I can't find insurance any more!

Chillyntim

Was hit by the 2007 floods and am now home. The work still isn't complete so thankfully it is still being sorted by the old insurance compant. This week we have had a gas leak which was caused by the cooker not being fitted properly - is now fixed but we have been gassed slowly since we moved back in November.

The main problem is we can't find insurance house or contents to cover us. I don't know if it's me being disabled, my hubby being self employed or just the floods.

We have a 2 3/4 yr old daughter and we need the security of cover!

SOS please folks
Chantelle:eek:

dogbot

The risk of flooding will be the main issue plus multiple previous claims possibly not helping. Your disability is not a rating factor in any way.

Find a couple of local brokers and ask them to get you some quotes. They will have good local knowledge and know who will underwrite the area.

Have a look on the environment agency website too to see if they show you as a high risk area. Their data is one of the fundamental feeds for flood rating and decline, though increasingly more complex statistical models are being used.

edit:
Dan's post appeared after I started. It is a good point that usualy your previous insurer will usualy keep underwriting the property. If you are at high risk you should get cover though excesses will rise and you may need to implement some defences yourself like flood barriers at entry points. Again, a broker can give you accurate, tailored advice.

I would like to clarify that, working in home insurance underwriting, the disability or not of an individual would have no bearing on rating. I don't know any mainstream insurer who asks about it so we would not know. It is also extreamly unlikley to have any correlation to household risk.

JS101

Incorrect dogbot. Are you sure you work in home insurance underwriting? Maybe you should have referred this one before providing incorrect advice. Having a disability is clearly a rating factor in the event of a flood. For instance, how is somebody in a wheelchair supposed to swim away?

Dan's advice is much more suitable... sticking with the same insurer as during the floods would be my advice.

mattymoo

JS101 do you have any idea what a rating factor is? Dogbot's advice was correct.

stephenni1971

For instance, how is somebody in a wheelchair supposed to swim away?

And how does your ability to swim determine the cost of reinstating your home after a flood?

JS101

The advice was incorrect, any facts like this are very relevant to a household policy and therefore a rating factor. Swimming would be relevant in this instance because one who is mobile would be able to gather belongings at the outbreak of flood and reduce the loss. In extreme circumstances one who is trained in cpr and first aid who is used to transporting a body in the water would be a minimum risk as the would be able to carry heavy items such as televisions and electonic equipment... thus reducing the loss.

I think this would be the main reason, but poor claims experience may also be an issue to address.

stephenni1971

JS101 wrote: »

In extreme circumstances one who is trained in cpr and first aid who is used to transporting a body in the water would be a minimum risk as the would be able to carry heavy items such as televisions and electonic equipment... thus reducing the loss.

No offence but this HAS to be a wind up.

'One last question before we quote for your Home Insurance Mrs Jones... are you trained in CPR and/or do you have experience of carrying heavy equipment through water?'

PMSL I think is the correct acronym

JS101

I was just trying to apply logic to the suggestion that it isnt an important piece of information and a rating factor. The previous reply said that it was not, i disagree. I know that if I were an insurer id offer a lower premium to one who can carry heavy objects and is mobile. Swimming isnt so important because the likelyhood of flooding above a metre high is remote.

Removal of expensive furniture will result the losses being kept to a minimum. Its like a 17 year old male driver, they will be more likely to crash... like one in a wheelchair being more likely to have to leave the expensive dvd player underwater.

stephenni1971

JS101 wrote: »

I know that if I were an insurer id offer a lower premium to one who can carry heavy objects and is mobile.

You are not an insurer, and you are also making comments on here which are completely uninformed.

No home insurance company is going to ask

Are you a swimmer

Can you carry heavy objects

And as for disability questions - where do I start?

You have posted comments here which range from rude and discriminatory to downright dangerous.

By all means post an opinion, but don't project that opinion as fact.

The OP received good advice from dogbot.

Enough said.

LadyIndecisive

JS101's weird made-up underwriting theories reminds me of JonBoySCFC......

JS101

i did not present anything as fact, i was posting an opinion. an opinion is demonstrated by 'if i was an insurer'.

i dont see what is discriminatory or dangerous. i was commenting on disability as a rating factor.... nothing else.

stephenni1971 - you obviously dont understand much about insurance, maybe you should stay in the finance forums.

i believed the advice to be wrong and commented. iam passionate about these things, apologies if i gave advice which every insurer may not follow.

In answer to your questions -

yes i can swim, albeit infrequently.

i can lift some heavy objects, ive done removals and visit the leisure centre occasionally, free weights mainly.

i dont see why the interest in myself, i didnt mean for me. i meant with regards to home insurance these would be rating factors and important issues the underwriter would evaluate.