Trace and access insurance problem

pernes

Hi I am part of a residents association in a block of flats and we are confused regarding an insurance claim. The flats were built in the late sixties and the water pipes are buried in the concrete floors. In the past claims have been made as pipes have leaked causing damp in the ceilings below. They were found via trace and access and the claims paid. This year with the advice of our insurance broker we changed to another insurance company. We had to make a claim on a ground floor flat had a leak, we used a company that used trace and access equipment to pin point the leak. This was successful the leak was fixed and the floor area repaired. We put in a claim and this is the reply we have been given "as expected Insurers have advised there is no cover under the Trace and Access section and have attached a copy of the policy wording which confirms that Trace and Access is covered as an extension only under the "Buildings" section and therefore this cover would only apply only if a claim was being made under the Buildings section. "
Can anyone explain what an extension only under the "Buildings" section means? We have trace and access surely digging up a floor where water is escaping and could be causing damage to the building.
Should we look for a different policy to cover these pipes?
Many thanks

dacouch

Which Insurer are you with?

Is the claim you put in for contents eg carpets or does it include a claim for buildings eg wall paper, bricks etc etc

pernes

Hi the claim was for the Axa building insurance policy. trace and access, plumbers cost and rescreeding the floor area of the leak.

dacouch

Does the residents association have a seperate policy with Axa that just covers the communal contents by any chancs.

Trace and Access is covered but not the cost of replacing the leak itself.

http://www.arusonline.com/documents/doc_6.pdf

c) Trace and Access
the reasonable costs necessarily incurred
by You in locating the source and
subsequent making good of Damage
under paragraph 2g) and paragraph 3b)
but not:
•
•
• any amount in excess of £5,000 in
respect of any one Block of Flats or
Private Dwelling House
any amount in excess of £25,000 in
any one year of insurance

A lot of policies only pay out on the Trace and Access part of the policy if you also have a valid claim against another part of the policy eg the water has damaged part of the building

pernes

Thanks for your reply. So although we are covered to claim for the trace and access and the repair to the floor, they are saying that because no damage was caused to the building by the water we can't claim? Yet the floor had to be dug up so how's that not damage to the building?
What is classed as damage?
We now have another flat that hasjust reported to us damp in their ceiling from the flat above a plumber has checked that none of the visable pipes are the cause, the shower, toilet and sink. A slight drop in the water pressure on the boiler possible indicates that it is the central heating as in the case of the previous one, so pipes in concrete floor. So does this mean we are in the same boat we can't claim? The residents are elderly and in poor health, so depending on the work involved are we covered for to put them up in a hotel, the cost of redecorating both flats?

You mentioned "Axa that just covers the communal contents" I don't believe we have, but is this what we need to cover us in the future.

Rather annoyed that our previous policy covered and paid for the trace and access and repair as we have had them in the past yet the new company doesn't:mad:

Insurance is such a mine field. Thanks

dacouch

It is common for a claim for trace and access to only be covered if you have a genuine claim under another section of the policy eg damage the water has done (Generally know as "Escape of Water").

The second claim you mention sounds like it would be successful as they can put in a claim for the damage to the ceiling which should be covered under the "Escape of Water" section and thus you could then claim under the T&A cover.

Was there any damage to the structure or decorations in the first claim

pernes

The first claim the water was escaping underground as the flat was ground floor so it's difficult to know what damage if any has been caused.

You mentioned ""Axa that just covers the communal contents" what would this cover us for, is it something to think about when we renew?

Thanks, will be sorting out the other claim next week!!

dacouch

Communal Contents are generally things in communal areas such as the hall and stair carpets which belong to the block rather than an individual flat owner.