Herbs – such as basil and chives can be frozen but will only be suitable to add to cooking dishes rather than garnishing. You’re also normally covered if your freezer unexpectedly breaks due to a mechanical fault. There’s no cover for the mechanical breakdown of the freezer itself. Can you claim for a new freezer?

We call it celebration cover and we include it as standard on all our contents insurance policies up to the cover limit. What isn’t covered?

Not all freezer manufacturers guarantee that their products will work as normal in rooms with low temperatures, though. If you place a non-guaranteed model in an outbuilding – where the temperature is likely to drop below 10°C – and it develops a fault, the warranty will have been invalidated and you won't be covered. Alternatively you can thaw food in a microwave using the defrost setting. If you opt for this method, make sure you are ready to cook it immediately after as the microwave could raise the temperature of the food to a level where bacteria can start to flourish. Food that freezes too slowly will develop ice crystals, and during thawing these can cause damage to foods. For example, you might find slowly-frozen meat dripping and losing moistness as you defrost it. As your freezer is unlikely to only include shop-bought items, your insurer may look to replace your leftovers and pre-prepped meals with a similar shop-bought ready meal, or fresh ingredients.

and is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (Firm reference number: 309378). These If you want the food you're freezing to be at its best when you defrost it, following these simple guidelines will help: For example, if an unexpected power failure at home or a power surge puts your freezer out of action, you’ll likely be insured if it’s been off long enough for food to spoil.Bread – except the crusty varieties can be frozen for around three months. Slice before freezing so you can pop it straight in the toaster. Choose freezer-friendly foods Not all food is suitable for freezing. Scroll down to find a list of foods you can and can't freeze. Defrosted food should be reheated only once, because the more times you cool and reheat food, the higher the risk of food poisoning. You should also aim to eat it within 24 hours.

Don't ignore use-by dates Make sure you freeze food before the use-by date. Remember, freezing won't kill off bacteria and toxins, so any that have developed on your food after the use-by date will still be there once it's thawed. Don't risk it. With some insurers you can add extra cover during times of celebration, including weddings and religious festivals, for extra items (including food) being stored at home for the events. This means that, strictly speaking, very few freezers are actually suitable for garages. But in practice, lots of people keep freezers in their garages for years without experiencing any problems. If you don't have room for a freezer in your own kitchen, you may already have done this without worrying about it much.

Do you need receipts to claim?

Admiral is a trading name of EUI Limited. (Reg No: 02686904). EUI Limited is a subsidiary of Admiral Group plc

Yoghurt and cream – although best used only for cooking after freezing as both can separate and become lumpy once defrosted. It’s important to know and understand your contents insurance limits. This includes understanding what your freezer insurance doesn’t cover, as well as what it does. Our round-up of the best freezers and chest freezers for garages will help you find a model suitable for an unheated garage space. authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (Firm reference number: 771862). These details canGo to our best freezers guide to see freezers that aced our rigorous lab tests. Best freezers for garages Veygo is a trading name of Able Insurance Services Limited. Able Insurance Services Limited (Reg No: 2890075)