Does Homeowner's Insurance Cover Food Spoilage Caused By A Power Outage?

Power outages can range from merely inconvenient to catastrophic. A prolonged power outage can result in rotting food in the refrigerator and freezer. Suppose you hope that your homeowner's insurance will assist in covering the cost of perishable commodities such as meat, vegetables, and milk. In that case, your insurer may pay up to a particular amount. Or it may not provide any coverage whatsoever.

This is because spoiling coverage differs by company and the type of occurrence that first caused the power outage. For instance, some homeowner's insurance policies will cover up to 0 if your neighborhood is affected by a blackout. However, insurers typically will not cover food deterioration if you accidentally knock out the electricity to your kitchen while renovating.

Homeowners Insurance Coverage for Food Waste

Home insurance providers normally pay up to $500 for food lost during a power outage, but only if your policy, such as a lightning strike cover the reason for the power outage.

If you desire more than $500 worth of coverage, your insurer may offer additional spoiled-food coverage for an additional fee. Some policies, for instance, permit you to add up to $2,500 for spoiled food coverage.

Some homeowner's insurance companies would cover food spoilage claims if the utility company caused the power outage. For example, your coverage may cover a claim for food loss resulting from a rolling blackout or another planned power interruption.

Here are three instances where food spoilage is likely to be covered:

• A lightning strike causes a power failure at your residence.
• A fallen tree takes out your home's electricity.
• A tornado rips a hole in your roof, allowing rain to pour in and triggering a power outage.

Here are three instances in which food spoilage is unlikely to be covered:

• A DIY project causes a power outage at your residence.
• Your utility company switches off your power due to delinquent invoices.
• Flooding results in a power outage. Note that standard home insurance policies do not cover damage caused by flooding.

If your homeowner's insurance does not cover food spoiling, you should inquire with your utility company about possible reimbursement. Some utility companies will pay for food spoilage, but only if they are responsible for the power loss. Other utility providers may cover food spoilage to assist consumers who have incurred a loss due to a widespread disaster, such as a tropical hurricane.