How to get home insurance to pay for air conditioner

Air conditioning in the humid Queensland climate is a summer essential. As an air conditioner is a significant investment that can last upwards of 10 to 12 years, depending on the type of model you have, it’s important to know that if something goes wrong, your air conditioner will be covered.

Taking the time to check that your home insurance policy covers your air conditioner will give you peace of mind and could save you time and money in the event that your air conditioner becomes damaged.

Advanced Climate Solutions are your local air conditioning experts, providing affordable aircon services Brisbane wide, including AC installations, repairs, and maintenance. Call us today on 07 3206 3542 for all of your air conditioning needs.

Types Of Home Insurance

There are a range of different types of insurance that cover buildings, furnishings, and fixings such as contents insurance, building insurance, and landlord insurance.

Disclaimer: Listed below are the general inclusions with each type of insurance. However, each individual policy will have different terms and conditions, providing various rates of coverage. For details on your specific insurance policy and whether or not your air conditioning unit is covered, contact your insurance provider directly.

Building Insurance

Building insurance is a type of home insurance that covers the structure of your home including permanent fixtures such as the walls, roof, floors, cabinets, etc. Other structures, such as a garage or carport, are typically also covered by building insurance. Building insurance also generally covers fixed appliances such as a dishwasher or air conditioning unit. However, if you’re not sure of the specific inclusions of your policy and provider, it’s always best to check.

Though your building insurance policy may state that fixed appliances such as your air conditioner are covered under the policy, this is only true if damage is caused by specified events such as fire, storm damage, earthquakes, lightning strike, etc. Damage caused by an accident or general wear and tear is unlikely to be covered under this insurance policy.

Contents Insurance

While building insurance is for the structure of your home, contents insurance is needed to cover your personal belongings in your home, from your furniture and carpets to TVs, computers, and other valuable items. Contents insurance protects against damage, theft, and loss of personal possessions, but does not include items that are permanent fixtures of the building, such as an air conditioning unit. Conversely, a portable air conditioner would be covered by contents insurance rather than building insurance as it is not a permanent fixture.

Contents insurance is suitable for both homeowners and renters as the tenants belongings will not be covered by the insurance of the homeowner. For homeowners, many insurance providers will allow you to combine both building insurance and contents insurance into a single policy known as home and contents insurance.

Landlord Insurance

Landlord insurance is essentially a combination of both building and contents insurance, covering the structure of the home, including permanent fixtures such as an air conditioner, as well as any contents at the property owned by the landlord.

However, landlord insurance also provides extra coverage to protect against loss caused by tenants. This means that in addition to covering your home and contents for damage caused by fire, storm, earthquakes, etc, you will also be covered for damage caused by tenants or their guests and even loss of rent as a result of a covered event.

Brisbane’s Air Conditioning Specialists

Advanced Climate Solutions are Brisbane’s air conditioning specialists. Whether you need repairs, preventative maintenance, or just some expert advice, we’ve got all of your air conditioning needs covered. Call us today on 07 3206 3542 for reliable ducted and split system air conditioning services Brisbane wide.

Disclaimer: The above is general advice based on standard insurance policies in Australia. Insurance providers and policies may differ in coverage. If you’re not sure what is covered by your insurance policy, contact your provider directly for personalised advice.

Before you sweat it out in the summer or freeze in the winter, see what your home insurance company can do if your HVAC system unexpectedly breaks down.

A standard homeowners insurance policy provides coverage for heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems if they’re damaged by a fire, for example. But if your AC unit stops working due to an accident or normal wear and tear, your insurance company probably won’t pay your claim. That’s why it’s so important to make sure you have proper coverage for your HVAC system through your home insurance policy (or other add on) to keep you and your wallet stress-free no matter the season.

Key takeaways:

• Homeowners insurance covers HVAC systems when the damage is due to a covered peril or disaster.
• A standard homeowners insurance policy won’t cover an HVAC unit if the damage is due to general wear and tear, owner neglect or old age.

When does homeowners insurance cover HVAC?

Homeowners insurance covers HVAC systems when the damage is a result of a covered disaster or peril, including high winds, fallen trees, theft, hail or even a fire. So if lightning strikes your unit and damages its electrical components, your homeowners insurance policy would probably cover it.

What portion of your policy provides this protection is dependent on the type of unit that’s damaged. HVAC systems installed in your home will be covered under your dwelling insurance, while standalone (or window) AC units technically count as personal belongings and would be covered under personal property insurance.

When does homeowners insurance not cover HVAC?

A standard homeowners insurance policy won’t cover an HVAC unit if the damage is due to general wear and tear, owner neglect or old age. So if your 15-year-old heating or AC unit starts acting up, you often won’t be able to file a claim to get covered for any repairs.

Similarly, if you accidentally drop your new HVAC equipment on the garage floor or rarely change your air filter, any damage incurred would be considered owner neglect and would not be covered under your insurance policy. That’s why it’s so important to stay up to date on regular home maintenance.

While your home insurance policy will cover many situations, there are specific exclusions you should know about. Damage from catastrophes such as earthquakes or floods, are usually excluded from coverage. Cosmetic damage — common in states like Texas, where hail storms often occur — may not be covered either.

Home warranties and equipment breakdown coverage

Homeowners have a few options to get more coverage on appliances and other home equipment like HVAC systems. While some insurance companies offer their home maintenance services for a discounted rate when you sign with them (like us — check out our Hippo Home Care service), you may have to go elsewhere to get that additional protection.

Many home warranty programs will offer a flat fee for HVAC repairs no matter the cause, while other insurance riders such as equipment breakdown coverage can help pay for the cost of fixing furnaces and AC units. However, these options can come with fees of their own, so make sure you know what you’re getting before signing any dotted line.

Filing an HVAC claim

If you do choose to file an insurance claim, you’ll need to gather specific information. Record your unit’s model and serial number, take pictures of any visible damage and request a copy of the police report if the damage occurred during a break-in. Once you have everything you need, call your insurance provider. 

When filing an HVAC claim, you’ll need your unit’s model and serial number, pictures of visible damage and a copy of the police report (if applicable).

From there, you’ll give them any proof and information you have about the damage. If your policy covers the damage, your home insurance provider will likely send over an adjuster to survey the damage and assess the cost of repairing or replacing the unit. Be sure to meet with the adjuster so that they don’t overlook anything during the evaluation. From there, your insurance provider should reimburse you for the costs associated with repairing your unit once you send through receipts of the labor.

Though you can’t keep a tree from falling on your home and damaging your AC unit during a bad storm, you can do your part to ensure that your HVAC unit works properly. In addition to proper home maintenance, choosing a home insurance provider that’ll be there for you is just as important. Still have questions about what home insurance covers? Give us a call or head over to our home insurance learning center for all the information you need. We’re here to help.

How long do AC units last?

What is a covered peril?