Home Insurance Discussion
Comments
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Hi,
Has anyone been put in a very difficult situation like ours.
We made a storm damage claim to the chimney in Feb 2014.
At the same time we had a water damage to the kitchen via upstairs bathroom leakage.
The above two claims were successful. Although the kitchen claim is settled, there are issues relating to compensation still going on.
We made a third small mobile phone claim in June 2014 for lost phone in the house. We were told this would not affect the insurance. The claim was for only £250 less £75 excess.
Our renewal is due in Aug, but the insurance company are refusing to give a renewal and subsequently other insurances are also refusing to insure.
We had a good claim history with over 5 years no claim. Hence our Building and Contents with full cover inc accidental and legal cover for around £400. Because of our good history.
We informed the insurance that we did not necessarily required the claim for the mobile phone and asked them to take it back since it is still in a seal box. Also we made the point that they advised us that the phone claim will not effect the insurance. They refused to take the phone back and would not insure us.
We are very upset and worried that we could be in a position with no insurance in the next couple of weeks.
Is this what happens if you make 2-3 claims although you have a good claim history, and insurance company does not warn you that making any additional claim will put you in danger of no insurance or renewal being offered?
If anyone has any advise, it will be welcomed.0 -
Hi,
Has anyone been put in a very difficult situation like ours.
We made a storm damage claim to the chimney in Feb 2014.
At the same time we had a water damage to the kitchen via upstairs bathroom leakage.
The above two claims were successful. Although the kitchen claim is settled, there are issues relating to compensation still going on.
We made a third small mobile phone claim in June 2014 for lost phone in the house. We were told this would not affect the insurance. The claim was for only £250 less £75 excess.
Our renewal is due in Aug, but the insurance company are refusing to give a renewal and subsequently other insurances are also refusing to insure.
We had a good claim history with over 5 years no claim. Hence our Building and Contents with full cover inc accidental and legal cover for around £400. Because of our good history.
We informed the insurance that we did not necessarily required the claim for the mobile phone and asked them to take it back since it is still in a seal box. Also we made the point that they advised us that the phone claim will not effect the insurance. They refused to take the phone back and would not insure us.
We are very upset and worried that we could be in a position with no insurance in the next couple of weeks.
Is this what happens if you make 2-3 claims although you have a good claim history, and insurance company does not warn you that making any additional claim will put you in danger of no insurance or renewal being offered?
If anyone has any advise, it will be welcomed.
There really isn't much you can do about this unfortunate situation, except talk to your current insurers (at a senior level - you need to get beyond the call handlers) and put your case that:
a) You're being penalised for an unusual run of bad luck, though your claims history, apart from that short period, is excellent
b) You were given an assurance that the mobile phone claim would not affect your cover
c) You're a good, profitable customer that they should wish to retain now that your run of bad luck is over.
If that doesn't do the trick, I'd advise talking to a broker in these special circumstances. They have avenues open to them that retail customers don't have.
Good luck - and please let us know how you get on.
0 -
Hi,
Has anyone been put in a very difficult situation like ours.
We made a storm damage claim to the chimney in Feb 2014.
At the same time we had a water damage to the kitchen via upstairs bathroom leakage.
The above two claims were successful. Although the kitchen claim is settled, there are issues relating to compensation still going on.
We made a third small mobile phone claim in June 2014 for lost phone in the house. We were told this would not affect the insurance. The claim was for only £250 less £75 excess.
Our renewal is due in Aug, but the insurance company are refusing to give a renewal and subsequently other insurances are also refusing to insure.
We had a good claim history with over 5 years no claim. Hence our Building and Contents with full cover inc accidental and legal cover for around £400. Because of our good history.
We informed the insurance that we did not necessarily required the claim for the mobile phone and asked them to take it back since it is still in a seal box. Also we made the point that they advised us that the phone claim will not effect the insurance. They refused to take the phone back and would not insure us.
We are very upset and worried that we could be in a position with no insurance in the next couple of weeks.
