Buildings Insurance Subsidence Dilemma

eely

I moved into a new house last May which had shown signs of previous subsidence (the house is over 100 hundred years old) and the subsidence was years and years ago. I was told that I had to stick which the insurance company who had previously insured the house for buildings and contents with the previous owners. Same as you...the premiums are ridiculous. I tried some other brokers anyway, and they all refused straight away, for both buildings AND contents. What I can't understand is I paid to have a full survey done on the house before I moved in, which stated that there had been previous subsidence, but that is was non-progressive, and would NOT have any future problems. Why do we pay to have these surveys done, when no-one will take any notice of the reports given by trained professionals!!

isayoldchap

eely wrote:

I moved into a new house last May which had shown signs of previous subsidence (the house is over 100 hundred years old) and the subsidence was years and years ago. I was told that I had to stick which the insurance company who had previously insured the house for buildings and contents with the previous owners. Same as you...the premiums are ridiculous. I tried some other brokers anyway, and they all refused straight away, for both buildings AND contents. What I can't understand is I paid to have a full survey done on the house before I moved in, which stated that there had been previous subsidence, but that is was non-progressive, and would NOT have any future problems. Why do we pay to have these surveys done, when no-one will take any notice of the reports given by trained professionals!!

I guess the underwriters have the ''what if''happens.They would be left to pick up the fat bill.I see that some may cover you for a fat premium covering you at a greater risk.Maybe the house was moving away from the previous occupants but likes you and decided to stay....are!keep searching you may find a good quote.Insist on the surveyors report.See if these will give you a
quote https://www.egg.com and you could save an extra 10% if you get their credit card but use https://www.greasypalm.co.uk to get the £7.25 from them(once registered) should Egg decide they will insure you and you are happy with the quote.Maybe you can look for a specialist insurer through a google search..In
any case you should get cover.

eely

thanks for your help. Don't worry, I took out the insurance anyway...wouldn't be without. Will keep looking for an alternative!!

Lady_K

Documents were faxed over to Zurich over a week ago and they just seem to keep making excuses, that they havent got them, then they were sent to a different dep, then they said send them again no one seems to have seen them and still nothing is moving so I'm getting a bit disheartened and wondering if I should just apply for ordinary buildings cover like I've always had coz that would prob go through quickly. Mine is old subsidence and unlikely to cause any trouble now. What would happen say if there was a fire or somthing and a claim was made for that could they still refuse if they found out about the subsidence I hadnt declared it or would that just be if anything happened subsidence related?

When I brought the house I didnt actually have a full mining report actually investigating any claims on the house just a report about mine shafts ect and dates, no claims were put down. It was just my solicitor told me off the record that he knew the previous owners and there had been a cash pay off from the coal board to them and as he knew he wanted to let me know. Other than that there is no evidence that I actually knew anyway...

grego

Lady_K wrote:

Now the coal authority are sending me a letter saying that they will be liable for any damage on the property arising from new mining subsidence as he said a lot of companies are usually ok with that so try that first

Wouldn't have thought to try this... Thanks and hope you had a positive conclusion to your dramas.