What is motor burnout?
Motor burnout (sometimes called electric motor burnout or fusion damage) is when the motor inside a household appliance – like your fridge or washing machine – stops working.
Many everyday appliances rely on electric motors to turn electrical energy into movement. But if there’s a power surge or too much current flowing through the appliance (for example, during a lightning strike), the motor can ‘burn out’ and fail.
If your fridge or freezer suddenly stops cooling, or your front-loading washing machine quits mid-cycle, motor burnout could be the culprit. This can mean spoiled food, unfinished laundry, and potentially expensive repairs or replacements.
This is when home insurance that covers motor burnout damage can come in handy.
What is motor burnout or fusion cover in home insurance?
Motor burnout insurance, also called motor damage insurance, fusion damage insurance or electrical burnout insurance, covers the damage to or loss of electrical appliances due to motor burnout.
This cover is generally included as standard or as an optional extra in home and contents or contents only insurance policies. If it’s an optional extra, the extra cost will be added onto the policy’s premium.
What does motor burnout insurance cover?
Motor burnout insurance typically covers damage to major appliances, such as:
- Fridges and freezers
- Washing machines and clothes dryers
- Dishwashers
- Air conditioners and ceiling fans
- Ovens and cooktops
- Electric garage doors or gates
While most policies offer motor burnout cover (even as an optional extra at an additional cost) your level of cover may vary. For example:
- Some motor burnout policies come with a ‘food spoilage benefit’, where you’ll be reimbursed if any food goes off or spoils as a result of your fridge or freezer’s motor breaking.
- Some motor burnout policies may not only cover the appliance itself, but also the belongings surrounding it that are damaged by the motor burnout event.
This information can be easily found in the relevant policy’s Product Disclosure Statement (PDS).
What does motor burnout insurance exclude?
Some common exclusions for motor burnout coverage include:
- Smaller appliances, such as hair dryers, radios, televisions or portable heaters.
- Expected wear and tear.
- Motors over a certain age - some policies may only pay a burnout claim if the motor was less than five years old, or will require you to pay some of the replacement costs if the motor was older than five years.
- Different policies may have different maximum amounts you can be reimbursed for the motor (the maximum benefit limit), and some may be much lower than others.
- The breaking or damage of a lighting or heating element, a fuse, an electrical contact or switch.
- A motor covered by a guarantee or warranty.
- A printed circuit board.
- Any amplifying electronic equipment.
- Damage caused by the leaking of refrigerant gas.
- Retrieving or replacing pool pumps or other submersible pumps.
Exclusions will vary from policy to policy, so it can be a good idea to check a policy’s PDS for more information.
Is motor burnout insurance worth it?
You can get a better idea of the value of motor burnout insurance to you by considering the following:
- The cost of the insurance, including what you can afford to pay in premiums.
- The extent and conditions of cover (for example, if you usually have a large amount of food stored in a freezer, you may want to consider policies that offer food spoilage cover).
- If there’s any excess to pay on claims (and if you could afford to contribute this amount).
- The age of your appliances and if they are covered by any warranties.
- The cost to replace or fix your appliances.
- What you think your likelihood of claiming might be.
