Does Your Home Insurance Protect Your HVAC System?

Your HVAC system is probably one of the most expensive things you have in your home. Therefore, you probably want to make sure it’s protected by insurance. Here’s what your home insurance typically will and won’t cover. 

What Does Home Insurance Cover?  

Home insurance generally covers you against a broad list of perils. This typically includes things like fires, tornadoes, other wind damage, and burglaries. Your HVAC system falls under the same rules as everything else in your home. If it gets damaged or destroyed by a covered peril, your insurance company will pay you to fix it or repair it. 

For example, you might have a tree blow over in a storm and crush the outdoor unit of your HVAC system. Your home insurance should pay to replace it and reconnect it, with a few exceptions. As another example, if a fire in your home damages part of your home including your HVAC system, the costs of fixing or replacing your HVAC system will likely fall within your claim. 

If you need to file a claim for HVAC damage, you’ll want to make sure you clearly explain what happened. Also provide photos or other documentation of the damage. That way, you can show that the damage happened in a covered incident. 

What Won’t Your Home Insurance Cover?  

Your home insurance generally won’t cover any type of maintenance or HVAC-related repair. For example, if you decide to have an annual tuneup and inspection of your HVAC system, your home insurance won’t cover it. If your HVAC system has a mechanical failure, your home insurance also won’t cover the cost to diagnose and fix the problem unless you can prove the failure was directly related.

How Can You Get Coverage for Your HVAC System?  

If you want coverage for routine repairs and maintenance, you need either a home warranty, a warranty specifically for your HVAC system, or an HVAC maintenance plan. System-specific warranties are often offered by both manufacturers and sellers. Many home insurance companies sell home warranties, and you can get them at the same time you buy your home insurance policy. A home warranty covers routine maintenance and repairs up to the limits specified in the warranty.