Compare Small Appliance Insurance

This term can cover a massive range of items all around your home, from those you use in your kitchen on a regular basis to the extra little luxuries which just make your life a whole lot easier. When we talk about ‘small appliances’, we are referring to:

Irons
Kettles
Microwaves
Vacuum Cleaners
Toasters
Dehumidifiers
Heaters
Health/Beauty Appliances – Hairdryer/Shavers/Straighteners/Electric Toothbrushes
Food Preparation Items – Fryers, Slow Cookers, Mixers, Coffee Machines, Sandwich Makers, Ice Cream Makers etc.
Sewing Machines

Affordable Cover for your Small Appliances

If your appliance breaks down, it is probably without warning and when you actually need it the most. Repairing your item can be an expensive ordeal, with callout and labour costs from the engineer to the cost of replacement parts and removing all of the old parts competently and ecologically.

You may even have to replace your item altogether, so not only do you need to spend money on the product, but you may also need to cover installation costs, delivery charges and the cost of removing the old appliance, depending on what your device is.

Insurance covers the most basic of costs such as repairing your item up to a specific price tag and arranging for a qualified engineer to come to your home and assess the issue. Many even offer to replace your appliance if it is beyond repair and will cover extra costs such as labour charges and delivery.

One of the greatest benefits of insurance is that this is all done ASAP. Most companies have a policy in place where they will repair or replace your item in under 7 days, so your household is running again in good time.

What Will My Policy Cover?

Every policy is slightly different, so if you have certain benefits that you’d like to particularly have in place (such as repairs up to a certain price limit or the option to completely replace your item if needed), it is best to look around and see which are available for these.

Depending on your particular small appliance, there is a range of things which may go wrong. You will be able to repair a lot of these yourself if you follow manufacturer’s instructions.

If your problem goes beyond this, such as a glitch with the electronics, qualified assistance may be necessary. Your microwave may start sparking when in use, which could signal a problem with the magnetron and should only be dealt with by a professional. Your toaster may stop heating up efficiently, rendering it pretty useless. Your dehumidifier or heater may stop doing its job, and you can’t quite put your finger on what it is that is wrong with it.

Your policy will cover the basics at the very least, such as arranging for a qualified engineer to come to your home, assess the problem and talk you through where to go from there (replacement parts/replacement item/extra costs you may have to pay).

Read into the specific care which would be given to your appliance, though. Some companies may offer to send out an engineer if the light in your microwave stops working, whereas others may recommend trying to fix it yourself or simply replacing the item. The cost of repairs measured against the cost of replacing it is worth bearing in mind.

Are There Any Incidents Not Covered?

Insurance will not cover minor problems with your electronics which can be argued to be repairable by yourself, such as replacement fuses or changing the belt on your vacuum cleaner. Manufacturers often include step-by-step guides on how to do this correctly in their product manual, as well as information on how to obtain these parts directly from them. Electronics shops can help you with these problems if you don’t know where to start, but insurance only caters to more substantial issues.

If you do have to replace your item, the disposal of the original product is usually not included in the cover from the insurance company, and you will have to arrange this separately. Most delivery companies and retailers offer it at an extra cost if this is the most convenient option for you.

They will possibly not cover the costs of breakdowns which have resulted in the mistreatment of the product. So, if you have overloaded a blender or microwaved a product which wasn’t suitable for microwaving, it can be argued that you didn’t follow manufacturers instructions correctly and it is treated as malicious damage.

Companies are also unlikely to cover any costs from cosmetic damage, such as if you would like to replace an outer casing which has become scratched or dented. They also won’t cover any damage that has come about from cleaning the product incorrectly, or not maintaining it at all (such as allowing your vacuum to become so full that the motor stops working).

FAQs

Do I Need Small Appliance Insurance?

This is a much more difficult question than when referring to large appliances. Depending on your small device, an insurance policy may be pretty inefficient depending on how much you spent on the item and how much a new one would cost.

