# Does household insurance cover destroyed Rx drugs? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 28, 2014, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-household-insurance-cover-destroyed-rx-drugs/694243 "2014-07-28T14:51:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2014, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-household-insurance-cover-destroyed-rx-drugs/694243/1 "2014-07-28T14:51:45Z")
Supposing your home is destroyed by fire, and you lose a thousand dollars or so worth of prescription drugs, say, for congestive heart failure. Who pays for the replacement of those drugs? Is that covered by renter’s/homeowner’s insurance without specifying it as a rider? Does the medical insurance refill, with evidence of loss? Are you stuck with the replacement cost yourself? (do not need to know, ever.) ---
**Author:** ![jharvey963](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/54ee81/32.png) [@jharvey963](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jharvey963)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2014, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-household-insurance-cover-destroyed-rx-drugs/694243/2 "2014-07-28T18:04:48Z")
Sorry, but I think the only correct answer is “Ask your household insurance company / agent” since every policy will be different. J. ---
**Author:** ![HipGnosis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/76d3ee/32.png) [@HipGnosis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HipGnosis)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2014, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-household-insurance-cover-destroyed-rx-drugs/694243/3 "2014-07-28T20:08:58Z")
Renter’s/homeowner’s insurance covers items of value in the home, usually up to a certain amount per category of items like computer equipment, jewelry, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2014, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-household-insurance-cover-destroyed-rx-drugs/694243/4 "2014-07-28T20:10:48Z")
Generally, yes. But you need to check the policy. I’ve never seen one that excludes prescriptions, and I would think any policy that covers “personal property” and has no limits or exclusions for drugs would cover it. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2014, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-household-insurance-cover-destroyed-rx-drugs/694243/5 "2014-07-28T20:37:14Z")
I guess, basically, my question is, Would it be treated like furniture and appliances, or like cash and collectibles and hobby equipment, which have a very low limit if undeclared? ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2014, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-household-insurance-cover-destroyed-rx-drugs/694243/6 "2014-07-28T22:40:40Z")
You might also check with your health insurer. They may have a prescription drug replacement policy - I believe in cases of natural disasters, etc. I think under some policies you may need to acquire the medications out of your own pocket in emergency situations, to be reimbursed later by the insurer. It may be something like if you lose your drugs while on vacation, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2014, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-household-insurance-cover-destroyed-rx-drugs/694243/7 "2014-07-28T22:53:54Z")
> [@jtur88](#): > > I guess, basically, my question is, Would it be treated like furniture and appliances, or like cash and collectibles and hobby equipment, which have a very low limit if undeclared? You’d probably be wise not to tell your insurance agent that your prescription meds are a hobby. ---
**Author:** ![Dereknocue67](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6de8d8/32.png) [@Dereknocue67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dereknocue67)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2014, 8:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-household-insurance-cover-destroyed-rx-drugs/694243/8 "2014-07-29T08:12:31Z")
The short answer is yes. Prescription drugs are usually treated no differently than OTC meds. Most policies have a limited exclusion relating to personal liability as a result of the use or sale of controlled substances but that is a third party liability exclusion, not a first party loss from say, a fire, theft, etc.