Does home insurance cover TV damage? (2024)

Does home insurance cover TV damage? (1)

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Does home insurance cover TV damage? (3)

Homeowners insurance covers TV damage if it’s due to a covered peril — such as when lightning fries your TV or someone steals it.

However, home insurance doesn’t cover all types of TV damage. If your TV falls off the wall because you installed in incorrectly, it’s likely not covered. On the other hand if it falls because of a covered peril like a storm, you’re covered/

Here’s a closer look at when homeowners insurance does (or doesn’t) cover TV damage.

Key Takeaways

  • TVs and other electronics are typically covered under home insurance if the damage is due to a covered peril.
  • Home insurance typically doesn’t cover TV damage caused by accidental drops, floods, earthquakes or normal wear and tear.
  • Depending on your policy, your insurer will either reimburse you for the actual cash value of your TV, including depreciation, or the full replacement cost.

What types of TV damage does home insurance cover?

Homeowners insurance covers TVs and other electronics through your personal property coverage. If any of your personal belongings get damaged or stolen due to a covered peril, then you’ll get reimbursed for it. It doesn’t matter if the event occurred inside or outside your home.

Even with personal property coverage, you’ll need to meet your deductible first, but if covered, your insurer will pay to repair or replace your TV. There’s typically a cap on how much they’ll pay (otherwise known as a limit of liability), so review your insurance policy to see if you have adequate coverage. If your policy has a $2,500 limit for ALL electronics and your TV alone costs $3,000, you may be underinsured.

When does home insurance cover TV damage, and when does it not?

Basic homeowners insurance covers TV damage that results from any of these 16 named perils:

  • Fire or lightning strikes
  • Windstorms or hailstorms
  • Explosions
  • Riots
  • Aircrafts
  • Vehicles
  • Smoke
  • Vandalism
  • Theft
  • Falling objects
  • The weight of ice, snow or sleet
  • Accidental discharge or overflow of water or steam
  • Sudden and accidental tearing, cracking, burning or bulging
  • Freezing temperatures
  • Sudden and accidental damage due to short-circuiting
  • Volcanic eruption

Basic homeowners insurance typically does not cover TV damage due to:

  • Accidental drops or damage
  • Normal wear and tear
  • Floods or earthquakes
  • Power surges not caused by lightning
  • Pets
  • Water damage from outside the home (such as a sewage overflow)
  • Birds, vermin, rodents or insects
  • Mold or fungus
  • Intentional damage

You can add coverage for some of these risks via an endorsem*nt or separate policy.

Does homeowners insurance cover TV replacement?

If you have a standard HO-3 policy, which is what most people have, your insurance will typically provide actual cash value coverage (up to your coverage limits) for your TV under your personal property coverage. Actual cash value is the replacement cost of the TV, minus depreciation So, if you bought your TV three years ago for $2,000, and a comparable model today is $2,500, you would receive that amount minus three years of depreciation. If the insurer calculates that it has depreciated by $1,000, you’d receive $1,500, minus your deductible.

If you have a replacement cost policy add-on, you’ll get reimbursed for the full amount it would cost to replace your TV today. So, if you bought your TV for $2,000 and it would cost $2,500 to buy a similar model, you’d get the full $2,500, minus your deductible.

You can choose to add replacement cost coverage for personal property to an HO-3 policy.

Is it worth claiming for TV damage on home insurance?

It depends. Filing a home insurance claim for TV damage could increase your premium, so it’s a good idea to weigh the pros and cons before you make a decision.

If your deductible is $500 but your TV is only worth $750, it may make more sense to pay out of pocket to not risk increasing your premium. But if your TV is really expensive, it may be worth considering.

Frequently asked questions

Does homeowners insurance cover lightning damage to all electronics?

Most insurance covers lightning damage to electronics, including your TVs, laptops, smartphones, and tablets. However, you may have a special limit on electronics on your policy; check your coverage to be sure.

Does renters insurance cover the TV falling off the wall?

If your TV fell off the wall because of a defective wall mount or self negligence, your renters insurance policy won’t cover the damage. However, if it fell off the wall because of a windstorm, a falling tree, a break-in or any other covered event, then you’re covered. The same applies to broken TV screens.

How do I file a claim for a broken TV?

Follow these steps if you need to claim TV damage on your home insurance policy:

  1. Notify your insurance company as soon as possible.
  2. Make a list of all damaged electronics.
  3. Take photos of all the items.
  4. Gather receipts or estimates for damaged items.
  5. Follow any other instructions given to you by the claims department.

If your standard home insurance policy doesn’t offer the type of TV coverage you’re looking for, consider shopping around for a policy that better meets your needs.

Does home insurance cover TV damage? (4)

Cassidy Horton

Contributing Researcher

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Does home insurance cover TV damage? (5)

Cassidy Horton is a finance writer with an MBA and a bachelor's in public relations. Her work has been published in Forbes Advisor, The Balance, Finder.com, Money Under 30, Clever Girl Finance and more.