Is this what happens if you make 2-3 claims although you have a good claim history, and insurance company does not warn you that making any additional claim will put you in danger of no insurance or renewal being offered?
If anyone has any advise, it will be welcomed.
The joys of RSA / More Than0 -
.....We made a third small mobile phone claim in June 2014 for lost phone in the house. We were told this would not affect the insurance. The claim was for only £250 less £75 excess.....
We informed the insurance that we did not necessarily required the claim for the mobile phone and asked them to take it back since it is still in a seal box. Also we made the point that they advised us that the phone claim will not effect the insurance. They refused to take the phone back.....
Whether you keep the phone or return it is irrelevant - you experienced a loss and reported it, thus making it 3 claims/losses within the few months.
You will find it hard to get off the peg cover with your recent record but a local broker (not Swinton) should be able to find you cover.
At least you have kept the phone to offset against the increased premium!0 -
Just been sorting out home insurance (contents only) using the MSE guide...
First quote was Direct Line £81.62.
Then I used Confused.com and Tesco came out cheaper at £48.43 less a clubcard discount taking it to £47.05.
Although, if you do it on Tesco's website without going via Confused I got a quote of £40.49.
Nearly thought I'd hit jackpot when I saw 'free £40 voucher' on the Tesco site, but that's only if you get the buildings cover too sadly!
BUT then... went via Quidco to use Legal&General... they were on confused for £50.87, but getting the quote from their own website made it £47.88!
Less £25 cashback...
Final total: £22.88. Not too shabby
Debt Free No Longer Wannabe
DFD: 25th July 2014
About to ruin all that and get a mortgage!0 -
I know everyone knows how important it is to shop around but, -
I have been very happy with my Halifax contents insurance. I thought the cover was particularly good for my needs. However it had been going up every year so I idly thought I would check on a comparison site.
Low and behold I found even better policy cover with John Lewis for £148 as opposed to Halifax £456.
I guess I could have beaten Halifax down but John Lewis is a Which best buy and Halifax scores only around 50%, as opposed to JL around 70%.
So I guess the moral of this is trust none and compare every year. (And BOO to Halifax)0 -
We bought our present house 20 yrs ago and moved the (Halifax ) mortgage and buildings insurance with it.
As the house is not standard, and was converted from a small detached barn in the 1920's we are not able to go on comparison sites.
The original insurer was Sun Alliance, now Halifax and in 1994 cost £341. This year Halifax want us to pay £900 which is high now we're on a small fixed income.
Because the house is unusual, reputed to originate in the1700s, and is in a conservation area (of architectural interest but not listed) perhaps this is not as exhorbitant as it seems. But we need to get it lower.
What I can't understand is that buildings insurance is intended to cover rebuilding costs with relevant premiums. There is no way they could rebuild this house in its original form so how can they estimate what it would cost?
I could try a broker, but that will add costs and if I try talking to Halifax I need a lower quote to bargain with.
What is the best way to proceed ? Renewal due Sept 1st.
Any advice please.0 -
Try a local broker especially if you live in an area with a lot of barn conversions and rural as they will have experience of this.
Also try NFU
On a property of that age / construction it's very important you have a building sum insured which represents the full cost of rebuilding it. They cost considerably more than you expect to rebuild0 -
Thanks dacouch I went to a local branch of NFU and got £500 off the Halifax quote !!
NFU told me I'd tried them on a previous occasion but the quote was too high. Apparently this was because that quote was given on a "blanket" figure of £500,000 which is what Halifax was using ?
They took details of the house construction , outbuildings, plot size, etc and then we counted the number of rooms. Their quote was then done on that basis and I was given a range of rebuilding values to think about.
Having decided on £300,000 which was near the top end, the quote still came out as half of the Halifax, even with accidental damage.? I was a bit worried about this and having asked a few more questions I went home to discuss it with my husband.
We have now signed up with NFU and still can't believe how much we've saved.0 -
Just did the first few top comparison sites. One of them gave me only two quotes because all the other places "couldn't provde a quote". Those two were £263 and £1,843. What?! :undecided0
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