House insurance while in nursing home

ruthiejane

Hi everyone
I'm hoping for some advice. My grandmother is now permenantly resident in a residential home. She owns her house outright, but is unwilling to sell, although she lives in Derbyshire, her only daughter in Kent, 3 grandaughters in London and 1 in Wales.
The local council are willing to put a charge on the property to pay the home fees until such a time as we as a family decide to sell the house, knowing that this is likely to be after my Grandma has died.
Members of the family stay in the house one weekend every 3 or 4 weeks, sometimes more or less of an interval.
So, clearly we need to have buildings and contents insurance in place, her existing policy is due for renewal on 2nd January. She has always gone to her bank and paid whatever is asked, but now my Mum has control of her bank account we would rather a) shop around for the best quote, and b) ensure the cover is relevant to a house that is empty most of the time.

Does anyone have any advise where or how to find the best policy for this situation?
Thanks in advance.

huckster

Sometimes best to retain cover with the existing company, if the property has become unnoccupied. Many companies won't take on new business for such properties and those that do are not always competitive.

You say your mum has control of her bank account, but does she hold any legal authority i.e power of attorney to arrange things on her mothers behalf? If not she might find it difficult to arrange cover in someone elses name.

As you probably are aware, most policies will exclude certain perils after 30 or 60 days of unnoccupancy. Unnoccupied means not occupied/slept in overnight. So if a member of immediate family is staying there every 3 weeks or so, the house may not technically become unnoccupied.

Your mum is probably best to speak to the current company about the situation, as some companies can offer fullish cover, subject to terms and conditions, where the policyholder has gone into a care home. Once she has spoken to them, she can decide whether to move cover elsewhere. Perhaps she can speak to a decent local broker (not Swintons) and also to AgeUK to get alternative quotes, plus what t&c's apply.

I have had relatives properties in this situation. If your grandmother is unlikely to move back to the house and will stay in care, your mum should look into letting it out. This would provide income to pay towards the care home fees and pay the bills. I say this, as your grandmother could be in the care home for many years. I read that the average stay in a care home is about 3 years.

JasX

huckster wrote: »

As you probably are aware, most policies will exclude certain perils after 30 or 60 days of unnoccupancy. Unnoccupied means not occupied/slept in overnight. So if a member of immediate family is staying there every 3 weeks or so, the house may not technically become unnoccupied.

I ran into this problem and most are 30 days... did however find that the post office is 45 days if that helps (sorted me out) -always read the small print

ruthiejane

Thanks for your replies. I phoned several insurers yesterday and all said no. Barclays did tell me that if we already had a policy with them they would renew it, but not take it on as new business. Mum doesn't have power of attorney or anything like that, though Grandma will sign anything she is asked to, that sounds really bad, we do explain things to her, and only do things in her best interest.
Letting it out isn't an option, the amount needing spending on it to get it into a condition where it would be lettable is prohibitive.

smartsaver2011

Hi standard policies unoccupancy periods are 30 to 60 days, you are then looking at some existing insurers (depending on flexibility) offering FLEE cover (Fire Lightening Earthquake Explosion)

This is very basic there on in after and wont cover malicious damage, theft etc, really the main things if empty.

If you approach a broker they do have non standard policies which would cater but as above you will be looking at a higher premium, but with that a better policy.

Towergate, Spectrum and vasek who specialise in this same exact situation
http://www.vasek.co.uk/unoccupied-property-insurance.php

G_M

I phoned several insurers yesterday and all said no.

'No' to what?

As long as you can honestly agree the property will not be unoccupied for more than their maximum period (30, 45, 60 days whatever), just buy cover online.

Getting POA is, however, going to make your lives easier in the future.

I recently bought cover for my mum who spends a month or so at her partner's home and a month at her own.

Liverpool Victoria. 60 days is the max 'unnocupied' allowed.

'Unnocupied' =

Not attended overnight by you or a member of your family or any

member of your domestic staff.

ruthiejane

G_M wrote: »

'No' to what?

As long as you can honestly agree the property will not be unoccupied for more than their maximum period (30, 45, 60 days whatever), just buy cover online.

Getting POA is, however, going to make your lives easier in the future.

I recently bought cover for my mum who spends a month or so at her partner's home and a month at her own.

Liverpool Victoria. 60 days is the max 'unnocupied' allowed.

'Unnocupied' =

Not attended overnight by you or a member of your family or any

member of your domestic staff.

For all sorts of reasons POA isn't an option for us, partially due to it having been abused my my Grandmother's nephew and her therefore not trusting it. It is probably also too late in that I'm not sure she would now understand what she is signing.
Most companies appear to have a minimum occupancy period over the course of a year, as well as maximum number of nights unoccupied in any one stretch.

I rang the insurance companies and explained the situation, i.e. that the property would be occupied at least one weekend per month my the owners immediate family and the answer was that they do not have a suitable policy.

We've now had a quote from a specialist company Vasek, and Mum has found the policy details so will be speaking to the existing insurers tomorrow.