Does Renters Insurance Cover Food Spoilage?

Sometimes. It depends on your policy and on what caused the food to spoil. Some renters policies include limited food-spoilage coverage, some insurers sell it as an add-on, and many losses fall outside whatever coverage a policy has.

Goodcover renters insurance does not currently include a food-spoilage benefit. Here is what to check in a policy, how Goodcover's current coverage differs from its historical benefit, and how to handle food safely during an outage.

How food spoilage coverage generally works

The Texas Department of Insurance puts it plainly in a consumer post on spoiled food: some homeowners and renters policies will pay for spoiled food if the power fails under certain circumstances. It suggests calling your agent or insurance company to ask whether your policy will pay.

Those circumstances come down to three things in your policy's wording:

• The cause of the loss. Florida's Department of Financial Services, in its consumer FAQ on food spoilage coverage, says coverage often applies only when the outage came from a risk the policy covers, or from covered damage on your own property. The FAQ is written about homeowners policies, but the same questions are worth asking about a renters policy.
• Exclusions. The Florida FAQ lists situations where spoilage may not be covered: an outage that starts away from your property, a refrigerator or freezer that stops working, power shut off for non-payment or servicing, and outages caused by flooding.
• Endorsements. Some insurers sell broader spoilage coverage for an additional premium, according to the same FAQ.

These situations aren't interchangeable. A lightning strike on your building, a citywide blackout and a broken compressor can each be treated differently by the same policy.

Where spoilage is covered, there may be a separate limit for food, and a deductible may or may not apply. Florida says the deductible usually applies. Texas notes that sometimes there is none. Your policy's terms decide it.

What Goodcover covers today

Goodcover renters insurance does not currently include coverage for food that spoils because of a power outage, an appliance breakdown or any other loss of refrigeration. We don't offer it as an add-on either.

Goodcover formerly offered a $200 food-spoilage benefit. That benefit is no longer part of the coverage we offer now.

For a loss under an older policy, the terms in force on the date of the loss apply. Check your policy documents or contact us.

Food that spoils because the power went out is a different question from food destroyed directly by, say, a kitchen fire. Burned food is personal property damaged by that event and is looked at under personal property coverage like anything else, not as food spoilage. Whether a specific item is covered depends on your policy terms and the facts of the loss. You can see what Goodcover covers on our coverage page.

Goodcover is an insurance agency. The insurance company that underwrites your policy is named in your policy documents.

Keeping food safe during an outage

Food safety comes first. The FDA's guide to food and water safety during power outages says:

• Keep the doors closed. An unopened refrigerator keeps food cold for about 4 hours. A full freezer holds its temperature for about 48 hours, or about 24 if it's half full, as long as the door stays shut.
• Use thermometers, not your eyes or nose. The FDA says you can't rely on appearance or odor to judge whether food is safe. Appliance thermometers in the fridge and freezer help you check the temperature.

What to keep and what to throw out depends on the type of food and how warm it got, so don't assume everything is either fine or ruined at a single cutoff. Follow FDA guidance for the food you are checking. Do not keep unsafe food because you are waiting for an insurance decision.

If your policy does cover food spoilage

If your policy's terms do cover spoilage:

• Take photos of the food before you throw it out. Texas and Florida both suggest pictures or a list.
• List what you lost with rough values, and keep any receipts you have.
• Note when the power went out and when it came back, plus anything you know about the cause.
• Throw out unsafe food promptly. Don't keep it as evidence or wait for an adjuster to see it. Photos and your list are the record.

See our guide to claim documentation, and keep a home inventory for any claim.

FAQs

Does Goodcover cover spoiled food?

Goodcover does not currently offer a food-spoilage benefit or an add-on for it. For a loss under an older policy, read the terms in force on the date of the loss.

Does renters insurance cover food if my fridge breaks?

Not automatically. Florida's regulator lists a fridge or freezer that stops working as a case where spoilage may not be covered. Check your policy's exclusions and any endorsements.

Who should I ask whether my policy covers spoilage?

Your agent or insurance company, as Texas regulators suggest. Ask what causes are covered, whether there's a separate food limit and whether your deductible applies.

Is it worth filing a claim for a small amount of food?

Compare what you lost with your deductible, if one applies. A spoilage limit can also cap the payout.

Should I keep spoiled food until the adjuster sees it?

No. Photograph it, list it and throw it out. Keeping unsafe food around doesn't help your claim.