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When does renters insurance cover spoiled food?
Renters insurance covers spoiled food under two circumstances. It covers food spoilage caused by a covered peril breaking your refrigerator or freezer, and food loss caused by certain types of power outages.
However, some policies stipulate that they’ll only cover your food if you took reasonable measures to save it. For example, if a fire destroyed your main fridge, and you could have transferred your food to your backup freezer or a cooler but neglected to do so, your insurance company might reject your claim.
When does renters insurance cover power outages?
Renters insurance doesn’t always cover power outages because they’re not considered a peril in their own right. However, if a power outage is caused by a covered peril such as lightning, ice on the power line, or one of your appliances short-circuiting, your renters insurance will reimburse you and cover the subsequent food loss.
What about power surges?
Power surge damage is variable — some policies always cover it, some never do, and others cover it as long as the surge was caused by a covered peril. However, if the power surge directly causes another covered peril, like a fire, almost all renters insurance policies will cover your losses from the damage.
Loss-of-use coverage
Food expenses can also be reimbursed through your policy’s loss-of-use coverage. If your home is made uninhabitable and you’re forced to move out temporarily, any additional food expenses (in meals or groceries) that you incur will be covered by your insurer.
When is food loss not covered by renters insurance?
Renters insurance doesn’t cover food loss caused by any of the following circumstances:
Appliances breaking down due to your negligence: If you fail to maintain your freezer by neglecting to clean it and your food spoils, your policy won’t cover it.
Normal wear and tear: If the compressor of your secondhand refrigerator stops working over time, renters insurance won’t reimburse you for the food loss.
Damage of your appliances by excluded perils: If your food spoilage was caused by a flood or earthquake, a standard renters insurance policy won’t cover you.
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