In the recent past Zambia has seen unprecedented load shedding arising mainly from low water levels according to reports.
Today only a few critical areas such as hospitals have uninterrupted power supply.
Our discussion in this article is not aimed looking at the causes of load shedding but simply to acknowledge that it is there and address it from the risk analyst point of view.
In the area where I stay we have been experiencing load shedding for much longer periods than ZESCO published schedule.
When I phoned the call centre to find out why this was the case I was treated with a consistently strident answer ‘Sir, are you not aware that there is load-shedding?’
With such responses and considering that there is no competitor to ZESCO we should somehow accept the fact that we will live with such intermittent supply of power.
This may call for alternative sources of power such as solar, gas, generators, etc. although government is making frantic efforts to address the issue.
I also understand that Members of Parliament were asked to go and see for themselves the low water levels at both Kariba dam and Kafue Gorge.
Well, what risks then are associated with load-shedding and how can we deal with them?
When there is interruptions in power supply sometimes it is restored with higher voltage than normal, technically referred to as power surge.
This is why it is recommended that all electrical appliances should be connected to power surge controllers to mitigate this risk.
It is further recommended that all appliances should be plugged off when power goes to avoid potential damage by high voltage but one can only wonder how many people do that in reality and consistently.
Let us take an example where you leave your fridge on and then there is some power outage when you are not there.
It means you will not be able to unplug the appliance because you are not at home.
Upon returning home one day I was told the water pump to our borehole had stopped working despite being relatively new.
When I called an electrician to check it he told me that it was damaged by power surge.
This was an equipment which was fitted with a power surge controller.
I had to replace it with a new one but thanks to the insurance policy I had.
I was able to make a claim and was refunded whatever I spent.
There are many other things that could be affected by long hours without power.
The food or stock in the fridges for example may go bad or deteriorate as a result of load shedding which may result in losses.
It appears that even with the best protection one can think of something could still go wrong hence the ultimate protection is buying appropriate insurance.
This helps you have a peace of mind even if you have say forgotten to unplug some appliances let alone the longer periods without power.
The appropriate insurance for a home setup is twofold, one for the house and the other for the contents.
The former is usually taken up as houseowners insurance as discussed in our article of May 6 2015 while household contents insurance was also discussed in the same month.
While every effort can be made to mitigate load-shedding risks there remains some residual risks we have to live with and this becomes the subject of insurance as a wise protection measure.
Therefore, instead of worrying about such risk you can buy that appropriate insurance and live life without headaches.
I understand that ZESCO either does not  pay or take much long to pay for losses occasioned by low or high voltage.
I had an experience when my pump was damaged.
This happened during a weekend and they told me not to touch anything and wait for them to come on a Monday which meant I could have stayed without water for about two days.
It was just unacceptable.
When I visited their offices later I was told they could not afford to pay me because there were so many people who were affected and if they paid everyone then the company would go under.
Such responses are the ones that make insurance the most relevant solution because one cannot fall on ZESCO for efficient compensation.
Comments: webster@picz.co.zm or webster_tj@hotmail.com or on face book search for Insurance Talk-Zambia page or call/text 0977 857 055 [The Author is a Chartered Insurer with more than 10 years industry experience]