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10+ years writing on personal finance topics
Host of the Mental Health and Wealth podcast
Melanie is a blogger, author, and speaker specializing in personal finance and debt management. She’s also the author of the blog and book “Dear Debt.”
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Sara Getman is an Associate Editor at Insurify and has been with the company since 2022. Prior to joining Insurify, Sara completed her undergraduate degree in English Literature at Simmons University in Boston. At Simmons, she was the Editor-in-Chief for Sidelines Magazine (a literary and art publication), and wrote creative non-fiction.
Outside of work, Sara is an avid reader, and loves rock climbing, yoga, and crocheting.
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Given the rising amount of hurricanes, extreme weather, and fires, you may face a power outage in your home at some point. If your electricity is down, you have a set amount of time until the food in your fridge and freezer goes bad. Renters insurance covers many personal belongings and, in some cases, the costs related to food loss if it’s due to a covered event.
Here’s what you need to know about when coverage kicks in after food loss and what to consider before filing a claim.
When renters insurance covers food loss
If you have a fridge full of spoiled food, you probably want to know if your renters insurance will cover it.
Renters insurance policies typically consist of three parts: personal property coverage, liability coverage, and additional living expenses coverage, also known as loss of use.
Some good news: If you have food loss due to a qualified event, you may be able to file a claim thanks to the personal property and the loss use sections of your renters insurance policy. Here are some situations where your renters insurance would likely cover food loss:[1]
House fire
If a house fire ends up burning all your food or ruining your fridge, your property coverage could pay for your food loss.
Theft or vandalism
If you’re a victim of theft, multiple personal belongings may go missing, including your food. Additionally, someone could vandalize your fridge and freezer, making it inoperable. Theft and vandalism fall under renters insurance policies.
Some types of water damage
If your home has a burst pipe or the neighbor upstairs left their water on and it ends up ruining your food, renters insurance can cover your food loss. Floods don’t qualify and require a separate insurance policy.
Power outage
In certain situations, you may be able to receive reimbursement for food loss due to a power outage, such as if a windstorm or fallen tree damages your power line and results in food loss. General power outages don’t qualify.
Explosion
If there’s an explosion in your home that wipes out your food, fridge, and freezer, your renters insurance can kick in to cover food loss.
Temporary relocation
If an event like a hurricane makes your home unlivable, you can use your additional living expenses or loss of use coverage for food loss. On top of spoiled food, loss of use coverage can reimburse you for hotel stays and meals when you dine out, as you’re not able to use your apartment.
Coverage limits and deductibles for spoiled food
The maximum coverage limit for food loss on a renters insurance policy is typically between $500 and $2,500.[2] It’s important to check with your insurance company and compare the loss to your deductible.
Some renters insurance coverage offers a reduced deductible or no deductible in the event of food loss, but not all do. Double-check your policy so you can compare the deductible to the spoiled food cost.
When renters insurance doesn’t cover food loss
If you have food loss, renters insurance helps you in very specific situations outlined in your insurance policy. But some situations won’t cover costs for food loss, including:[1]
Floods: While renters insurance covers some water damage, like a burst pipe, it doesn’t cover floods. That requires a separate insurance policy.
Earthquakes: Similarly, if an earthquake breaks your fridge or the door shakes open and your food spoils, renters insurance won’t cover this loss. Earthquake coverage is also a separate policy.
Accidents: If you don’t properly close your fridge or freezer door and you have food loss, renters insurance coverage won’t reimburse you.
Utility shutoffs: Missing your electricity bill payment could result in the shutoff of utilities. Experiencing food loss in this situation isn’t a covered event.
Breakdowns: If your decade-old fridge is on the fritz or breaks down for a non-covered reason, you won’t be able to claim a loss.
Consider equipment breakdown coverage
When it comes to spoiled food, your renters policy pays you in certain situations. If your fridge is out of commission due to a burst pipe, fire, or explosion, you’re likely covered. But if your fridge breaks down on its own, that’s not a covered peril.
