pay for repair costs or a replacement freezer if non-repairable.
Appliance Insurance: Some insurers offer appliance-specific coverage. This works similarly to a home warranty, covering full repair or replacement costs in the event of a breakdown.
Food Spoilage Insurance: You can purchase policies that cover just food spoilage, separate from your homeowners insurance. This can provide more robust coverage in the event of freezer failure.
Backup Generator: While not technically insurance, having a backup generator can help avoid food spoilage during power outages not caused by catastrophic events. This can be a worthwhile investment for some homeowners.

Steps to Take After Freezer Failure

If you find yourself with a non-working freezer, here are some tips on what to do:

Unplug the freezer to prevent further damage.
Document the failure with photos/video showing the date.
File a claim if you think damage was caused by a covered peril.
Dispose of spoiled food carefully to avoid contamination.
Get an estimate for repair costs before approving any work.
Consider purchasing a home warranty or appliance insurance if not already covered.

The Bottom Line

Freezer failure can be an expensive and troublesome event. While your homeowners insurance policy likely won’t provide coverage for mechanical breakdowns, there are options like warranties and specialty insurance that can help. Review your policy limits for food spoilage coverage and research supplemental protection to help cover gaps in homeowners insurance related to freezer or appliance breakdown. With the right coverage, you can get through a freezer failure without breaking the bank.

Insurance Deductibles for Spoiled-Food Claims

Even if spoiled food is covered by your policy, a deductible typically applies to a claim. In this case, if you lost $500 worth of food and have a $500 deductible, you would have to pay for the food that went bad.

Some insurers may not charge a deductible for a claim of food spoilage, or they may not charge one at all in some cases. If you’re not sure how your deductible applies, it’s a good idea to contact your insurance agent.

The Insurance Information Institute says that if your policy covers spoiled food and you have to pay a deductible, you should ask your utility company if they will pay the deductible for you.

Homeowners Insurance for Spoiled Food

Home insurance companies will usually pay up to $500 for food that was lost when the power went out, but only if your policy covers the cause of the power outage. For example, if lightning struck your home and caused the power to go out, your policy would cover that food.

If you want more than $500 in coverage for spoiled food, you may have to pay extra to get it from your insurance company. For example, some policies allow you to add up to $2,500 for spoiled food coverage.

If your utility company is to blame for the power outage, some home insurance companies will pay for claims of food going bad. For example, your policy might cover a claim for food loss caused by a rolling blackout or another planned power outage.

Here are three scenarios where spoiled food will likely be covered:

A lightning strike triggers a power outage at your home
A fallen tree knocks out power to your home
A tornado tears a hole in your roof, letting rain into the house and cutting off the power.

Here are three scenarios where spoiled food will probably not be covered:

A do-it-yourself project causes a power outage at your home
Your utility provider cuts your electricity because of unpaid bills
The power goes out during a flood because most home insurance policies don’t cover damage from flooding.

If your homeowners insurance doesn’t cover a claim for food going bad, you might want to ask your utility company if they will pay you back for the loss. Some utility companies will cover food spoilage, but only if the outage was the utility’s fault. While some utility companies might cover food waste to help customers who lost something during a widespread event like a tropical storm,

Does Homeowners Insurance COVER Plumbing DAMAGE?!

FAQ

Is it worth claiming for freezer contents?

Making a claim for freezer contents Before you make a claim, check how much your excess is as this will be deducted from your payout. Unless the remaining amount would be enough to help replace the food, it’s probably not worth making a claim as it can increase your premiums in the future.

Does insurance cover food loss from a broken refrigerator?

Coverage for food spoilage due to a power outage is extremely limited in a standard homeowners policy. Your homeowners insurance potentially could cover spoiled food due to a power loss if your refrigerator was directly damaged by a lightning strike or a power surge.

Does insurance cover freeze damage?

Will Home Insurance Cover Freeze Damage? This is a tricky question because there are situations where freeze damage would and would not be covered by homeowners insurance. For example, if the damage resulting from a frozen pipe was “sudden and accidental”, most insurance companies will pay for it.

Does homeowner insurance cover refrigerators?

Typically, homeowners insurance policies cover appliances lost or damaged due to a covered incident, such as a fire or lightning strike. But they don’t cover the cost to repair or replace an appliance as a result of normal wear and tear.

Does homeowners insurance cover a refrigerator?

However, a homeowners insurance policy typically does not cover damage to a refrigerator that breaks down due to regular wear and tear, or that is caused by lack of maintenance. Many refrigerators have cold water dispensers and built-in ice makers.

Does home insurance cover food loss?

Food spoilage insurance covers the loss of frozen or refrigerated food that goes bad due to a power outage caused by a covered peril. However, it doesn’t cover dry goods like flour, sugar, or canned foods that are tainted. Does homeowners insurance cover food loss from a broken refrigerator?

Does homeowners insurance cover food loss after a power outage?

If your food spoils because of a power outage caused by a windstorm, lightning strike, or another covered peril, homeowners insurance can help pay to replace your food. Most standard homeowners insurance policies cover up to $500 in food loss after a power outage, but only if the cause of the outage is covered by your policy.

Does home insurance cover spoiled food?

Most homeowners insurance policies include coverage for frozen and refrigerated food that spoils during a power outage if the loss of power was caused by a covered peril. Here are two examples when your home insurance would cover spoiled food: Lightning strikes your house and causes a power surge that fries your refrigerator.