Question re. "special terms imposed" - home insurance

Glasgow_Al

Evening all

We were burgled earlier this year. Have just had a letter from More Than advising that renewal quote / documentation would be coming soon, and that additional terms (they speak to the minimum security features required) would take effect from the date of renewal.

Two questions for which I'd appreciate some guidance...

For the purposes of answering the question on quote forms "have you ever had special terms imposed?":

a) Do these constitute 'special terms'?

b) If so, have they been 'imposed', or have we just been advised that they will be imposed should we choose to renew? (i.e. at this stage, and if we don't renew, we could truthfully answer 'no').

Many thanks for your thoughts.

hugoshavez

Glasgow_Al wrote: »

Evening all

We were burgled earlier this year. Have just had a letter from More Than advising that renewal quote / documentation would be coming soon, and that additional terms (they speak to the minimum security features required) would take effect from the date of renewal.

Two questions for which I'd appreciate some guidance...

For the purposes of answering the question on quote forms "have you ever had special terms imposed?":

a) Do these constitute 'special terms'?

b) If so, have they been 'imposed', or have we just been advised that they will be imposed should we choose to renew? (i.e. at this stage, and if we don't renew, we could truthfully answer 'no').

Many thanks for your thoughts.

a) Technically yes.

b) Interesting question, I'd say no. Strictly speaking you only have to answer the question as you interpret it, and its reasonable to suggest that if the contract hasn't been agreed, the terms haven't been imposed.

In practical terms I can't forsee any issues arising if you answer no, as long as you disclose the theft claim.

If you were to accept the renewal and change next year, the answer is probably a clear cut yes. But even then, if you answered no but disclosed the theft claim I couldn't see any insurer making an issue of it.

forgotmyname

May i ask what the terms are?

Point B is a tricky one.
Would this be recorded anywhere for other insurers to read?

Bit like me saying i have never been refused insurance. Well i obviously have because on the comparison websites and it says this insurer wont quote.
So if i phoned that insurer and said can i have insurance they would say no.
Same thing?

Or when i was 19 and bought a V8 Rover. The company i was with said no chance. From a 1L hatchback to a 3.5L Big Rover.

So if that a refuse to quote or refuse to insure? Same thing?
Tricky.

Glasgow_Al

Thanks to both of you... was hoping that there would be a definitive answer out there somewhere! It does seem logical to me to say that the terms have not yet been imposed (and indeed may never be if we don't renew)... but it does also seem to be open to interpretation.

forgotmyname wrote: »

May i ask what the terms are?

In and of themselves, they are not unreasonable (BS3621 locks on the doors, key operated locks on the windows, and that those locks are used when the house is empty) - I'm more concerned about getting tarred with the special terms brush.

rs65

Glasgow_Al wrote: »

In and of themselves, they are not unreasonable (BS3621 locks on the doors, key operated locks on the windows, and that those locks are used when the house is empty) - I'm more concerned about getting tarred with the special terms brush.

They sound pretty standard. Are there any security requirements on the standard policy?

Glasgow_Al

rs65 wrote: »

They sound pretty standard. Are there any security requirements on the standard policy?

Nope.

In fact when I arranged the insurance through a comparison site, it was before we had actually taken ownership of the property and I wasn't sure what types of locks it had, so I just ticked to say that we had the most basic (rather than risk over-representing what was there). After we moved in, I phoned to update with the actual details, and was told that it didn't matter as there were no requirements on the types of lock in the policy.

forgotmyname

I did that with esure i think? Ticked no window locks etc etc.

When the paperwork came it magically said i had windows locks.