Wear and tear

You may have heard of the term ‘wear and tear’. But do you know what it means? Worry not. We’ve created this simple guide to help you get to grips with it and avoid any problems.

Tell me more…

In a nutshell, wear and tear is the damage that happens naturally to your home and possessions over time. But it also includes things that haven’t been maintained. Most home insurance policies only cover you for sudden events such as fire, floods or theft. They won’t cover damage caused by wear and tear.

So what’s classed as wear and tear?

Damage that’s classed as wear and tear could include things like:
• A faded or worn carpet.
• Loose taps, toilet seats, cupboard doors etc
• Your window frames rotting away.
• Roof tiles that slip or break over time
• A crack in brickwork caused by outside heat or cold over a long period

Can I claim for wear and tear on my home insurance?

In short, no. Everything will suffer from wear and tear at some point, so you have to expect it. Home insurance is there to protect you from the unexpected. So a carpet that’s become faded and worn over time would come under wear and tear. A carpet that’s been damaged from flooding would be covered under your home insurance.

That’s clear. So what happens if wear and tear causes damage to my home or possessions?

If damage to your home or possessions has been caused by wear and tear, then you won’t be covered. Here’s an example. After heavy rainfall you discover water is seeping into your home. However, it’s found that the leak is due to some roof tiles that have cracked and slipped over time, letting water in. It was your responsibility to ensure your roof was maintained. So, in this instance, we would class the damage as being caused by wear and tear and you won’t be covered.

Our ‘new for old’ policy

If one of your possessions is damaged by a sudden event and is covered under your policy, you’re sorted. We’ll pay you for a replacement as if it were new or by providing you with the nearest equivalent spec available. The exceptions to this policy are bikes, clothing and linen where we reduce the amount we pay you based on assumed wear and tear.