Shower screen shattered ; building or contents claim?

Rotor

Hi, as posted, the screen spontaneously shattered. It has been in 5 years , the plumbers who fitted it are no longer around and we don't know who manufactured it so can't get a replacement so looks likely the whole unit needs replacing and retiling etc.( probably 4 figure sum?).
is this a contents item or a buildings insurance claim? and it would come under accidental damage section right?

Thanks in advance

intranix

why would it be buildings insurance?

dacouch

Although spontaniously shattering may not be covered unless something that is covered caused it to shatter

InsideInsurance

Selden wrote: »

The test is – can it reasonably be removed and taken to another home?

Have to say that I do prefer the "test" that I was taught, all those years ago, which was

If you turn the house upside down and shook it, everything that would fall out is contents but everything that stayed in is buildings

Given what you are saying about how well fixed it is to the bathroom it does sound like a buildings claim. That said, as has been pointed out, you will need to check that it is an insured peril that caused the damage.

Rotor

Yes it's definitely fitted ; buildins ins. by the sound of it then. So might the insurance call it faulty workmanship/manufacture (and tell me to go and claim from them) if it spontaneously breaks rather than (say) i slipped and grabbed it causing it to break? hypothetically speaking of course

Sally_A

InsideInsurance wrote: »

If you turn the house upside down and shook it, everything that would fall out is contents but everything that stayed in is buildings

Ha ha! did I teach you in the dim and distant past?? That has been my mantra for the last 30+ years.

Even if you do not have an Accidental Damage policy, quite often AD to fixed glass is included; this should extend to windows, doors, fixed ovens etc.

InsideInsurance

Sally_A wrote: »

Ha ha! did I teach you in the dim and distant past??

Yes if you used to work in the ex-NU office Perth in circa August 2000 :eek:

Sally_A

No, wasn't me, but could have been the scenario I've been quoting since about 1980

huckster

My dad had this problem with a shattering shower screen. It was something to do with the frame contracting and putting stress on the glass. He took the frame down to the local glass fitters and they fitted new glass cheaper than the value of the excess. If you find a good general glazing firm, you will be surprised by the types of glass they stock.

vaio

huckster wrote: »

My dad had this problem with a shattering shower screen. It was something to do with the frame contracting and putting stress on the glass. He took the frame down to the local glass fitters and they fitted new glass cheaper than the value of the excess. If you find a good general glazing firm, you will be surprised by the types of glass they stock.

That was my initial thought too, especially when you add on the likely premium increase/loss of NCB

Rotor

. It's curved glass though which might be a problem at a local glazier. and having seen the results of this one exploding (bit dramatic I know but there was glass on top of door , above the height of the screen, and ALL over the floor!) I dread to think what might have happened if someone was using the shower. Safe is first priority , then cheap.
Does anyone know if the fact that it happened 'spontaneously' might be used by insurance company to deny it was accidental damage?
Thanks