Contents insurance

Americangirl

My mother in-law tripped and fell backwards onto the open oven door breaking it off its hinges, when she put a claim in to her insurance company she was told she wasn't covered as it goes under building insurance, this was not explained to her when she rented the place in fact your told just to get contents insurance by the agencies, I have looked over her policy and can't find anywhere that she wouldn't be covered.
Can anyone advise me as to whether this is true. 
Thanks 

davidmcn

Is it her oven or the landlord's?

Americangirl

It belongs to the landlord

davidmcn

Contents insurance is generally for your own stuff. If it's a policy aimed at tenants, then it might also include cover for accidental damage to the landlord's property - but you'd need to read the policy to check.

What exactly is the damage anyway? If it's just a matter of replacing a hinge or two then I doubt it's going to be worth anybody claiming from an insurance policy.

Americangirl

The door came off snapping the hinges, she's worried about her deposit and having first hand experience with some landlords they will take well over what it's worth and she's a pensioner. 

davidmcn

She can get it sorted herself if she's worried about the landlord charging too much. Assuming her deposit is protected then there are safeguards there anyway.

tacpot12

This sort of event is termed accidental damage by the insurance industry, and accidental damage to the property (including things fitted to the property, like doors) is a risk that can normally only be covered by an add-on to the Buildings insurance, not the Contents. Contents insurance can cover accidental damage but only to things you own, not things that other (unconnected) people own like the doors in a rented property.

As she caused the damage, it would be best if she paid a handyman to come out to repair it. If she doesn't know a handyman and she has a letting agent, she can call her them, they will have one that she can pay to do the work.  

TELLIT01

On many modern ovens the door slots into place so replacement cost may not be too bad.  If damage has been caused to the body of the oven it may not be possible to repair it and a new oven would be needed.  Until somebody with knowledge checks it out the cost remains unknown.