What's Accidental Damage cover?
Accidental damage is an add-on for accidents that damage your property. This could be a smashed window or even spilling a drink on your carpet or sofa.
Good to know
It's important to bear in mind that this does not include wear and tear (e.g. wet and dry rot, damage due to exposure to sunlight or atmospheric conditions, settlement, etc.), gradual damage, or mechanical faults.
Why should I add Accidental Damage cover to my policy?
Accidents happen, but sometimes they leave a mark. Our Accidental Damage cover is there to help when an accident causes damage to your home or contents.
We offer Accidental Damage cover as an add-on for our home insurance. You can get Buildings, Contents or Buildings and Contents Accidental Damage cover, based on what your home insurance policy already covers. For instance, if you have Buildings and Contents home insurance and you add Accidental Damage, you will be covered for accidents to the contents of your home and your home itself.
This can be added to Admiral and Gold home insurance policies. It is already available on Platinum policies.
What does Accidental Damage cover?
Our Accidental Damage insurance covers two kinds of home insurance: Buildings and Contents.
We offer three tiers of cover: Admiral, Admiral Gold and Admiral Platinum.
If you have combined Buildings and Contents home insurance, Accidental Damage will apply to both if you have it added to your policy.
Buildings Accidental Damage
| Admiral | Admiral Gold |
Admiral Platinum |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Glass and sanitary ware accidental breakage | Optional | ||
| Full Buildings Accidental Damage | Optional | Optional |
Glass and sanitary:
- fitted glass in windows, doors, fan lights, skylights and solar panels
- sanitary fixtures (washbasins, sinks, toilets, shower trays, shower screens, baths and bidets), or
- ceramic hobs which form part of a fitted kitchen.
Contents Accidental Damage
| Admiral | Admiral Gold |
Admiral Platinum |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Audiovisual Accidental Damage | Optional | ||
| Accidental breakage of mirrors or glass | Optional | ||
| Full Contents Accidental Damage | Optional | Optional |
Audiovisual:
Television sets, DVD players, radios, personal computers (including accessories), games consoles and other audio-visual equipment.
Mirrors and glass:
Mirrors, fixed glass in furniture, pictures, ornaments, plate-glass tops to furniture and ceramic hobs on freestanding cookers in your home.
What doesn’t Accidental Damage cover?
Buildings Accidental Damage doesn’t cover for damage caused:
- as a result of alterations or extensions to the buildings
- by demolition
- while your home is unoccupied, or
- caused by pests.
Contents Accidental Damage doesn’t cover for loss or damage:
- that happens outside your home
- caused by a paying guest or tenant in your home
- caused while your home is unoccupied, or
- caused by pests.
For full details of what is and what is not covered, please see the policy booklet. We have added some examples below.
What type of cover do you have?
Buildings
Buildings home insurance covers the structural elements of your home, like windows, doors, and roofs.
Contents
Contents home insurance covers your items within your home, such as furniture and appliances.
Combined
Combined home insurance includes both Buildings and Contents cover.
Examples of when you can and can't claim
There are times when you won't be able to claim for accidental damage.
Items torn or chewed by pets
You have a cat that has pulled up your carpet, torn the arm of your sofa or chewed the corner of the kitchen cabinet. As this damage was caused by your pet through tearing or chewing, you can’t claim on your Accidental Damage cover. Other damage caused by your pet such as knocking the TV off its stand is covered.
Undeclared high-risk items
You've accidentally spilled water on your desktop PC, which is worth £3,000. However, you didn't declare this as a high-risk item when you took out your policy.
As you didn’t declare this item as worth over £2,000 on your policy, it would only be covered for up to £2,000 under your Accidental Damage policy.
Gradual wear and tear
The carpet on your stairway has become worn down after continuous use. Because this comes under gradual wear and tear, you won’t be able to claim under Accidental Damage.
How to add Accidental Damage to your policy
New customers
Accidental Damage is included with our Platinum cover, but if you’re a new customer, you can add Accidental Damage cover as an add-on when buying your home insurance with us.
Existing customers
If you’re an existing customer, please get in touch with us to add Accidental Damage cover to your policy.
It can’t be bought on its own
It’s important to remember that Accidental Damage cover is an add-on to your home insurance policy and can’t be bought on its own.
Frequently asked questions
Will I be covered for damage caused by children and pets?
While accidental damage caused by children is covered, any damage caused by pets chewing, tearing, scratching, fouling, or vomiting is not (e.g. damage to carpets, furniture, and tech).
Do I pay an excess on Accidental Damage claims?
Yes. You can choose your voluntary excess when taking out your policy, though the minimum compulsory excess is £50.
Looking for other policy upgrades?
Admiral offers great value, flexible policy upgrades across all our Home Insurance products.