Contents Ins for white goods?

Sam44_2

My new landlord says I should have contents insurance although the flat is unfurnished except for white goods. My own stuff is not of any value so haven't bothered with insurance in the past. Why would I need to get Contents Insurance, it wouldn't cover breakdown of washing machine....or does it? Thanks

lellow_lorry

A lot of LA's insist on contents insurance. one reason is it normally includes tenants liability insurance within it.

ceh209

If it doesn't belong to you, you can't insure it.

HOWEVER if you get contents insurance for your own belongings, there's usually an option for accidental damage cover, which would cover the landlord's possessions aswell. I'm guessing this is why they want you to have contents insurance.

Is it in your tenancy agreement that you have to have it? If not, it's your choice...

Doozergirl

A Landlord's buildings insurance policy should contain at least a degree of contents insurance. If it belongs to them then it would be their responsibilty to insure it.

I'd have a really hard think about how much what you own is worth though - could you afford to replace it all in one go if it were destroyed in a fire, for example? Smoke gets everywhere even if the fire doesn't - the particles are so tiny they will permeate everything. Readdress your decision simply by trying to add it all up and deciding whether replacing it all at your own costs is a risk worth taking - it might be. There is no legal requirement to have contents insurance so the LL can't exactly make you.

TrickyDicky

Contents insurance would cover all your clothes, cds, furniture, computers, bedding, kettle, microwave and everything else, and hopefully new for old.

Try adding up the value of your wardrobe as a quick start. If a t-shirt is £10, I assume you'll have 10 t-shirts so thats £100 of value already. When you add in trousers, jumpers pants and socks I bet it comes to around £500, and insurers wouldnt expect you to shop at a charity shop.

Fire_Fox

Sam44 wrote: »

My new landlord says I should have contents insurance although the flat is unfurnished except for white goods. My own stuff is not of any value so haven't bothered with insurance in the past. Why would I need to get Contents Insurance, it wouldn't cover breakdown of washing machine....or does it? Thanks

If you lose everything in a fire without contents insurance I hope you can lay your hands on several thousands pounds to replace everything you own.

Catblue

Plus, if you only have a few bits and pieces not worth much, then that'll be taken into account when you get the policy - making it cheaper.

I think my friend pays around £50 per year for contents insurance for her flat - she's a student, doesn't have much stuff, therefore it doesn't cost much to insure it.

Also, if you use cashback sites, you can often get even more cash off. If you look at MSE's Cheap Insurance page

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/insurance/home-insurance#record

then they reckon that the cashback is sometimes more than the actual cost of the policy. Worth a look.

dacouch

ceh209 wrote: »

If it doesn't belong to you, you can't insure it.

HOWEVER if you get contents insurance for your own belongings, there's usually an option for accidental damage cover, which would cover the landlord's possessions aswell. I'm guessing this is why they want you to have contents insurance.

Is it in your tenancy agreement that you have to have it? If not, it's your choice...

You can insure things that don't belong to you providing you have an "Insurable Interest"

Selecting Accidental Damage Cover does not normally automatically cover the landlords contents, as a previous poster has mentioned a lot of contents only policies for tenants include tenants liability cover.

secla

it really does add up you know, i dont have anything of great value myself but when you think of having to replace everything you own for new items it would cost a fortune. i have a couple of hundred dvds must be a minimum of 1k to replace those on there own.