We've been helping Australians for 100 years
Not sure whether you can claim for damage to your carpet after a cranberry juice spill? We explain Accidental Damage cover and how it works.
Share this story:
The gifts of fate and trials of misfortune don’t discriminate. Accidents happen whether you live alone, as a couple, or with kids. While no amount of planning can combat what’s written in the stars, the good news is there’s a type of cover available that can help soften the blow.
Accidental Damage is cover for sudden, unexpected and unforeseen damage that might occur to your property or contents. Accidental Damage cover is generally available as an optional extra on standard home and contents insurance policies, but may also be automatically included in higher-value policies, such as our NRMA Insurance Building Plus, Contents Plus and combined Home Buildings and Contents Plus policies.
Depending on the insurer, Accidental Damage typically covers every-day, unplanned mishaps. Things like dropping cranberry juice (or for some grownups, red wine) on your carpet, accidentally knocking over your TV, or unintentionally breaking the crystalware your parents were gifted for their wedding 30 years ago (oops).
But there are some big-ticket items Accidental Damage insurance can help cover too. Imagine you’ve just bought a new sofa bed. As you work with your friend to guide the sofa bed through the door (pivot...pivot!) the metal bars of the couch spring open. The sofa bed is stuck in the doorway, and the metal bars have not only put a hole through the entryway, but caused a deep gash across the timber floor below it. While it seems like something that would occur in a sit-com, this kind of unforeseen accident can happen (and has happened!), and it’s times like these where Accidental Damage cover could come in handy.
Generally speaking, you won’t be covered for things like wear and tear, deliberate damage, structural defects, or faulty workmanship. At NRMA Insurance specifically, accidental damage caused by pets is also excluded.
At the end of the day, anyone can experience a little mishap from time to time, it’s just life. That said, if you’re someone especially prone to clumsy moments, or you have some very active kids running around the house, you might have a little extra peace of mind with Accidental Damage cover included in your policy.
When deciding on what kind of cover you need, it can be helpful to consider:
From the team at NRMA Insurance, may Lady Luck be on your side, whatever you decide!
Information is current as at the date of publication and may be subject to change. All content on the NRMA Insurance Blog is intended to be general in nature and does not constitute and is not intended to be professional advice. It does not take into account your individual objectives, financial situation or needs. References to third-party organisations, products, services or brands on the NRMA Insurance Blog are for informational purposes only and do not imply any affiliation with or endorsement by NRMA Insurance, unless expressly stated otherwise.