You are likely to want to put most of your inexpensive small appliances all on one policy, if you insure them at all. But if your hairdryer cost £20 a year ago, think about whether you want to spend £20 insuring it for the next three years, or whether you’d rather spend that money buying an entirely new model.

Also think about the rapidly moving rate of technology, especially where small appliances are concerned. For the same price as you spent on your hand mixer five years ago, you could probably now buy a brand-new stand mixer with a lot more benefits. So, if your appliance needs replacing, having an insurance policy which will replace it with just the most basic like-for-like model may be a waste of time.

But if you’ve got a very expensive product and the manufacturer’s guarantee is about to run out, and there is no way you could afford to buy another similar one anytime soon, then an insurance policy is probably a really good idea. Make sure you look around at the general price of your appliance before you go to take out your insurance policy; you may think microwaves are relatively inexpensive, but many still cost hundreds of pounds and will need covering.

There is a general approach to small appliances that if it breaks, we dispose of it and buy another one, even if it is a basic model. But a lot of them can actually be repaired very affordably, and insurance will likely cover the costs.

You may need to take out cover if:

Your manufacturer’s guarantee is about to run out. Leaving your appliance uninsured can be costly should something abruptly go wrong.
Your small appliance is expensive. Compare the overall cost of your chosen extended warranty policy against replacing it, bearing in mind what a similar model would cost in a few years’ time. If you wouldn’t be able to exchange it for a much lesser price, insurance provides you with added security. This is particularly relevant to any small appliances which may have cost a lot of money when bought, such as high-end mixers or dehumidifiers.
You’d need it again ASAP. Insurance would prevent you having to save up for a new item, which could take a while. You can have a good-as-new or even a brand-new appliance before you even start to miss it.

How Much Does Cover Cost?

This depends on a lot of factors. Different companies offer protection for a range of prices, often depending on the benefits of the policy. Companies also often have several separate policies in place which cater to a variety of demands, such as standard, bronze, silver and gold levels.

Also, consider whether you would like to insure all of your small appliances under one plan or not. If you do, many insurance providers offer multi-appliance discounts, so it may work out cheaper than insuring them all separately.

Some insurance providers may place a limit on the number of products which you can insure under one policy, and some may offer plans under which you can protect an unlimited number of products. You may have to pay slightly more for the latter amount, but it is likely still less than insuring all of the appliances separately.

If you want a policy which will cover repair costs up to £2500, this will probably cost more than a policy which protects against costs up to £500. Likewise, if you would like to insure an item which cost over £1000 you may have to spend more than what you would insuring a product under £100.

Why Doesn’t My Home Insurance Protect Me?

Home insurance usually covers damage caused by fires or floods, as well as theft, as standard. However, it is unlikely that electrical and mechanical damage and breakdown is covered. Check with your provider first, but it is likely that you will require separate appliance insurance for any products you wish to protect.

Is a Single- or Multi-Appliance Policy Best for my Small Appliances?

As we are referring to small domestic devices, multi-appliance policies are probably the best bet. You undoubtedly have quite a few of them, and there is a chance some may be inexpensive compared to larger everyday appliances. Some could be added on to your ordinary multi-appliance insurance, such as that you use to cover your large white kitchen goods.

It is also worth considering the extended warranty which the retailer may offer you in this case. If you buy a pair of top-of-the-range hair straighteners for over £100 and are offered a price plan which will cover them against breakdown for £2 per month, it may be a very good offer. This is particularly relevant if you don’t want to bother getting cover for any other small appliances in your home.

However, if you have very expensive high-end products, such as the best stand mixer or vacuum cleaner that money can buy, definitely look into getting dedicated single-policy insurance. This ensures the best care possible is given to your appliance in the long run. Look into the policies offered by the manufacturer first, as an engineer who works with the brand is more likely to know absolutely everything about your specific product, rather than just treating it like any other model.