Question: Without notice, our electricity was cut for 8 hrs to carry out long overdue repairs. Residents experienced the loss of food items due to the long outage. Can we claim compensation for this loss? Would the claim be against the strata insurance?
Answer: The service provider could be liable if they failed to correctly notify residents of the planned service outage.
Food items within residents’ fridges are contents items and are not covered under strata insurance. The strata insurance only covers building and common area contents.
Building: means building or buildings as defined in the strata legislation applying where your building is situated, including:
- outbuildings;
- fixtures and structural improvements, gates and fences;
- in-ground swimming pools and spas;
- marinas, wharves, jetties, docks, pontoons, swimming platforms, or similar type facilities (whether fixed or floating) that are used for non-commercial purposes and which do not provide fuel distribution facilities, unless We are advised and otherwise agree in writing;
- satellite dishes, radio, television and other antennas including their associated wiring, masts, footings, foundations, moorings and towers;
- underground and overhead services;
We suggest owners and tenants approach their contents insurers to claim the cost of damaged food items.
Alternatively, the service provider could be liable if they failed to correctly notify residents of the planned service outage.
This post appears in the March 2023 edition of The WA Strata Magazine.
Tyrone Shandiman Strata Insurance Solutions E: tshandiman@iaa.net.au P: 1300 554 165
This information is of a general nature only and neither represents nor is intended to be personal advice on any particular matter. Shandit Pty Ltd T/as Strata Insurance Solutions strongly suggests that no person should act specifically on the basis of the information in this document, but should obtain appropriate professional advice based on their own personal circumstances. Shandit Pty Ltd T/As Strata Insurance Solutions is a Corporate Authorised Representative (No. 404246) of Insurance Advisenent Australia AFSL No 240549, ABN 15 003 886 687.