Does Renters Insurance Cover Home Appliances?

You might already be aware that renters insurance covers incidents of loss, damage, or destruction to your personal property by named perils like fire, vandalism, etc. However, you might be pleased to learn that renters insurance can apply this same coverage to many common household appliances in your rental home, such as dishwashers, ovens, and more. Knowing how exactly your home appliances are covered by renters insurance can help you understand when it's appropriate to file a claim.

Fortunately, an independent insurance agent can help you review your existing renters insurance or get you set up with a new policy if you're in need. They'll ensure you understand exactly how much coverage you get for all the appliances in your home. Until then, here's an overview of renters insurance and household appliances.

How Does Renters Insurance Cover Home Appliances?

When it comes to renters insurance, appliances are treated similarly to your other personal property. This means that if a specified peril occurs and destroys an appliance, you can file a claim to have it replaced. 

Appliances need to be owned personally by the renter to be covered by the renters policy. If an appliance belongs to the landlord, then the landlord's dwelling fire policy would cover it. While your renters insurance policy could distinguish any number of perils, the following are some of the most common disasters.

There may be additional perils named in your policy. Review your specific renters insurance policy together with your independent insurance agent to be certain of all the perils it covers.

Does Renters Insurance Cover Appliances Away from the Home?

The appliance must be located at your residence or in a storage unit to be covered. If you brought a small appliance you owned, like a toaster oven, to a different location, like an office, it wouldn't be covered by your renters insurance policy. 

Note that if an appliance is located off-premises, it won't be covered to the full policy limit, either. The general rule of thumb is that you'll receive 10% of the personal property coverage limit specified in the policy for items stored away from the home. So, if your personal property limit is $25,000, you can receive up to $2,500 minus your deductible for an item kept in a storage unit or your vehicle if it gets damaged or destroyed by a named peril.

Special Renters Insurance Coverage for Short Circuits

There is a special policy provision for appliance short circuits. However, its inclusion as a policy provision may depend on your insurer, and there's often a lower limit for coverage, too. 

For example, you may only receive up to $1,000 for any damage to your appliances due to short-circuiting, even if the damage is greater than that limit. Your independent insurance agent can help review your specific policy with you to find this special limit and any other terms related to short circuit damage.

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Does Renters Insurance Cover Appliance Failure or Spoiled Food?

Some damages related to appliance failure may be covered by your renters insurance policy. A major concern is spoiled food if your refrigerator suffers damage. Luckily, if your refrigerator is damaged or destroyed due to a named peril, you can often receive compensation for spoiled food under your renters insurance policy.

Renters Insurance Coverage for Water Leaks 

Another common issue to consider is water leaks. Washing machines and dishwashers could leak, and if they do, they can damage your floor or other property around the appliances. 

An interesting catch with this coverage is that the appliance isn't covered if it simply breaks unrelated to a listed peril, but the damage caused by the appliance would be. On the other hand, if the appliance is damaged or destroyed because of a named peril, and property surrounding the appliance is also destroyed, both sources of damage would be covered in that scenario.

How to File a Renters Insurance Claim for Appliance Damage and Destruction

Filing a renters insurance claim for appliance-related issues is the same as filing a claim for any other issue under your renters insurance policy. It's always good practice to take photos and/or videos of the damage to submit with your claim as well. You'll submit a single claim to your renters insurance company for each item of personal property that might have been damaged or destroyed due to a named peril, along with details of what happened.

Even better, your independent insurance agent can actually file renters insurance claims for you. They'll request all the necessary information, such as details about the incident and photo and video evidence, then contact your insurance carrier directly. Your agent can keep you updated through every step of the claims process, including providing ETAs for when each will be completed and when you can expect to receive any reimbursement.

Here's How an Independent Insurance Agent Can Help

When you need the right renters insurance to cover appliance-related issues and every other type of possible claim, no one's better equipped to help than an independent insurance agent. These agents are free to shop and compare policies from multiple local carriers for you to find the best overall blend of coverage and cost. 

Not only that, but your agent can help file claims for you and update your coverage as necessary. They can also help you review an existing policy to be certain of the coverage you already have and answer any remaining questions. If you're in need of additional coverage, an independent insurance agent can help you make changes to your policy as well.