Does Contents Insurance Cover Kitchen Appliances?

Contents insurance can cover household appliances, but only for certain types of damage. Mechanical breakdowns and wear and tear are a different story entirely. Let’s break it down so you’ll know what to expect if your fridge conks out or your dishwasher malfunctions. Spoiler: there are some specifics to watch out for.

At a glance

• Contents insurance covers appliances damaged by fire, theft, flood, or storm.
• Mechanical breakdowns and wear and tear are not covered, full stop.
• Accidental damage cover is an optional extra, not a standard feature.
• Built-in appliances may fall under buildings insurance rather than contents.
• For breakdowns, home emergency cover or a specialist appliance insurance policy is the right product to look at.

What does contents insurance cover?

Your home contents insurance policy protects your belongings, including household appliances, against sudden, unexpected events. These are sometimes called ‘insured perils’ in your policy documents. They typically include:

• Fire
• Flood and burst pipes
• Storm damage
• Theft and break-ins
• Malicious damage

So if your Bosch washing machine is damaged by a burst pipe, or your MacBook is stolen in a break-in, you’re likely covered under your standard home contents insurance policy.

Many contents insurance policies also offer new for old replacement. If an appliance is beyond repair, you may receive a brand-new replacement rather than a payout based on the depreciated value. Worth checking whether your policy includes this, as it makes a meaningful difference for white goods and laptops

What’s not covered?

This is the bit that catches most people out. Contents insurance is designed for sudden, unexpected damage, not gradual deterioration. Here’s what’s excluded:

A few other things to watch out for:

• Neglect or poor maintenance: if a Miele dishwasher fails because it wasn’t looked after, your insurer may decline the claim
• Dodgy electrics: damage caused by unresolved electrical faults could be excluded
• Age limits: some insurance providers set age limits on domestic appliances, so older white goods may not be covered for their full replacement cost

Does it cover accidental damage?

Spilt coffee on your MacBook? Knocked your Panasonic microwave off the counter? These everyday mishaps aren’t covered under a standard contents insurance policy.

Accidental damage cover is an optional extra, and it’s one of the most commonly overlooked add-ons. With Lemonade’s Accidental Damage add-on, sudden and unexpected damage to your belongings is covered, up to £2,000 per claim.

A few things to note:

• The add-on needs to be in place before the incident happens
• It doesn’t apply to mobile phones, laptops like a Dell or MacBook, or other gadgets. These need separate personal possessions cover
• It covers damage to items in your home, not outside it

Built-in vs. freestanding appliances

This is a grey area worth knowing about. Whether an appliance falls under your contents insurance or your buildings insurance depends on whether it’s freestanding or built in.

• Freestanding appliances like a Samsung washing machine, a Hotpoint tumble dryer, or a freestanding Smeg fridge are personal belongings and fall under contents insurance
• Built-in appliances like an integrated Bosch dishwasher, a built-in Neff oven, or a fitted AEG hob are considered part of the structure of your home and may fall under buildings cover instead

If you only have a contents insurance policy and no buildings cover, built-in appliances could fall through the gap entirely. Worth checking your policy documents if you’re unsure.

When do you need more than contents insurance?

If you’re worried about mechanical breakdowns or sudden failures, contents insurance alone won’t cut it. Here’s what to look at instead:

Home emergency cover

Covers sudden, urgent failures like a Samsung fridge packing in overnight or a Hotpoint washing machine flooding the kitchen. Lemonade offers home emergency cover as an optional extra, with a 24/7 helpline and access to qualified engineers.

Appliance insurance cover

A specialist appliance insurance policy goes further, covering mechanical breakdowns, repair costs, and sometimes wear and tear. Domestic and General is one of the better-known providers in this space. These are separate products from your home contents insurance policy and worth comparing carefully before committing.

Extended warranty

Some new appliances, particularly from brands like Samsung, LG, and Bosch, come with an extended warranty option at the point of purchase. These vary wildly in terms of what they cover and for how long, so check the exclusions carefully.

What about the single item limit?

Your home contents insurance policy will have a single item limit, the maximum payout for any one item. With Lemonade, the base policy covers items up to £2,000 each.

High-value appliances above that threshold, like a premium American-style Samsung fridge freezer or a high-spec Apple MacBook Pro, need to be listed separately as high-value items to be covered for their full replacement cost.

If you’re getting a home insurance quote, make sure your level of cover and amount of cover reflect what you actually own, not what you paid for things years ago.

Is Lemonade right for you?

Lemonade’s home contents insurance covers your appliances for the things that matter most: fire, flood, theft, and more. With optional extras like accidental damage cover and home emergency cover, you can personalise your policy to match how you actually live. Get a home insurance quote and see what’s included.

Bottom line

Contents insurance is solid cover for appliances when something sudden and unexpected happens. But it won’t help with breakdowns, wear and tear, or accidents unless you’ve added the right optional extras. Review your policy documents, check your single item limit, and make sure your level of cover reflects the actual replacement cost of what you own. A few minutes now could save a lot of hassle later.

Kitchen appliance contents insurance FAQs