Eskom has declared a ‘power emergency’ and will be embarking on nationwide load shedding for the first time since 2008.
Power cuts are a reality so obviously security systems and electric fences will be going offline. The question on everybody’s lips is whether you are covered if your house is burgled during a black-out.
According to John October, spokesperson for Dial Direct Insurance it is a condition in most insurance policies that a house alarm has to be activated at all times when the home is not occupied.
“So, if a house is burgled during a power cut, then, theoretically, the customer would not benefit from any burglary cover as the alarm would be rendered inoperative. However, if you have a home contents policy and your house is burgled during a blackout, some insurance companies would not apply such an endorsement to that specific incident,” says John.
It is also advised to ensure that your insurance covers food that deteriorates in a fridge because of a power failure.
In addition, if a fire is caused by a heater either malfunctioning or switching back on after a blackout, you should be insured, provided that the incident did not occur because of the reckless behaviour of the insured.
John says that another unfortunate consequence of power cuts are power surges which can cause sensitive electronic equipment such as computers, TVs and DVD players to short.
The installation of a power surge preventer may prevent or minimise the damages caused by a power surge but it’s not guaranteed.
