Contents Insurance....Is it really worth it?

steve1980

Had a nightmare weekend so I'll cut the story down as much as possible.......

Saturday (broad daylight) my wife and I decided to go to a country park that we have been to many many times before. We park up, leave a bag in the boot (you can all see what's coming can't you!) and wonder off. We return 45 minutes later to find my rear windscreen all over the floor and the rear seats and her bag gone. Flat keys, purse (including debit/credit cards, driving license, work diary) all in the bag.

Called the police, got told that we'd receive the crime reference number within 72 hours, explained (again) that they had taken her purse which had the D/L and full address and keys. Not interested!

Various phonecalls to car insurance, work etc followed and we made a hasty retreat back home to ensure the flat (and more importantly the cat) was ok. £75 later and a new rear windscreen for the car.

Went out at 4pm and purchased two new locks for our flat, yale on top and mortice on the bottom for the pricely sum of £42.00!

The following day went out and purchased a further two barrels for the communal doors at a cost of £17.00 and proceeded to get 32 keys cut for the sum of £90.00!

Spoke to the insurance company today who are quite happy to cover the cost of the keys and barrels although there is a £100 excess.

The wife called them later to see if they would cover the cost of the new driving licence (can't believe you have to pay again when the DL has been stolen!), and her bag which was a Christmas present only last year......The answer? As the bag is not listed as a personal possession outside of the home then it's not covered!

Are they having a laugh?

So beware everyone, if it's not listed as a personal possession outside the home then it's not covered!

Can't wait to give the list when I renew the policy next year with someone else!

payless

how much is bag worth?

steve1980

payless wrote: »

how much is bag worth?

Circa £40 but added to everything else it makes the claim worthwhile if you see what I mean.

Quentin

Have they sprung the £100 excess on you?

It is usual to get an excess on home insurance, but if you were unaware of this, and there is nothing about it in your policy/schedule documents then take this up with them - otherwise what is your beef about having to pay it? (Most people wouldn't bother with a claim for just £49, as this will easily be recouped by the insurer via increased premiums over the next few years!)

TSx

Have you got unspecified personal possessions cover on your policy?

The keys would fall under the contents but the bag (and possibly the driving license - most policies I've seen exclude 'documents') would fall under personal possessions insurance. This comes as either unspecified (up to a single article limit, usually between £1,000 and £2,000) and specified.

I suspect you haven't actually got the unspecified cover - and if you have, then you should be asking them to review not covering it.

steve1980

Quentin wrote: »

Have they sprung the £100 excess on you?

It is usual to get an excess on home insurance, but if you were unaware of this, and there is nothing about it in your policy/schedule documents then take this up with them - otherwise what is your beef about having to pay it? (Most people wouldn't bother with a claim for just £49, as this will easily be recouped by the insurer via increased premiums over the next few years!)

I've got no issue about the excess and knew what it was, but if the bag was included (which we have been told it isn't as it's not listed on the personal possessions outside the home) then the extra money would make the claim worth doing, yes we're lost £100 due to the excess but to get £100 back would help ease the pain.

The stupid thing is that the keys are covered (that were in the bag) but the contents of the purse (driving license) isn't.

hcb42

but if you dont have insurance for personal possessions, the insurer is right here surely.

Not everyone does have it. I dont think we had it for ages, happy to take the risk most of the time, especially given the cost of the cover itself, the excess normally applied, and the value of most of my possessions

steve1980

hcb42 wrote: »

but if you dont have insurance for personal possessions, the insurer is right here surely.

Not everyone does have it. I dont think we had it for ages, happy to take the risk most of the time, especially given the cost of the cover itself, the excess normally applied, and the value of most of my possessions

We do have personal possessions but we were only advised that it's only needed for higher value items such as laptops, digital cameras, bikes etc, not a handbag!

TSx

Who is the insurer?

steve1980

TSx wrote: »

Who is the insurer?

L & G via Castle Cover

dacouch

Was it a proper car boot eg not a hatchback