Threat of National Grid Failure: Is Your Cover Sufficient?
The recent news of an expected increase in frequency and severity of load-shedding is not a pleasant outlook, and it seems like South Africa is heading for a gloomy winter. Nevertheless, South Africans have a reputation for their adaptability, resilience and humour, and this same approach is helping us all cope. Even driving through intersections without functioning traffic lights no longer holds the same sense of dread that it once did.
The increased installation of backup power solutions (such as generators, UPS systems, battery-packs and solar-panels) indicate that South African neighbourhoods are beginning to adjust their lifestyles to the ever-present threat of darkness. However, these alternative power sources can be expensive, and proper insurance cover can be a complicated matter due to their varying cost and risk exposure.
Is Your Cover Comprehensive Enough to Protect You from the effects of Load-Shedding?
It is important to understand what a power-surge is. Essentially, it refers to a sudden, high-volume surge of voltage that flows through electrical wires and into connected devices. These surges often occur at the end of a load-shedding period, when the electricity is switched back on. It can result in overheating or even fires, posing a risk not only to electrical equipment and backup-power devices. but also to non-electrical household items and the property itself.
It is essential to take precautions to mitigate the fire-hazard risk associated with these surges, as well as the risk to electrical devices’ motherboards and other working parts. In addition to insuring your household contents and property, your cover should extend to your generators, UPS systems, and solar panels, These items often need to be insured specifically and we urge you to contact us to ensure they a re insured correctly,.
Why should you be cautious about your ‘’back-up power devices’’ cover?
Imagine……you’ve been poring over your insurance policy, meticulously verifying that all your prized possessions and cherished property are fully covered …. because it never hurts to be too careful, right? You note with a sense of comfort that your back-up power devices are also included in the policy. You take a deep sigh of relief and close the policy.
Unfortunately, your peace of mind may be short-lived. Your cover may not be sufficient. Or it may be incorrect and critical extensions and policy benefits may not be properly included.
Our insurance specialists have seen many cases where back-up power devices like UPS systems, solar panels, and generators are undervalued and incorrectly-covered. With the high costs associated with replacing these items, being under-insured is a risk you simply can’t afford. If something were to happen and these devices break down, you would be left with nothing to do but face the loss all alone.
What do I do now?
Leave it all to us! Simply get in touch and we’ll take care of everything for you. So even if you end up sleeping in the dark, you can still sleep easy knowing that we’ve got you covered.