The lowdown on insurance for electronic devices.
Homeowners insurance covers your electronics when a named peril causes the damage: think theft, fire,
lightning, or a burst pipe. It won’t cover accidents, wear and tear, or devices that simply stop working over time.
Here’s exactly what’s covered, what’s not, and how to make sure your devices are properly protected.
TL;DR
- Standard homeowners insurance policies cover the loss or damage of electronic devices in the event of named perils-but not negligence or simple wear-and-tear.
- Personal property coverage-aka Coverage C-protects your items against named perils even if they’re lost or damaged outside the home.
- Your device manufacturer’s warranty or device protection plan may cover losses or damages that a standard insurance policy won’t compensate.
- Lemonade’s Equipment Breakdown Coverage (EBC) boosts your coverage by covering your electronics and appliances in cases that most standard insurance policies don’t cover, after you’ve paid a flat $500 deductible.
What’s more, Lemonade policyholders can even insure their fancier electronics -think big flat screen TVs, Bose stereo systems, and the like -with additional coverage for electrical or mechanical failure. (More on that in a bit.)
What’s covered by homeowners insurance?
We’ve already mentioned that with a homeowners policy, your insurance company covers your devices against named perils. What else does your policy cover? Here’s what’s included in a basic HO3 (homeowners) policy with Lemonade:
- Coverage A, aka “dwelling coverage,” protects your home itself and any structures attached to it.
- Coverage B covers other structures on your property-think sheds, swimming pools, fences, and detached garages. Coverages A and B are considered “open perils policies,” which effectively means that anything not specifically excluded within your policy is covered.
- Coverage C, also called personal property coverage, covers your personal property-like your laptop, phone, furniture, and prized vinyl collection-inside and outside the home. Unlike Coverages A and B, your personal property is covered only against specific named perils. Depending on state law, most policies in the U.S. come with 16 named perils.
- Coverage D, or “loss of use” coverage, helps cover the extra expenses you incur-for food, transportation, a place to stay, and so on-when your home becomes uninhabitable due to a covered peril.
- Should you be personally liable for bodily injury or property damage, Coverage E can cover damages and losses, while Coverage F helps pay the medical expenses for guests who sustain injuries on your property.
A look at what’s covered with a standard Lemonade homeowners insurance policy
Does my policy include insurance coverage for electronics?
If you live in California, New York, Virginia, or Florida, all of your personal property-including electronics-is covered by your insurance company to a maximum of $250,000.
Every other state separates out portable electronics into their own special category. Lemonade coverage starts at $1,500 but you can increase your coverage to up to $6,000.
With those basics out of the way, let’s take a look at some common scenarios.
Electronics insurance and theft
Since theft is one of the 16 named perils included in most homeowners insurance policies, you’d be eligible to file a claim-after you’ve filed a police report-on your pickpocketed smartphone.
Again, even if something happened to your property while you were outside the home-vacationing, or visiting a friend, or riding the subway-your insurer will still compensate you for your loss over your deductible.
Incidents inside the home
A wildfire that spread from a nearby forest to your property would clearly be grounds for filing a claim for the damage.
But what if you’re dealing with the aftermath of a fire (or another event, like a burst pipe that drenches your electronics) that started inside your home? Lemonade still has your back.
The only reason Lemonade wouldn’t cover a fire is if it had been set deliberately. Meanwhile, we can help cover damage from that burst pipe through your personal property coverage.
Electronics damaged by flooding, however, wouldn’t be covered-this would fall under the umbrella of a separate flood insurance policy, if you have one.
Does your Lemonade insurance policy cover your dead laptop?
Your insurer won’t pay up simply because you spilled your latte on your MacBook or ereader. Insurers treat damage from negligence or carelessness (like that cracked screen on your iPhone) very differently from damage triggered by named perils.
While you won’t get compensated for dropping that Venti all over your own laptop, your liability coverage could help you cover the costs if you spill your morning java on a friend’s computer.
Real-world examples: what’s covered and what’s not
Scenario 1: Your laptop is destroyed in a house fire
An electrical fault in your wiring starts a fire that destroys your home office, including your three-year-old laptop. You have the purchase receipt ($1,200) and photos of the damage.
| Covered? | Yes |
| Why | Fire is a named peril under Coverage C |
| What Lemonade pays | Actual cash value of your laptop, minus your deductible |
| What you need to do | Document all damaged items with photos and receipts, and file your claim promptly |
What’s not covered: pre-existing damage, items already broken before the fire, or normal wear and tear on electronics.
Scenario 2: Your phone is stolen from a hotel room while traveling
You leave your iPhone on the nightstand while you grab breakfast. When you return, it’s gone. A hotel employee saw someone in your room. You file a police report and contact Lemonade.
| Covered? | Yes |
| Why | Theft is a named peril, Coverage C applies worldwide |
| What Lemonade pays | Actual cash value of your phone, minus your deductible |
| What you need to do | File a police report before submitting your claim |
What’s not covered: leaving your phone in an Uber, misplacing it on the subway, or accidentally leaving it at a coffee shop. Those are loss or negligence (not theft), and they’re not covered.
