Oh my god! The TV doesn’t work because one of your children was playing and threw something at the screen or, even worse, knocked it to the floor. These are prevalent accidents when there are young children at home. Would your home insurance cover the repair in these events? 

Children spend all day playing, and it is common that at one time or another they end up breaking something at home. The TV is one of the valuable objects that most easily suffer the consequences of their mischief, especially now that they are lighter than ever and can easily fall if they receive a hit.

The civil liability covers the damage that children may cause to third parties inside or outside the home, since it is assumed that they are caused by accident. However, elements such as our TV screen are not included in the category of damage to third parties, but are damage to the home itself, so they are usually excluded. 

Which repairs are usually covered by our home insurance?

If we have not taken out additional coverage, the damages that are usually covered by home insurance are those caused by water, atmospheric phenomena and those derived from theft. The repair of electrical appliances in the event of a power surge is also usually included, although in these cases there is usually an age limit for the appliance.

In addition, home insurance usually includes the repair or replacement of glass and even sanitary ware, but rarely refers to elements such as television screens. And a broken TV can become a big problem because the repair can be more or less expensive depending on which parts have been damaged. 

The desirability of specific coverage

When you have young children at home, it is advisable to take out insurance to cover any damage that occurs in the home as a result of an accident. This would protect us in the event that one of our children were to break the TV while playing, or even if a lamp were to fall and cause damage to a piece of furniture underneath.

In any case, we must bear in mind that this type of coverage does not protect us from everything. There are always limits and goods that are excluded, as is often the case with glasses. For this reason, it is necessary to read the policy carefully before taking it out, in order to know which damages can be claimed and which cannot.

What to do in the event of a claim?

If your children’s mischief has caused damage at home, it is advisable to contact the insurance company as soon as possible to report the claim. It is usual for insurance companies to give their policyholders a maximum period of seven days to do so from the moment they become aware of the incident. However, in some policies, this period is extended. 

When we speak to the operator, we should explain what has happened and the accident’s consequences. Whoever helps us will confirm whether the damage is covered by the policy. If it is, an expert will come to your home to examine the damage and issue a report with the appropriate solution. In the case of the TV, this could involve repairing it or replacing it with a new one.

If you want to discover fair insurance for your home and for society, check 11Onze Segurs.