When Does Homeowners Insurance Cover HVAC Systems?
Your home’s air conditioning (AC) units or HVAC system help keep your house comfortable all year long. However, they can be big investments to install and maintain. You may be wondering, does homeowners insurance cover AC and HVAC units? The answer is – it depends. Typically, your
homeowners insurance policy will help cover your AC unit or HVAC system if they are damaged by a covered loss.
The AARP® Homeowners Insurance Program from The Hartford1 offers three types of coverages that can help pay to repair or replace your heating or cooling systems. These include:
- Dwelling coverage, which helps protect your home and its attached structures. With this type of coverage, your walls, electrical wiring, heating and air conditioning are all protected.
- Personal property coverage helps pay to repair or replace your belongings after a covered loss occurs. Household appliances, like window AC units, are typically covered under this part of your policy.
- Equipment breakdown coverage helps cover your home’s HVAC system and other appliances in the event of a mechanical or electrical breakdown. This is an optional coverage that you can add to your policy for extra protection.
With these coverages, you’ll be protected when a covered loss damages your AC unit or HVAC system. Examples of covered perils under your homeowners insurance policy include:
Damage Caused by Certain Weather Events
Your home insurance will cover the cost to repair or replace your home’s air conditioner or HVAC system if it’s damaged by weather-related events like:
- Hail
- Wind
- Lightning strikes
If these situations occur and cause damage to your home and its built-in structures, like your HVAC system, your dwelling coverage would help cover any repair or replacement costs. However, window AC units aren’t typically included in dwelling coverage since they are not part of your home’s structure. Instead, your personal property coverage would help pay for the cost of repairs or replacement for window units.
It's important to note that certain weather events, like floods and earthquakes, are usually excluded from standard homeowners insurance. You’ll need to buy a separate flood insurance policy to protect against damages caused by flooding. You can also add earthquake coverage to your home insurance policy.
Water or Fire Damage
Water damage is covered through homeowners insurance when it’s caused by a sudden or accidental covered event. For example, if your HVAC system accidentally discharges water, your home insurance can help pay to fix the resulting water damage.
Fire is another example of a covered loss. So, if your AC unit is damaged by smoke, your home insurance can help cover the repair or replacement costs.
Vandalism and Theft
If your property is vandalized or stolen, your homeowners insurance can help cover the damages.
What Other Damages Does Homeowners Insurance Cover?
Certain situations or events are typically covered by standard homeowners insurance policies, while others are usually excluded. So,
what does homeowners insurance cover? As an example,
does homeowners insurance cover roof leaks? Typically, your home insurance policy will cover a leaking roof if it was damaged by a covered peril, like the weight of snow or ice. However, your policy won’t cover damages from poor maintenance or normal wear and tear.
You can use the chart below to get an idea of other types of situations a home insurance policy will typically cover, including examples of what it won’t cover:
Wondering, “what does homeowners insurance not cover?” Your home insurance policy won’t cover your air conditioning unit or HVAC system if they’re damaged by:
For over 200 years, The Hartford has protected individuals and their homes from the unexpected. With our high ratings for customer and claims service, you can count on us to be there when you need us most. To learn more about the coverages and savings available to you through the AARP Homeowners Insurance Program from The Hartford, call 877-422-2345. You can also get a fast a free quote online.