Is TV covered, suspect damaged by roof leak

jaydmooooo

My TV won't turn on at all today. There was a small puddle of water next to the TV so I suspect our roof has leaked as its rained a fair bit today.

The most annoying part is that we paid to have the roof fixed about 2 years ago, but I don't think that roofer is in business anymore.

I know TV's used to be covered under most policies as accidental cover to TV, video and audio equipment.... But that was back in the day, when I worked in insurance around 25 years ago! Any ideas as to whether this would be covered?

Only part I can find in the policy is this, "£1,000 for any accidental damage to satellite equipment,

televisions and their aerials, digital receivers, radios, computers

and ancillary equipment, and other audio and video equipment".
Or would it be classed as just having broken down? 

y3sitsm3

It's not accidental damage, that is damage caused by someone, well, accidentally.

I don't know whether this would be covered, you'd have to ask your insurers.  As the roof was "fixed" I can't see them claiming it was a maintenance issue , but who knows.

user1977

jaydmooooo said:

There was a small puddle of water next to the TV so I suspect our roof has leaked as its rained a fair bit today. 

It hasn't perhaps come down inside the aerial cable? (a problem I once had!) 

Aretnap

y3sitsm3 said:

It's not accidental damage, that is damage caused by someone, well, accidentally.

Different policies will have different definitions of "accidental damage" but picking just one, Direct Line define it "sudden and unintentional physical damage that happens unexpectedly". Nothing about having to have been caused by a person. That would seem to include an appliance being short-circuited by water dripping from a leaky roof. Assuming that was the cause, of course.

The leaky roof itself would not generally be covered unless you could tie it to a specific insured event. It would not be covered if it was down to wear and tear and/or poor workmanship by the builder.

elsien

jaydmooooo said:

My TV won't turn on at all today. There was a small puddle of water next to the TV so I suspect our roof has leaked as its rained a fair bit today.

The most annoying part is that we paid to have the roof fixed about 2 years ago, but I don't think that roofer is in business anymore.

I know TV's used to be covered under most policies as accidental cover to TV, video and audio equipment.... But that was back in the day, when I worked in insurance around 25 years ago! Any ideas as to whether this would be covered?

Only part I can find in the policy is this, "£1,000 for any accidental damage to satellite equipment,

televisions and their aerials, digital receivers, radios, computers

and ancillary equipment, and other audio and video equipment".
Or would it be classed as just having broken down? 

Are you not more concerned about working out where the water has come from, before you worry about the TV? 

jaydmooooo

elsien said:

jaydmooooo said:

My TV won't turn on at all today. There was a small puddle of water next to the TV so I suspect our roof has leaked as its rained a fair bit today.

The most annoying part is that we paid to have the roof fixed about 2 years ago, but I don't think that roofer is in business anymore.

I know TV's used to be covered under most policies as accidental cover to TV, video and audio equipment.... But that was back in the day, when I worked in insurance around 25 years ago! Any ideas as to whether this would be covered?

Only part I can find in the policy is this, "£1,000 for any accidental damage to satellite equipment,

televisions and their aerials, digital receivers, radios, computers

and ancillary equipment, and other audio and video equipment".
Or would it be classed as just having broken down? 

Are you not more concerned about working out where the water has come from, before you worry about the TV? 

No, otherwise I'd have posted about that 

jaydmooooo

user1977 said:

jaydmooooo said:

There was a small puddle of water next to the TV so I suspect our roof has leaked as its rained a fair bit today. 

It hasn't perhaps come down inside the aerial cable? (a problem I once had!) 

No, all the cables are lower down and on the other side of the TV to where to patch if water was. But thanks

jaydmooooo

Aretnap said:

y3sitsm3 said:

It's not accidental damage, that is damage caused by someone, well, accidentally.

Different policies will have different definitions of "accidental damage" but picking just one, Direct Line define it "sudden and unintentional physical damage that happens unexpectedly". Nothing about having to have been caused by a person. That would seem to include an appliance being short-circuited by water dripping from a leaky roof. Assuming that was the cause, of course.

The leaky roof itself would not generally be covered unless you could tie it to a specific insured event. It would not be covered if it was down to wear and tear and/or poor workmanship by the builder.

Thank you. Well seems too much of a coincidence if it wasn't the water. We'll  check plug fuse before calling insurance, but the receiver underneath still has power to it.

No, I didn't think the roof would be covered. Wouldn't be a builder as its nearly 100 years old. Def a !!!!!! roofer though who's no longer in business as far as I can tell. 

JJ_Egan

Work out your excess before putting in a claim .

The usual is a like for like re age etc not a new TV .

Aretnap

JJ_Egan said:

Work out your excess before putting in a claim .

The usual is a like for like re age etc not a new TV .

All but the cheapest, nastiest policies will provide new for old cover.

That means a new TV of equivalent spec - so a TV that was expensive and top of the range ten years ago might be equivalent to a cheaper mid range model now. But it does mean a new TV not an old/second hand/refurbished one. 

jaydmooooo

Aretnap said:

JJ_Egan said:

Work out your excess before putting in a claim .

The usual is a like for like re age etc not a new TV .

All but the cheapest, nastiest policies will provide new for old cover.

That means a new TV of equivalent spec - so a TV that was expensive and top of the range ten years ago might be equivalent to a cheaper mid range model now. But it does mean a new TV not an old/second hand/refurbished one. 

The main thing we need is built in Freesat and 43" spec wise. But not sure how they decide like for like brand. Ours is Panasonic so I wouldn't want the equivalent Philips for example.