It is a beautiful summer morning here in the South as we sit in our air conditioned office living the insurance dream. Temperature is already a smooth 92 degrees with a quite uncomfortable humidity level at 72%. Wow, is it hot outside.
This got us thinking of a question we tend to answer every summer, is my air conditioner covered under my homeowners insurance?
Yes and No…..
Well yes, and no. Don’t you love that. You ask an insurance question as it relates to coverage and you never seem to get a definite answer. Trust us, as insurance agents we wish there was more black and white and not the delightful color of gray. And for those grammar enthusiasts, “gray” can be spelled “gray” or “grey”. “Gray” is the more common spelling in the United States whereas “grey” is more common in other English speaking countries, but I digress.
So let’s say one of those summer storms comes through and lightning hits your air conditioner unit causing it to stop working. Is it covered? In this situation, yes your homeowners insurance would provide coverage for the unit. Same as if your home caught on fire and the air conditioning unit was damaged by the fire. And of course for those of us in hurricane prone areas of the country, if a hurricane came through damaging your A/C unit, your homeowners insurance policy would respond there as well. Same would be the case for those in the land of tornadoes.
Well isn’t this just great, but what happens if my air conditioning unit just stops working. Will my homeowners insurance policy respond then? In this situation, the answer is most likely no. Wear and tear of an air conditioning unit is not covered under your homeowners insurance policy. However if you have a home warranty, you may be able to file a claim on that policy.
Equipment Breakdown Endorsement
Let’s add another variable to our initial question. So let’s say there is an electrical surge within your home that causes damage to your air conditioning unit. Will my homeowners insurance policy cover this? It will if you have the equipment breakdown endorsement. Depending on the carrier, this coverage can cost anywhere from $25 to $50.
Again, another yes and no answer! And who doesn’t love insurance now. Not all insurance companies offer this coverage so it is important to ask your agent about this endorsement. As with your basic homeowners insurance policy, the equipment breakdown endorsement does not provide coverage for general wear and tear.
Talk with Your Agent
At the end of the day it is important to speak with your insurance agent to make sure you know what your homeowners insurance policy does and does not cover.
Now bear with us as we get off on a little soapbox. While purchasing insurance online is a quick and efficient route to go, it may not be for everyone. Most insurance policies have fun little coverage gaps that you may not be aware of. These include water and sewer claims, limits on certain personal property, underground service lines, the list goes on and on. By working with an insurance agent, you can get the advice and expertise as well as a licensed professional that you can actually speak with or email directly. And let’s be honest, isn’t it better to know the person by name that is helping you insure what may be your biggest asset. Plus if you ever have to yell at your insurance agent, knowing their name makes it that much more effective.
Shameless Plug
Now when it comes time to speak with that insurance professional, we hope you will consider Farris Insurance Advisors. With over 20 years in the insurance industry, we have seen a lot. As an Independent Insurance Agency, we represent multiple highly rated insurance carriers to best fit our clients needs. We are not a believer in a “one size fits all” approach. This allows us to be flexible and match our clients with the insurance carrier that best fits their situation.
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