Monday, September 23, 2013

Does Homeowner's Insurance Cover AC Repair?


This is a question that is often asked. Homeowner's insurance does cover some AC repair costs, but this is only in the event of some kind of disaster. If you basement floods, your insurance may cover it. If you have an outside air conditioner, and it's struck by lightning, or a tree falls on it, it is probably covered. Homeowner's insurance usually covers a major catastrophe, but not general repairs or malfunctions.

However, there is other insurance coverage that does pay for AC repair, as well as other major appliances in your home. This is called Appliance Insurance, and can be purchases from the same company that offers homeowner's insurance. What does appliance insurance cover? While each policy is different depending on the amount of your deductible, this insurance covers all your large appliances in the home. It covers your heating and air conditioning systems, refrigerator, hot water heaters, and even things like dish and clothes washers. If you own you home, you should be getting this insurance.

How much you will actually pay out of pocket for these repairs really depends on your deductible. If you opt for a higher deductible, then you will have to pay more, a lower deductible, you will pay less, or not at all. There is a fine balance between having a high deductible. If you live in an area where you are using your air conditioner all the time, and may have a higher risk that your unit will break down, getting a deductible that is low will be more convenient. It will also be beneficial if you happen to wake up in the middle of the night because you need something repaired right away.

Paying a higher premium on your major appliance insurance really depends on what you can afford, and how much you want to pay yourself. While some AC repair costs are small, other problems may be quite expensive, and depending on how old your unit is, it may not be covered by the warranty. If you can afford to pay a higher premium, it is a good idea to get the best coverage possible. The newer your air conditioner, is, the easier and cheaper it will be to get insurance for it.

How much you can expect to pay for AC repair really depends on the actual problem, how old the system is, and it may be a wise idea to get insurance to cover these costs. Before you go and run out and get appliance insurance for your AC, you should still check with your homeowner's insurance policy to see exactly what it covers, and what it doesn't. If you use the same company, you may also get a blanket insurance policy, or even discounted premiums for using the same insurance agent for multiple policies. It may also be a good idea to look around for appliance insurance anyway, in case your company doesn't offer this coverage, or their policy is more expensive.

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