Is food spoilage covered?

If the power goes out, can you get reimbursed for spoiled food?

Following a major disaster like Hurricane Laura, extended power outages are common. According to poweroutage.us, nearly 500,000 customers in Louisiana and Texas were without power after the storm hit. However, most electric utility companies do not offer their customers reimbursements for food spoilage caused by long-term power outages.

In the areas of Louisiana and Texas affected by Hurricane Laura, none of the power companies serving those areas provide such reimbursements, according to Bill Davis of Triple-I. Insurance companies will usually cover up to $500 of food that spoils from a power outage caused by a covered peril under standard homeowners insurance policies. Homeowners insurance deductibles will apply to food spoilage coverage, however, so a $500 deductible, which most policyholders carry, would mean that the policy would only pay if the policyholder suffered more than $500 in food spoilage losses. Some insurers offer food spoilage coverage with a separate deductible for an additional premium.