Will Home Insurance Cover a Broken TV?

Will Home Insurance Cover a Broken TV?

A broken television can be a large loss for some homeowners. Many of today’s larger TVs cost hundreds of dollars or more. When an accident occurs and that TV hits the floor, you may be a bit worried about the loss.

In some situations, your home insurance can help you. Homeowners insurance provides financial protection for items lost, stolen, or damaged in situations that were unpreventable or otherwise unavoidable. When will your home insurance cover your damaged TV?

A Fire or Storm Damage

If a storm rips the roof off your home, exposing the interior to water, your TV may no longer work. You may have a fire, causing the loss of your belongings from the fire, smoke or water damage. In situations like this, home insurance can help. It helps to cover your losses up to the allowable amount. Look at your contents insurance to be sure the value per item or in total is high enough to cover this specific loss.

Theft or Vandalism

Someone breaks into your home. They take the TV, or they damage the home’s various possessions including the TV. In this situation, your home insurance is likely to cover your losses. There are limitations here. Usually, the policy will cover items up to the contents coverage as long as your file a police report documenting the incident. In short, you cannot just call your insurer and claim someone took the TV. The police must create an incident report detailing the theft.

The TV Falls Off the Wall

You installed the TV on a wall. Then, all of a sudden, it falls and shatters on the ground. In this situation, the damage may not have coverage. The insurance company may believe you caused the damage by improperly securing the TV to the wall. However, if you have it professionally installed and it falls, the responsibility may be in the company’s installation crew. You might have grounds for a claim. However, you should check with your insurer.

Every situation is quite unique. If you have home insurance, call your agent. Your agent will gather details about what happened. He or she will then provide you with insight into whether you can file a claim. Most importantly, you should take a closer look at your coverage. Be sure you have enough contents coverage that is at least as much as the TV is worth or the cost to replace it. You might have per-item limits on how much your insurer will pay for particularly expensive items. Talk to your insurance agent for more information, and if you need an online resource for your questions, our website can provide help.