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On this page

  1. What types of TV damage does home insurance cover?
  2. When does home insurance cover TV damage, and when does it not?
  3. Does homeowners insurance cover TV replacement?
  4. Is it worth claiming for TV damage on home insurance?
  5. Frequently asked questions

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Does home insurance cover TV damage? (2024)

FAQs

Does home insurance cover TV damage? ›

A TV is covered by the personal property portion of your home insurance, which may use replacement cost or actual cash value to determine the payout, and is subject to the deductible. Homeowners insurance won't cover you if you drop the TV or it falls off the wall.

Will my homeowners insurance cover a broken TV? ›

Homeowners insurance covers TVs and other electronics through your personal property coverage. If any of your personal belongings get damaged or stolen due to a covered peril, then you'll get reimbursed for it. It doesn't matter if the event occurred inside or outside your home.

Does house insurance cover damage to a TV? ›

Can I claim on home insurance for a broken TV? TVs are often one of the more expensive electronic items in our homes and can cost a lot to repair or replace. However, if you have contents insurance as part of your home insurance cover, you might be able to make a claim for your broken TV.

Does insurance cover accidental TV damage? ›

Accidental Damage cover on your home policy protects you from the unforeseen accidents around the house, like dropping your TV when moving it from room to room.

What should you not say to homeowners insurance? ›

Avoid admitting fault or underestimating damages as this might lead to lower compensation or even denial of your claim. Honesty is crucial when dealing with an insurance adjuster, so avoid providing false information which can lead to serious consequences like claim denial or legal repercussions.

Can I claim accidental damage on my TV? ›

What is accidental damage insurance? This covers your buildings, contents or both against unintentional damage at home. Examples of what's covered by accidental damage include spilling wine on your carpet or smashing your TV.

What does insurance on TV cover? ›

Your television is covered for mechanical and electrical failures from normal use. Accidental damage, intentional damage, loss, and theft are not covered. View Terms & Conditions for complete coverage details. Standard Plan: Your television is covered for mechanical & electrical failures from normal use.

What accidental damage is not covered by insurance? ›

General wear and tear – Accidental damage does not cover mechanical failure or general wear and tear. So if, for example, your computer breaks down because it's really old, you will not be covered. Portable items – It might not cover you for electrics you take outside your home.

What is an example of accidental damage? ›

For example, spilling juice on the carpet or a window smashed by a ball. It doesn't include damage that's due to a lack of upkeep or that happens slowly over time. For example, if your roof leaks because it hasn't been looked after.

Can I get a new TV with my home insurance? ›

Does home insurance cover televisions? Budget Direct contents insurance covers loss or damage to your television due to an insured event (e.g. fire or theft). Note that, to be covered for accidental breakage of your television's glass, you must add optional 'Accidental Damage' cover to your policy.

How to claim for damaged TV? ›

In that case, all you need to do is file an insurance accidental damage report by authorised repairs and service experts like us, Impulse Audio Visual, to claim your insurance and get a new TV or alternative compensation quickly and with minimum hassles.

Does TV warranty cover accidental damage? ›

If there's a failure from normal wear and tear, we'll repair it. This could be a problem with an internal part or how the product was manufactured. It could also be caused by dust, internal heat or humidity. Accidental damage is not included.

What is considered accidental coverage? ›

Accident insurance covers qualifying injuries, which might include a broken limb, loss of a limb, sprains, broken bones, concussions, burns, lacerations, or paralysis.

What is the most common damage to your home that insurance does not cover? ›

Earthquake and water damage

In most states, earthquakes, sinkholes, and other earth movements are not covered by your standard policy. Earthquake insurance can be purchased as an endorsem*nt (an addendum) for an additional fee in all states except California.

Is it worth claiming on home insurance? ›

If something happens to your home, it's worth thinking about whether you could afford to cover the cost yourself instead of claiming on your home insurance. This can protect your no-claims discount and help to avoid an unnecessary rise in your premiums.

Is it worth claiming for a broken TV on house insurance? ›

If the damaged item isn't worth much more than the excess, it's probably not worth making a claim, as if you do, this is likely to push up the price you pay for your home insurance when you come to renew.

Can you claim a TV on insurance? ›

You can get cover for your TV as part of your home insurance which will cover it for things like theft and damage from fire and flood.

Does homeowners insurance cover electronics? ›

Standard homeowners and renters insurance policies cover the loss or damage of electronic devices in the event of named perils—but not negligence or simple wear-and-tear. Personal property coverage—aka Coverage C—protects your items against named perils even if they're lost or damaged outside the home.

Is a broken TV screen covered under warranty? ›

Most companies' TV warranties do not cover a cracked or broken television screen, however, a defective screen may be covered under a super extended warranty. A super extended warranty is an insurance policy that you can purchase that will cover repairs or replacements for your television.

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