Your homeowner’s insurance helps cover your house or personal belongings that were damaged or destroyed by a specific event. Your HVAC not only increases the value of your home, but keeps you comfortable all year round.
It’s only natural to wonder if it’s covered by your homeowner’s insurance. Is damage to your AC unit covered by homeowner’s insurance? We’ll explore that question and more in the guide below.
Comparing Home Warranty vs. Home Insurance
Homeowner’s insurance and home insurance are similar, but they are a few key differences. Many homeowners find it useful to have both homeowner’s insurance and a home warranty.
A home warranty is basically a service contract that can help with costly repairs, or in some instances, full replacements. Instead of paying for repairs or replacements all at once, you instead pay a monthly premium and deductible.
But a home warranty isn’t exactly like home insurance. Homeowners insurance is a form of property insurance that will cover losses and damages to your home and the assets in your home. Homeowners insurance typically covers things like interior damage, exterior damage, loss or damage of personal assets, and any injury that arises at your home.
Your homeowner’s insurance policy will have a liability limit, which determines the insureds amount of coverage if an incident occurs.
What HVAC Damages Are Covered by Homeowners Insurance?
There are a few common causes of HVAC system damage generally covered by homeowner’s insurance.
Damages Caused by Sudden and Accidental Occurrences
If an accidental occurrence, like a burst pipe, were to cause your basement to flood and your HVAC system incurs water damage, your homeowner’s insurance may pay for repairs or replace the unit entirely. If your HVAC system is damaged due to a mechanical issue, that may be covered as well.
Damages Caused by Freezing
If your furnace were to freeze up, your homeowner’s insurance policy might cover replacement or repairs. You may just have to prove that you maintained heat in your home at the time of the loss.
Damages Caused by Falling Objects
Your homeowner’s insurance policy will likely cover falling objects as well. Your insurer might pay for or replace an HVAC system if something like a tree falls on it and damages it or destroys it. If you have a window unit, it might be covered if a falling tree damaged the AC unit and your home’s exterior.
Damages Caused by Fire and Lightning
If a fire were to destroy your air conditioner, your homeowner’s insurance policy should cover the repairs or replacement. Also, if lightning ever strikes your AC unit and damages its electrical components, your home insurance policy may pay to replace it.
What Is Not Covered by Homeowners Insurance?
HVAC Breakdown Due to Old Age
Your homeowner’s insurance likely won’t cover an HVAC system’s natural wear and tear due to old age. So if your HVAC system fails due to a mechanical issue like a broken fan or a frozen evaporator coil, you will most likely be on the hook to pay for the repair or replacement.
HVAC Negligence and Poor Maintenance
When you own a home and an HVAC system, you will be expected to take care of it. Your home insurance will not cover damage due to neglect or poor maintenance. If something like rust, corrosion, or smog causes your furnace to malfunction, a standard policy isn’t going to cover the damage.
HVAC Damages Caused By A Careless Accident
If your HVAC unit is damaged due to a careless accident, you will have to eat the cost. So if you accidentally drop your unit on the garage floor or it’s damaged during an intense game of pick-up basketball, the damage would not be covered under your insurance policy.
HVAC Damaged Caused By Pets or Pests
It’s not uncommon for your HVAC unit to be damaged by pests or pets, but unfortunately, that isn’t covered by your warranty. So if a rat chews through an electrical component or your dog damages your unit while you’re at work, you probably won’t receive coverage for repairs.
Water Damage to an HVAC Unit That Could Have Been Prevented
Standard homeowner’s insurance will cover sudden and accidental water damage. However, things like flash floods, sewage backups, or a gradual leak won’t be covered on your insurance. To protect your HVAC system from flood water damage, you can consider a flood insurance policy.
How to File an HVAC Insurance Claim
If your HVAC unit is ever damaged by something covered on your homeowner’s insurance policy, the first thing you need to do is estimate the cost of the repair and compare it to your policy deductible. If the repair cost is higher than the deductible, you may consider filing a claim.
Once you’ve decided it’s worth filing a claim, take pictures of your HVAC unit, and make a note of the serial and model number, jot down the cause of the damage, and then call your insurance adjuster. An insurance adjuster will come to your home to evaluate the damages and give you an estimate of what it would cost to replace or repair.
It’s in your best interest to meet with the adjuster so you can be sure that no damage is missed or overlooked during the assessment.
If your homeowner’s insurance covers the damage, you will be reimbursed for the repair or replacement cost. If your policy happens to also cover actual cash value, you will be reimbursed the unit’s market value at the time of loss.
People Also Ask (FAQ)
How much does the HVAC insurance cost?
Homeowners’ insurance that will cover HVAC unit’s prices will vary. A good ballpark is that you will pay about $35/month for every $100,000 your home is worth. This will vary according to your city and state, and costs will vary by the insurance company.
Does State Farm homeowner’s insurance cover HVAC?
Home insurance typically covers HVAC units to the same extent the rest of your home is covered. This holds true for most homeowner’s insurance companies, including State Farm.
How do I get my insurance to cover my AC unit?
Your homeowner’s policy will cover your HVAC in one of two ways. It will cover it through dwelling coverage or personal property coverage.
Your dwelling coverage will cover a built-in unit since it’s considered part of the home’s structure. Personal property coverage would be used to repair or replace window-based units because they’re considered personal possession.
Does my homeowner’s insurance cover other appliances?
Homeowners insurance typically helps cover home appliances the same way it covers your HVAC. Different types of coverages will help protect different appliances if they’re damaged by a covered peril.
Conclusion
Knowing what your homeowner’s insurance covers and maintaining your HVAC unit can save you from costly repairs in the future. Your homeowners will cover some things that happen to your HVAC unit, like fires, but it won’t cover things like neglect. It’s in your best interest to do proper research before purchasing homeowner’s insurance, so you know what you’re getting.
