How does home insurance work?

CATS

Hi all,

Hope you can help as I am a bit baffled. So I have home and buildings insurance and home emergency with the AA. Yesterday after much rain, I noticed a leak just above my garden door and then plaster fell. So I called AA Home insurance who told me to get the home emergency people out to find out what the problem was. They did and person said they think its a rendering issue on the walls outside due to the strong rain. Now I called insurance to tell them and they tell me to get a builder in as they are nit sure they cover it.

I thought that the insurance took care of all that, arranging builders and inspections etc. Is this not the case?

Do I get builders in, quotes and then what?, insurance just pays on what that builder says or do they then send someone else?

Sorry confused on how this works

Thank you

iamcornholio

Your insurance covers certain risks - ie it covers damage caused by certain things. You need to check your policy to see what is covered, and what causes are covered.

Insurance will never tend to cover "wear and tear", so unless something damaged the render, then it is unlikely the insurers will payout for damage. Basically, you are expected to regularly check your house and repair things which need repairing or are wearing out, and not wait until they fail and cause damage.

Insurance may cover "storm damage" or suchlike, but they will check the local weather forecast to see if a storm or gale or whatever was officially recorded. Heavy rain may not be covered

Normally you arrange the repairs, via whoever you want, and the insurer either pays them direct, or you pay them and the insurer pays you. Some insurers have arrangements with "approved" companies who will come and do the work and you don't worry about anything. Check your policy details

For small amounts, insurers may just say go ahead. For larger amounts they may want quotes. For even larger amounts they will send a loss adjuster to agree what is to be done (if you are covered) and how much the repair can cost

You need to be sure that the render is the cause, and that a specific event (for which you are covered) caused the problem

grizzly1911

What iamcornholio said and don't forget any excesses you may have to pay, voluntary and compulsory, Also don't forget any no claims history/discounts you will be jepardising.

Often with insurance for relatively small jobs you will end up losing out overall.

macman

It's a home buildings insurance policy, not a home maintenance policy!
As above, if the rendering has failed due to age or defects, and thereby allows water ingress, it's not covered.
If a lump of ice falls off a plane and smashes your rendering, allowing water ingress, it probably is covered.
Totally different things.