Home Insurance Discussion

kingstreet

guzzle wrote: »

Hi,

First time home buyer just looking for a little advice please.

I'm in the middle of buying a ground floor flat in a block of 4, where the responsibility for any roof repair is shared between myself and the flat above. The roof is of gable type in the main, with a small flat part over the dormer window projection for the upstairs flat. It would be highly unlikely for any damage to this part of the roof to affect my ground floor flat directly.

My question concerns whether or not I need to declare part of the roof is flat on my home insurance?

Any comments welcome.

Thanks

The building will normally be insured by the freeholder of the building, so although repairs could be the joint responsibility of the leaseholders, insuring it probably isn't.

Ask for sight of the buildings insurance policy to check.

akf1006

Help anyone?

Noticed black marks on bathroom ceiling that look like damp - could be a leak. Informed insurance I had roof overhauled in 1994. Insurance response was a standard roof has to be inspected every 5 years and a flat roof every 1-2 years. Due to this my claim has been refused.
Is this correct and how many people periodically pay someone check their roof every 5 years?

Quentin

Always make your own enquiries with a local repairman before contacting your insurer regarding a loss.

This information will now be on your history and must be disclosed to all insurers you approach for a quote over the next 3/5 years.

As far as their refusal to allow you to claim is concerned you can complain about this via their complaints procedure (set out in your policy docs) and if you are unhappy with their response escalate to the FOS fir their adjudication at no cost to you.

fiddle29

Hello, I'm not sure if this is the right forum. I've had to do a claim for a lot of water damage from the upstairs flat. It will go through my insurance but as I have a good trail of evidence of reporting the problem to the owner upstairs they will pursue to recover from his insurance. However, in the meantime my kitchen needs to be ripped out, walls dried out, re plastered, new ceiling throughout my kitchen and living room (it's all open plan), all decoration. I had the insurance assessor around yesterday and of course they are looking for the best deal. My flat is overcome with a damp smell not only through the kitchen/living room but my bedroom, especially wardrobes are damp now and because of how the layout is there may be damage in the bathroom too.

My question is should I get an independent assessor in? I called two but all they were interested in is how much money they can make out of me and whether my claim is large enough. should I persist and just deal with the Insurance company assessor? But if I do that how can I fight back for what should be done and repaired through no fault of my own?

Many thanks.

UKInsuranceGuru

fiddle29 wrote: »

Hello, I'm not sure if this is the right forum. I've had to do a claim for a lot of water damage from the upstairs flat. It will go through my insurance but as I have a good trail of evidence of reporting the problem to the owner upstairs they will pursue to recover from his insurance. However, in the meantime my kitchen needs to be ripped out, walls dried out, re plastered, new ceiling throughout my kitchen and living room (it's all open plan), all decoration. I had the insurance assessor around yesterday and of course they are looking for the best deal. My flat is overcome with a damp smell not only through the kitchen/living room but my bedroom, especially wardrobes are damp now and because of how the layout is there may be damage in the bathroom too.

My question is should I get an independent assessor in? I called two but all they were interested in is how much money they can make out of me and whether my claim is large enough. should I persist and just deal with the Insurance company assessor? But if I do that how can I fight back for what should be done and repaired through no fault of my own?

Many thanks.

You wont know if you will have a problem with the insurance companies proposed reinstatement until you have received the proposal. Anything else is premature.

Dont think a Indy Assessor will be much good, especially if you are at the low end of their financial scale.

Much better to see what you can provide document wise to demonstrate the quality of your kitchen units, worktops tiles etc.

UKInsuranceGuru

akf1006 wrote: »

Help anyone?

Noticed black marks on bathroom ceiling that look like damp - could be a leak. Informed insurance I had roof overhauled in 1994. Insurance response was a standard roof has to be inspected every 5 years and a flat roof every 1-2 years. Due to this my claim has been refused.
Is this correct and how many people periodically pay someone check their roof every 5 years?

Flat roof inspection conditions are getting more common on let property insurance, not sure about standard home cover.

Flat roofs -felt on timber - have limited lifespans and require more maintenance as they get older. Best get it looked at ASAP.

Never heard of having to have a standard roof inspected as a compulsory condition!!!

Your internal damage sounds rather minor, assuming you get problem sorted and there is no claim you could ring insurance company back and tell them it was just routine maintenance which is not something that one would be expected to declare if taking out a new insurance.

UKInsuranceGuru

guzzle wrote: »

Hi,

First time home buyer just looking for a little advice please.

I'm in the middle of buying a ground floor flat in a block of 4, where the responsibility for any roof repair is shared between myself and the flat above. The roof is of gable type in the main, with a small flat part over the dormer window projection for the upstairs flat. It would be highly unlikely for any damage to this part of the roof to affect my ground floor flat directly.

My question concerns whether or not I need to declare part of the roof is flat on my home insurance?

Any comments welcome.

Thanks

In theory you should declare non standard construction to your home contents insurer also. Check that questions on any proposal form/statement of fact are answered correctly.

Sounds like Buildings Insurance might be a joint block arrangement if leaseholders also own share of lease. Ask your solicitor to check this.

UKInsuranceGuru

JWhite wrote: »

As an example of how insurance companies have clamped down on claims. We had a leaking roof 40 yrs ago and it ruined all our plaster after had a heavy rainfall. We claimed for the leak to be repaired and the decorating to be carried out, neither cost was questioned at that time and there was NEVER a mention of wind speed !!!!!! What the hell as the wind speed got to do with anything, a water escape from a leaky roof is a water escape - end of !:mad:

In home/property insurance - Escape of water is a leak from a pipe.

A leaky roof is storm / lightning / impact by aircraft or other insured peril (else its not covered).

Insurers have always generally checked with the Met Office to determine wind speed meets storm conditions. You will only find this out however if the Insurer finds that the winds were lower.

Insurance companies are tightening up for sure however. There was a time when a tile blown off the roof was generally accepted as storm without question. These days the windspeed check is usually applied.

Oneoftheoldies

Using Confused.com, via MSE, I have received a quotation for Buildings and Contents from Bradford & Bingley (who show their Insurer as "Legal & General"), which is half the price of the renewal quote from my current insurers (my Bank). So far as I can judge the cover offered is "like for like" - but I admit I haven't read ALL the small print in both policies. Does anyone??

Has anyone any experience of placing a claim through Bradford & Bingley or having used their Homecare cover? I am thinking of going with Bradford & Bingley rather than direct to Legal & General as the home emergency cover seems better.

Any comments on switching to B & B or direct to Legal and General would be welcome. Thanks.

dacouch

Oneoftheoldies wrote: »

Using Confused.com, via MSE, I have received a quotation for Buildings and Contents from Bradford & Bingley (who show their Insurer as "Legal & General"), which is half the price of the renewal quote from my current insurers (my Bank). So far as I can judge the cover offered is "like for like" - but I admit I haven't read ALL the small print in both policies. Does anyone??

Has anyone any experience of placing a claim through Bradford & Bingley or having used their Homecare cover? I am thinking of going with Bradford & Bingley rather than direct to Legal & General as the home emergency cover seems better.

Any comments on switching to B & B or direct to Legal and General would be welcome. Thanks.

L&G are a decent company.

How much is your contents sum insured?

Have you tried a quote direct on the L&G website ideally via a cashback site before you visit the L&G direct website