I have accidental cover on my insurance policy, what does this mean?

Home contents insurance covers for things which are not covered by your buildings insurance.  It is usually necessary that you have in place buildings insurance, and you have to have buildings insurance as part of your mortgage agreement in most cases.  Home contents insurance covers for the things that you would typically take with you should you move home, ie. the things which are not screwed down.  As the majority of us take good care of the homes we live in, we may not deem it necessary to have in place accidental damage cover.  However, accidents do happen, and what would happen if you knocked over a full glass of red wine on your new cream carpet?  Well this is why accidental damage cover is put in place to cover for little accidents such as spillage or leaks. 

Accidental damage explained

Accidental damage is considered to be, damage which occurs as a result of an action which is considered to be non-deliberate.  This means an incident which is considered to be a one off and unintentional but as a result harms your property and or your property’s contents.  So any damage or wear and tear, which has happened over a course of time, would not be included in your policy.  Mechanical failure is another thing which cannot be claimed for. Your computer equipment would be covered if you accidentally dropped it and it smashed, but it would not be covered if it just stopped working. 

I have small children would my TV be covered still?

Most insurance companies accept that children are the cause of much damage within the home, and incidents, which involve home entertainment equipment such as televisions, are usually covered by your home insurance.  However, it is worth reading through the terms and conditions on your policy as stuff such as portable game consoles and related products are not usually covered. 

Is damage caused by pets covered by my home contents insurance?

Damage which is caused by scratching, tearing, chewing or fouling animals is not usually covered by your home contents insurance.  

There are lots of things which your home contents insurance covers you for, but it is worth checking through the small print on your terms and conditions before signing up for any insurance product.  Additional extras can usually be added on to your policy.  Check out the internet for more information on home insurance and related products.