Home insurance and pet accidental cover - any progress?

Klug

Hi, need to renew our house and contents insurance tomorrow. Am looking at various companies and they all opt our of accidental cover for any damage caused by pets...
I know this was a problem in the past but has no-one addressed it yet?
Any pointers gratefully received
Thanks

huckster

Not to my knowledge. It may be worth posting to a pet owners forum.

Insurers don't normally want to covers something that probably will happen. It is one of the joys of owning pets, is that you are guaranteed to suffer from some natural damage to furnishings.

Plus Insurers got burnt in the past, when people did nothing to stop their pets causing damage. They ignored the fact that the cat was gradually scratching away the table leg.

When you post to the pet owners forum, ask for tips to stop damage happening. For example most Cats hate the smell of Oranges. Just applying some Orange oil to wooden furniture, may stop Cats from scratching. Or provide a Cat Scratching post or log.

Klug

Thanks for that. I'm not anticipating any damage but it seems a bit off that you pay all your premiums and they add extra for accidental damage, then you can't get cover for what could be the most likely source of damage to your home..
hey ho

rs65

Klug wrote: »

Thanks for that. I'm not anticipating any damage but it seems a bit off that you pay all your premiums and they add extra for accidental damage, then you can't get cover for what could be the most likely source of damage to your home..
hey ho

I'm not aware of it being available but if it was, it would cost a lot more. You might be paying more for accidental damage but you are not paying for pet damage.

It's not something that has concerned me (but fish and hamsters wouldn't be able to do much damage anyway).

penny_pincha

There is a pet care forum on this MSE http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/forumdisplay.php?f=143

You don't say what type of pet you have. As far as I know though,pet insurance for cats anyway doesn't cover for damage to property. insurance for dogs mat be differenct but then it may only cover for damage to other people's property.

However, would an 'all risks' house policy not cover you for damage caused by pets, or is there a specific exclusion clause to that effect?

bouncydog1

There is generally a pet exclusion on household policies - you could ask a broker, but to be honest leaving the enquiry until the day before renewal is a bit late!

Sally_A

Try Ecclesiastical.

There is a policy document you can look at on their website. Seems they also include pets in the temporary alternative accommodation section too.

I had a brief search, couldn't see an exclusion, but I would definitely ask the broker or the insurer for confirmation of this.

PS - as for damage by fish, they cover leakage of water from fixed apparatus including fish tanks.

rs65

Ecclesiastical exclusions:-

We will not cover the following:
.....
– Damage by any animal unless by a single identifiable incident.

So there could be some cover for pet damage.