Last updated: 17 August 2020

What is appliance insurance?

It is a type of insurance policy that covers the repair costs of your appliances, after the manufacturer's guarantee has expired.

For example, if your fridge breaks down, appliance cover could pay out for the cost of repairing or replacing it.

What cover can you get with appliance insurance?

Most appliance insurance policies include cover for:

• Mechanical breakdown

• Parts, labour and call out charges

• Accidental damage

Each home appliance insurance policy will have things it does not cover. This usually includes issues like cosmetic damage, while for electrical white goods, insurance is unlikely to cover them over a certain age. Check the policy documents once you have your quotes, to make sure you get the cover you need.

Do I need appliance insurance?

Appliance cover can help you if your appliance would be too expensive to replace if it stopped working outside of its manufacturer's warranty. For example, if your fridge stopped working, could you afford a replacement?

You may also feel like you need accidental damage cover for an appliance you believe is at risk of damage and would be difficult or expensive to replace.

Appliance insurance can be good value if you are looking to insure multiple items at once, as many providers of home appliance insurance or white goods insurance offer multi-appliance discounts.

Are there any exclusions?

Yes. As with all insurance policies, even the best appliance cover comes with exclusions. Exactly what is excluded from your home appliance cover will depend upon your specific policy, but your policy documents should detail what you can claim for and what you cannot. The most common exclusions are:

• Call-out costs if a professional finds no fault with your appliance

• Chipped paintwork, wear and tear or other cosmetic damage

• Any issues that predate your cover

• Replacing fuses, batteries or bulbs

• Costs involved in delivery or installation

• Breakdown costs if the appliance is still under its manufacturer's or retailer's warranty

You also will not be covered if you:

• Leave your home unoccupied for 30 days or more

• Use an unauthorised repairer

• Cause deliberate damage to your appliance

• Fail to follow the manufacturer's instructions, such as overloading the washing machine

• Claim for an appliance you use for business, e.g. a washing machine used as part of a laundry service

Is appliance cover worth the cost?

Work out how much your appliance would cost to replace. If it's less than the cost of an extended warranty, you could be wasting your money.

Appliance insurance is generally only of value once the appliance cover provided by your product's guarantee has expired. Home appliance insurance can step in to provide cover, though be aware that with most white goods, insurance companies will only provide appliance cover up to a certain age.