Just a reminder. I read this on 4x4 forum:
During the beginning of last year when load shedding was in full force most insurance companies cancelled their insurance coverage against power surges.
I work in that industry (as an IT contractor) so I need to be careful about what I say, but check the wording of your policy. (all of it, even if you need a drink at the half way mark).
Some insurers just cancelled that cover. Some put the excess up. Some qualified it by saying that if you claim for damage due to a power surge, you need to have SPDs in your DB and this must be indicated on a COC, and you must have provided us with a copy of the COC prior to the date of loss.
There is a general principle in insurance: The more likely a thing is to happen, the harder it is to get cover, and the more you will pay. And even more generally, there is responsiblity on the insured to take reasonable precautions.
Adding to that, quite a few insurers removed cover for a real Blackout, not LS, as in when the grid goes down, a hard reboot situation.
That cover was removed. If it ever even was on the policy, just them crossing their T’s.
LS, because of opportunistic claimants over a few years, insurers got wise, started clamping down on EOL equipment suddenly breaking during LS events.
So yeah, read that policy wording, ask your broker.
I had lightning damage last year. Insurance said they WOULD pay, but the excess is X thousand rand, where X was more than it cost me to get everything fixed.
BTW, if you do make the claim, they may still send an inspector out to see if you really do have an SPD, if it is properly connected, and if it meets SABS (or whatever) standards.