Adding equipment breakdown coverage as an endorsement can widen your coverage while adding only a few more dollars a month to your premium. Through equipment breakdown coverage, your insurance will help cover costs to replace or fix your equipment if there’s an electrical or mechanical breakdown.
How to file a renters insurance claim for food loss
Follow these steps to file a renters insurance claim for food loss:[2]
Identify items. Take an inventory of the spoiled food. Make a list so you know what items you want to claim.
Take photos. Before throwing out any bad food, take photos of the items. These can come in handy when filing an insurance claim.
Gather receipts. If you have them available, gather your receipts for the items.
Contact the insurance company. Reach out to your renters insurance company to find out the process for filing a claim. Some may allow you to do this online.
File a claim. Provide your personal information and specific details about the food loss when filing a claim.
Pay the deductible. For property insurance claims, your insurer will typically subtract your deductible from your final payout. But some insurance policies may have a lower deductible specifically for food spoilage, while others may not. Check your renters insurance policy for specifics.
Receive reimbursement. Once your insurance company approves your food loss claim, you’ll receive reimbursement minus any potential deductible.
Be aware that your food loss must be more than your deductible.[3] For example, if your deductible is $500 but your food loss claim is for $600, it might not be worth it, given the potential effect on your insurance rates for a $100 payout.
Ways to prevent food loss when your power goes out
You don’t want your food to go to waste. Here are some ways to prevent food loss when your power goes out:[4]
Put items in the freezer. If you have meat, dairy, or other food that can spoil, put them in the freezer. Freezers can stay cold for longer, lasting up to 48 hours if the door remains closed.
Keep doors closed. Once you move over the necessary items to your freezer, avoid opening the doors as much as possible so you don’t let the cold air out.
Use a cooler. If you have a cooler and ice, move some food from the fridge into the cooler once you’re beyond the four-hour mark.
The length of the power outage is out of your control. In the meantime, you can use these tips to try to mitigate potential losses.
Renters insurance and food loss FAQs
Food loss can be a financial burden, but a renters policy can help mitigate your losses. Here are the answers to some common questions about food loss and renters insurance.
It depends. You may be able to claim food loss with your renters insurance policy, but only if it results from a qualifying event. But if there’s a deductible, you should evaluate whether the claim is worth it.
Your renters insurance might cover a broken refrigerator if the damage is from a covered risk, such as fire, theft, or vandalism. It won’t be covered if it breaks due to normal wear and tear.
It could. Claims elevate your risk profile in the eyes of the insurance company, which can lead to a rate hike.
Loss of use, also known as additional living expenses (ALE), covers hotel costs and restaurant meals if you have to evacuate or your home is unlivable due to a covered peril.
Spoilage insurance is an add-on you can include in your business owner’s policy. Spoilage insurance can cover the loss of perishable food in the event of a power outage.
During a power outage, food can last up to four hours in the fridge and 48 hours in the freezer if the doors remain closed.[4] [5]
Sources
- III. "Renters Insurance."
- Florida Insurance Consumer Advocate. "Food Spoilage Coverage."
- III. "Is food spoilage covered?."
- FDA. "Food and Water Safety During Power Outages and Floods."
- Food Safety. "Keep Food Safe After a Disaster or Emergency."
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Melanie Lockert is the founder of the blog and author of the book, "Dear Debt." Through her blog, she chronicled her journey out of $81,000 in student loan debt. Her work has appeared on Allure, Business Insider, Credit Karma, Fortune, and more. She is also the co-founder of the Lola Retreat and host of the Mental Health and Wealth show podcast. She lives in Los Angeles and enjoys jazz music, traveling, coffee, and spending time with her two cats and partner.
Melanie has been a contributor at Insurify since November 2022.
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Sara Getman is an Associate Editor at Insurify and has been with the company since 2022. Prior to joining Insurify, Sara completed her undergraduate degree in English Literature at Simmons University in Boston. At Simmons, she was the Editor-in-Chief for Sidelines Magazine (a literary and art publication), and wrote creative non-fiction.
Outside of work, Sara is an avid reader, and loves rock climbing, yoga, and crocheting.