Read any protection plan and one phrase does most of the work: accidental damage from handling, usually shortened to ADH. It is the difference between a plan that only covers a product failing on its own and a plan that covers what actually happens to the things we carry, use, and occasionally drop.
The plain-English definition
ADH means damage caused by an unintentional event while you were using or handling the product normally. The word to notice is accidental. You did not mean for it to happen, and it happened during ordinary use.
What typically counts
- Drops. The phone that slipped on the driveway, the laptop that slid off the couch.
- Spills. Coffee across the keyboard, a glass of water into a speaker.
- Cracked screens. Usually the most common ADH claim in any electronics category.
- Impact damage. The e-bike that tipped over onto concrete, the headphones crushed in a bag.
What typically does not
- Loss and theft. ADH covers damage, not disappearance.
- Intentional damage. Accidental is in the name.
- Cosmetic wear. Scratches and scuffs that do not affect how the product works.
- Damage outside normal use. Taking a commuter e-bike off a mountain jump is not handling.
Why ADH matters more than the warranty
Manufacturer warranties cover defects: the product failing because it was built wrong. They almost never cover accidents. Since accidents are the most common way electronics actually die, a plan with ADH covers the risk you are statistically most likely to face. We wrote a full comparison in protection plan vs. manufacturer warranty.
How to check your own plan
Your plan documents list the covered failures precisely, and they are the source of truth. FlexProtect customers can open the customer portal, pick a product, and read exactly what their plan covers. If a drop or a spill just happened, the claim form is right there too, and it takes about 90 seconds. See how to file a claim for the walkthrough.