Insurance for Flat - Fitted Kitchen

westv

I've just bought a flat in a small block and there is buildings insurance in place (paid for out of the service charge).
I've seen a copy of the policy and it appears to cover the premises plus "all external and internal glass including sanitary fittings". However, it makes no mention of fitted kitchen units.
I understand that normally these items are covered under buildings insurance rather than contents insurance. So what happens in this sort of case where (assuming I'm correct) the buildings policy doesn't cover kitchen units? I'm sure this situation can't be unusual as there must be millions of flat owners in England.

huckster

Quite straightforward. Check to see if the Buildings will cover the kitchen. Many of the Insurances for blocks of flats will cover the kitchen. But if they do not cover and some don't, you can ask a Contents Insurer to include cover for the kitchen.

westv

huckster wrote: »

Quite straightforward. Check to see if the Buildings will cover the kitchen. Many of the Insurances for blocks of flats will cover the kitchen. But if they do not cover and some don't, you can ask a Contents Insurer to include cover for the kitchen.

From what I can see, the buildings insurance policy doesn't specify kitchen units as being covered. Presumably this isn't uncommon considering the large variation in the value of fitted kitchens. I've done a few online quotes but none of them appear to include kitchen units as contents. I'm quite surprised that there is no automatic ability to add these items though (rather than asking verbally) - as I said previously there are millions of flat owners who require contents insurance.

FlameCloud

I doubt the buildings policy will specify anything other than the building itself. You need to check what it excludes from the definition of buildings rather than what it includes as it simply wont list them.

Dynamic_Panda

Turn your house upside down and everything that falls out is contents.............fitted kitchens come under buildings..............

DP

westv

FlameCloud wrote: »

I doubt the buildings policy will specify anything other than the building itself. You need to check what it excludes from the definition of buildings rather than what it includes as it simply wont list them.

I think this is the same policy as is being used

http://broker.aviva.co.uk/view-document/98%203%20ICM6%20CMLive20%20LiteratureManagement59%2026%20A1001001A10I20A85937D6059618%20A10I20A85937D605961%2014%201103/residential-property-owner-pol/

It doesn't seem to exclude kitchen units but neither does it mention them. I'll think I'll need to check with the management company.

westv

Dynamic_Panda wrote: »

Turn your house upside down and everything that falls out is contents.............fitted kitchens come under buildings..............

DP

Yes, I did say that.

I'm just trying to figure out if my kitchen units are covered under the particular buildings policy that insures my block of flats and also perhaps to what value.

olly300

westv wrote: »

Yes, I did say that.

I'm just trying to figure out if my kitchen units are covered under the particular buildings policy that insures my block of flats and also perhaps to what value.

Contact the freeholder and ask them for confirmation of what is covered under the buildings insurance policy. (I would also confirm if you are covered for leaks as I know in one of the flats I lived in this was excluded as it was considered too expensive.)

If the kitchen units aren't covered then you need to get in touch with an insurance broker, and explain to them firmly and clearly they aren't covered. Online insurers won't cover you, as the broker will need to contact the underwriters and ask for your contents policy to be amended to cover the kitchen.

However if your bathroom is covered it's likely that your kitchen is covered.

Dynamic_Panda

westv wrote: »

Yes, I did say that.

I'm just trying to figure out if my kitchen units are covered under the particular buildings policy that insures my block of flats and also perhaps to what value.

I used to live in a leasehold flat but had to provide own buildings insurance............it will cover you for replacement on a like for like basis if anything happened to it.............but if only part of it is damaged that is all they will replace............not the whole kitchen...........

DP