Tesco monitoring our cracks and won't renew buildings insurance - help!

scrappee

We have been sent a renewal document for contents but not buildings. We have phoned them but they say as we have an outstanding 'claim' they won't touch us for Buildings.

We had quite a few cracks appear in the house and decided to get our insurers (Tesco) to try and find out what the problem was, their Property company are now monitoring the cracks and have taken soil samples which have not indicated anything.

We have tried a number of other companies but as soon as put in that we have made a claim for subsidence the quote ends and the pages say they cannot go any further.

In reality we haven't actually made a claim yet?

We have also googled companies that will insure properties with subsidence who say 'they will get back to us' once we have put the details in.

We don't know what to do - any ideas please?

Thanks

princeofpounds

It doesn't help you much, but insurers can record almost any interaction with the as a 'claim'.

Think it was even on Watchdog a while back as an issue.

You can even get a mark for reporting something to them that you are specifically NOT claiming on.

Hopefully someone can give you productive advice soon.

scrappee

Thank you - we now have no buildings insurance and feel very vulnerable!

G_M

As you are not geting much response here, can I suggest you try posting in the insurance forum?

pinkteapot

Definitely re-post your story on the Insurance board as there are plenty of experts on there who will be able to offer advice.

You will be able to get insurance somewhere, but likely through a specialist company or broker and at a price.

zappahey

scrappee wrote: »

In reality we haven't actually made a claim yet?

I suspect that, in Tesco's eyes, you have as the monitoring costs money and I guess Tesco is picking up that tab.

scrappee

Thanks for your replies -

Update

I felt angry with Tesco and called their complaints Department. They have actually come back and said that they should have offered cover and were prepared to continue although the cover has gone up over £250. Recognising that we would find it difficult to find insurance anywhere else I have renewed! Hope for others out there in the same situation.

Phew!

cattie

I'm so pleased for you that Tesco has seen sense. Most of the big insurance companies have an unwritten code of conduct, whereas they will continue to honour & insure any property that has needed remedial work, including subsidence, even if the property is sold to new owners. The cost of the insurance does tend to increase slightly after work has been done under a claim, so it looks like Tesco have put yours up, thinking might well be a high risk for making a claim in the future, due to the cracks in your property.

You can sleep easy tonight, now you know you have cover once again!

madeupname1

Is this usual though? I have the same concern. I have a small crack in the interior of my house. At first, I thought it was just a surface crack on the plasterwork. However, I noticed recently that it has gotten bigger. When I googled around to see if it is something I should be worried about it seems that it is not yet a problem because the crack, whilst bigger than it was, is still small - probably less than 1mm wide at the moment. However, I am still concerned that maybe I should report this to the insurance company? If I report it, I am worried that it would ruin my chances of securing insurance again, even if it turns out that there isn't a subsidence problem after all. If I don't report it, but the problem gets worse, I am worried that the insurance company will say that I should have reported it before. Thoughts as to what to do?