Scenario 3: Lightning causes a power surge that fries your TV and sound system
During a thunderstorm, lightning strikes a nearby power line and sends a surge through your home, burning out the internal components of your smart TV and sound system.
| Covered? | Partially, depends on the damage type |
| Why | Lightning is a named peril, but Coverage C excludes internal circuitry damage from electrical current |
| What Lemonade pays | External damage from the surge may be covered; internal component failure may not be |
| Better option | Equipment Breakdown Coverage (EBC) picks up where Coverage C leaves off for electrical failures |
What’s not covered: internal power surges unrelated to a named peril, wear and tear, or gradual degradation from years of use.
Scenario 4: A burst pipe floods your home office and soaks all your equipment
A pipe in your wall bursts suddenly, flooding your home office and soaking your gaming PC, external hard drives, monitor, and printer. You shut off the water, photograph everything, and contact Lemonade.
| Covered? | Yes |
| Why | Accidental discharge from a plumbing system is a named peril under Coverage C |
| What Lemonade pays | Damaged electronics under personal property coverage, minus your deductible |
| What you need to do | Document all items with photos and receipts, and file your claim as soon as possible |
What’s not covered: gradual leaks from poor maintenance, groundwater or flood damage (that needs a separate flood insurance policy), or damage from negligent plumbing upkeep.
Scenario 5: Your six-year-old gaming console suddenly stops turning on
Your console abruptly stops powering on. A repair shop diagnoses it as a circuit board failure. You contact Lemonade hoping homeowners insurance will cover the repair.
| Covered? | No |
| Why | This is wear and tear, there’s no named peril event, and gradual deterioration is excluded |
| Does EBC help? | No, EBC covers sudden breakdowns, not gradual component failure from age |
| What to do instead | Check your manufacturer’s warranty, or look into an extended warranty or device protection plan |
What’s not covered: normal aging, gradual deterioration, or component failure from years of regular use – under any homeowners policy.
Scenario 6: You spill coffee on your laptop while working from home
A large coffee goes straight onto your keyboard. The laptop shuts down, and the keyboard and trackpad stop working. You’re wondering if homeowners insurance will help.
| Covered? | No |
| Why | Accidental spills from the policyholder’s own actions aren’t a named peril |
| Does EBC help? | No, this is physical damage from a spill, not an electrical or mechanical failure |
| Right product for this | A device protection plan like AppleCare+ – it’s built for exactly this scenario |
What’s not covered: damage from negligence, carelessness, accidental spills, intentional damage, or misuse – under Coverage C or EBC.
Homeowners insurance vs. device warranty vs. equipment breakdown coverage
Not all electronics coverage works the same way. Here’s a quick breakdown of what each option actually covers, and when to use it.
| Coverage C | EBC | Manufacturer’s Warranty | Device Protection Plan | |
| What it covers | Theft, fire, lightning, windstorm, vandalism, and other named perils | Sudden electrical or mechanical failures | Factory defects in new devices | Accidental damage: drops, spills, cracked screens |
| Covers accidents? | No | No | No | Yes |
| Covers theft? | Yes | No | No | Sometimes |
| Covers wear and tear? | No | No | No | No |
| Works outside the home? | Yes, worldwide | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Cost | Included in your policy | ~$2–3/month | Free with device | Varies by plan |
| Deductible | Your policy deductible | Your policy deductible | None | Per-incident fee |
The short version: Coverage C handles external threats outside your control. EBC handles internal failures that Coverage C misses. Your manufacturer’s warranty is your first call for brand-new defective devices. A device protection plan is the right tool for everyday accidents like spills, drops, and cracks that insurance doesn’t cover.
For most Lemonade policyholders, combining Coverage C with EBC covers the majority of real-world scenarios. Add a protection plan for high-value devices you use daily, and you’re covered from nearly every angle.
Electronics insurance for Lemonade homeowners
Protect your home stereo system with Lemonade’s Equipment Breakdown Coverage.
Want to enjoy the peace of mind that comes with insurance for electronics? Getting covered with Lemonade is fast and easy! Just answer a few simple questions via the Lemonade app and get insured in less than two minutes.
You can even increase your protection by adding Equipment Breakdown Coverage (EBC) to your policy. This is a Lemonade endorsement that protects your flat-screen TV, computer, security system, and a wide range of other electronics and appliances against damage from electrical or mechanical failures, which most standard insurance policies don’t cover.
Still, it’s important to keep in mind that you won’t be able to file a successful claim for damage resulting from regular wear-and-tear.
EBC comes with a flat deductible of $500, and it’s available to homeowners for just $3 monthly.
Figuring out what’s worth adding to your homeowners insurance policy starts with accounting for and estimating the value of your personal property. Here’s a handy guide for doing just that.
Ready to get started? Click below to insure your home and valuables with Lemonade in seconds.
