Oct. 21, 2007

I recently discovered that my satellite receiver and VCR were fried by a power surge from a storm, after which I contacted my insurance agent.

My current homeowners policy states "replacement for contents" but my agent wants to send someone out that he knows to do a diagnostic test on it and maybe it could be "repaired." Don't I have the right to ask for a replacement of equal value instead of repair?

Brenda, Ohio

Dear Brenda,

Jayna Neagle, a spokesperson for the Insurance Information Institute, says this will vary by policy. Some will stipulate that an insurance company will either repair or replace items, while others will promise to just repair or just replace.

If your policy says you're entitled to either repair or replacement, and you aren't satisfied with the repair option, you'll need to talk with your agent or someone at your insurance company about it.

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