How to claim

What to do if something gets accidentally damaged

Accidental damage is a bit of a loose term, so hopefully this section will provide some clarification on what exactly it means. In all instances though, you should check your policy or get your broker to do it:

• Generally the term “accidental damage” refers to a specific and sudden incident that harms your property or its contents. So, this will exclude general wear and tear. However, if you’ve accidentally dropped your desktop computer on the floor and broken it then this would normally be covered.
• Accidental damage to contents is often caused by children. Broken stereos and windows are usually automatically covered in your policy and your policy can also be extended to cover other accidental damage such as juice spillage on curtains and sofas, or felt-tips on pristine white walls.
• Do check your policy wording (or get your broker to clarify it for you) but portable electrical equipment like laptops are often not included for accidental damage cover.
• Other damage such as that caused by pets chewing and tearing on your sofa or destruction caused by vermin will not be covered. Again, check your policy for full details.
• Wayward DIY work is one of the chief causes of accidental damage. Common mishaps like driving a nail into a waterpipe are covered, but overambitious schemes that should really involve the services of a fully trained plumber or electrician are not.