We had a power outage and my laptop was damaged. Will my homeowners insurance cover this?

This is a tricky sort of question to answer. Your personal property is typically covered under a standard homeowners insurance policy, but something like a laptop would be better protected by a rider that covers it against a larger number of problems and perils. Yes, your laptop is covered, but there are other considerations which could affect the claim.

First, the insurance company may ask you whether you were using a surge suppressor at the time. If you were not using one, then the insurance claim may be denied under terms of negligence. If the laptop was connected through a surge protector, then the insurance company may deny the claim on the grounds that the manufacturer of the electronic protection device is liable.

Even if your laptop is covered under your home insurance, the policy may not be able to do much to help you. After you have paid the deductible, you could be reaching the amount of the claim, and that means you'd be better off to save the claim for a future need and simply pay for the laptop out of pocket. Similarly, if your policy only pays for actual cash value instead of full replacement cost, the amount you receive in your insurance claim will most likely fall far short of the amount needed to replace the device.

For the best protection, purchase a separate policy or a rider for laptops on top of your homeowners policy. This will give you better protection, avoid high deductible costs, and make sure that your laptop is covered for its replacement value rather than the depreciated value. The cost of a laptop insurance policy will only amount to a few dollars a month and could save you over a thousand dollars in the event that a full replacement is necessary.