Short-term insurance | Are you covered for grid failure damage?

JOHANNESBURG - If you have home or car insurance, you may want to check your email inbox.

Insurers have been sending out notices to policyholders that they'll no longer be covered for loss or damage as a result of an electricity grid failure.

WATCH: Power cuts spark surge in insurance claims

They've clarified this doesn't apply to the various stages of power cuts.

Insurance expert Christelle Colman says consumers should read the fine print to see exactly what they're covered for.

READ: Insurance claims increase after power cuts

"There's damage to your appliances etc, affected by power surges as a result of load-shedding, now it's not a simple answer because not all insurances are created equal," Colman said.

"Some cover this but others have never covered this. Because it's become so frequent and because the losses are so many, insurers are saying either we charge you more, or increase excesses or we are saying we won't cover this."