When we think about home insurance and its coverage, the thought of any type of explosion is a nightmare. Unfortunately, you need to be prepared for explosions from gas leaks or propane grills. Though uncommon, being prepared will make sure you suffer minimal loss and that your recovery process will be as smooth as possible. The good news is that these rare occurrences are usually covered by your homeowner’s insurance, but there are always stipulations, of course. Let’s take a look at explosions and homeowners insurance, and in what scenarios you are covered.
Explosions and homeowners insurance: Is there coverage?
For the most part, a standard homeowners insurance policy will cover most types of explosions. There are some exceptions, however. A standard policy will not cover an intentional act, the result of an act of war, or illegal activity. This means that if the unfortunate occurs and your boiler or heater explodes, your damaged home will likely be covered by home insurance. Let’s take a closer look at what is and isn’t covered when it comes to explosions and home insurance.
What types of explosions are covered?
Your insurance will cover any damage done to your home and belongings when an explosion is caused by a covered peril. This does include damage from explosions that occur in or around your home. If an explosion makes your home uninhabitable, your hotel and meals will be covered during the repair process. Let’s take a look at some explosions that are covered by homeowners insurance.
1. Explosion that originates inside your home
To be clear, the likelihood of this is rare, so there is no need to stress! However, home explosions can occur due to propane leaks. Alternatively, gas appliances that have been installed poorly can lead to a possible explosion. Natural gas leaks can occur due to old pipes that have been damaged while digging. If an accidental explosion such as this occurs, your home insurance will typically cover you for the cost of repairs and rebuild.
2. Explosion that occurs away from your home
If one of the above events occurs to a neighbour and it damages your house, you will also be covered. This includes damage to your roof, shattered windows, or other damage to your structure policy. If an explosion knocks out the power in your home and the food in your fridge goes bad, your insurance will likely cover you for that, as well!
3. Explosion due to an earthquake or water damage
Damages from earthquakes and water damage are generally not covered by homeowners insurance. However, in the event an explosion results from an earthquake or flood, you will likely be covered! More specifically, if an earthquake or flood causes a gas explosion that destroys your home and belongings, you’ll have coverage.
What types of explosions are not covered?
Now that we know most home explosion causes are covered by home insurance, it’s important to note that there are some exceptions. If your home is destroyed by an explosion for any of the following reasons, you will most likely have an insurance claim denial:
- Intentional acts from the insured. If your insurer discovers that you intentionally blew up your home, your claim will be denied. In simpler terms, this is known as insurance fraud and there may be more serious consequences.
- Illegal activities. Activities, such as the keeping of explosive weapons, are illegal. This means you will not be covered if an accident occurs destroying your home while in possession of explosives.
- Nuclear hazard. Any sort of nuclear hazard in your home is listed as a policy exclusion. This means you will not be covered if a nuclear explosion causes damage to your home.
- Acts of war. Although events, like riots and civil commotion, are covered perils, loss that comes from an act of war is not covered.
How to file a claim after an explosion
If the horrific occurs and an explosion damages your home and belongings, it is important to take the necessary steps. To begin, you must first contact your local authorities. From there, take photos and videos of the damage and file a claim with your home insurance provider.
It is important to make sure that if your belongings are damaged, you write up a detailed report on the damages done. Provide as much detailed information in your proof-of-loss form about the property damage in the explosion. This includes purchasing dates, descriptions of the item, as well as each item’s replacement value. This is to confirm that you are getting reimbursed for the correct amount. From here, your insurer will likely need to verify the claims to make sure everything is covered by your policy.
Explosions and home insurance: A conclusion
Remember, the chance of an explosion occurring in or around your home is quite slim. However, making sure you are prepared, even for the lowest risks, is super important in the world of insurance. If you are in the market for a new insurance provider, why not check out isure? Contact us or request a quote today!
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