Does Homeowners Insurance Cover AC Units?


Updated: October 16, 2024

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Standard homeowners insurance policies typically cover AC units. As long as the unit is damaged by a covered peril, you can file a claim.

Centralized AC systems are protected under your dwelling coverage, which is the part of your homeowners insurance that pays for damages to your house’s structure. Meanwhile, your personal property coverage — which protects your belongings — covers window-type or standalone AC units. While both coverages provide protection from various perils, they typically don’t cover normal wear and tear.

You don’t need to buy coverage on top of your homeowners insurance to protect your AC unit. Most policies automatically cover AC units from perils such as fires, lightning, fallen trees, theft, vandalism and more.

In this article:

When Does Homeowners Insurance Cover AC Units?

Your AC unit is protected from most perils by either your policy’s dwelling or personal property coverage. Covered instances include:

  • Your AC unit is destroyed by lightning or fire
  • A falling tree damages your AC unit
  • Your centralized AC system is vandalized
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  • Your AC unit is destroyed by lightning or fire
  • A falling tree damages your AC unit
  • Your centralized AC system is vandalized

Centralized AC systems are covered by dwelling coverage, which normally protects you against most damages except those expressly excluded, such as war, earthquake or flooding. Meanwhile, personal property coverage insures standalone AC units. This kind of coverage offers protections from specifically-described perils, such as fire, wind, vandalism, theft and more.

While dwelling and personal property coverage often have overlapping covered perils, personal property coverage tends to have a narrower scope.

When Doesn’t Homeowners Insurance Cover AC Units?

Your AC unit is not covered if it malfunctioned due to normal wear and tear, maintenance issues or mechanical breakdown from improper installation. If the insurer can prove your negligence caused the damages, your claim will be denied. Additionally, damages from earthquakes and floods are usually not covered by a standard homeowners insurance policy.

How to Protect Your AC Unit

Although your homeowners insurance covers your AC unit, you should protect it as much as possible from getting damaged. Whether you have a centralized or standalone model, your AC will have components located inside and outside your home. Due to their exposure, outdoor parts will require more attention.

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    Install a hail guard

    Consider installing a hail guard on your AC unit. A hail guard is a thick metal mesh that protects your AC from flying debris during a storm.

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    Check nearby trees

    Regularly look out for damaged branches on nearby trees and cut them so they don’t fall onto your AC unit.

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    Regularly clean and maintain your AC unit

    Have your AC unit cleaned and maintained regularly. This will protect your unit from malfunctioning while ensuring it runs efficiently. Ask a professional how often AC units should be serviced in your area.

Where to Buy Homeowners Insurance

You can buy homeowners insurance from most major insurance providers, such as State Farm, Progressive and GEICO. Smaller insurance companies, like Hippo and Lemonade also offer homeowners insurance.

MoneyGeek recommends that you shop around and compare offers from different companies to find the best homeowners insurance for your needs. On average, homeowners insurance costs $175 per month, but that amount can vary depending on your belongings. You can use MoneyGeek’s personal property calculator to estimate how much coverage you need.

Personal Property Coverage Calculator

When figuring out how much renters insurance you need, experts recommend the standard $100,000 in liability insurance and enough personal property protection to cover your possessions. Use MoneyGeek's calculator to estimate the value of your possessions so you know how much personal property coverage to buy.

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About Mark Fitzpatrick


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Mark Fitzpatrick is a Licensed Property and Casualty Insurance Producer and MoneyGeek's Head of Insurance. He has analyzed the insurance market for over five years, conducting original research and creating personalized content for every kind of buyer. He has been quoted in several insurance-related publications, including CNBC, NBC News and Mashable.

Fitzpatrick earned a master’s degree in economics and international relations from Johns Hopkins University and a bachelor’s degree from Boston College. He is passionate about using his knowledge of economics and insurance to bring transparency around financial topics and help others feel confident in their money moves.