What insurers offer home buildings cover if there has been past subsidence?

cashferret

I'm looking to insure a detached house with a separate, freestanding garage. The garage had some minor subsidence about 20 years ago - I've just had a structural survey done and the surveyor says that the subsidence appears to be historical and due to the garage having been built on a concrete platform over clay which will have had some seasonal shrinkage, and perhaps also due to a shrub, removed several years ago.

Am I likely to have problems getting insurance for the house and/or garage?

Are there specialist insurers I ought to be looking at who cover this sort of thing?

My main concern is to make sure that the house is adequately covered - the garage can fall down for all I care! I don't mind if no-one will cover the garage for subsidence.

dacouch

Have you asked the current owners Insurers if they would be prepared to offer cover

Nile

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cashferret

dacouch wrote: »

Have you asked the current owners Insurers if they would be prepared to offer cover

I'd rather not be pinned to whoever they've got - I'd like to know if it's not really going to be a problem getting insurance anywhere and if it will be a problem, which companies I should be looking at.

vaio

I'm pretty sure there are a couple of mainstream companies that only ask about subsidence in the last 15 (maybe 20) years.

Having said that, do you actually have evidence that there has been a previous subsidence claim as all surveys seem to find evidence of some historical cracking?

If the subsidence was 20 years ago then what relevance does a shrub removed several years ago have?

cashferret

vaio wrote: »

I'm pretty sure there are a couple of mainstream companies that only ask about subsidence in the last 15 (maybe 20) years.

Having said that, do you actually have evidence that there has been a previous subsidence claim as all surveys seem to find evidence of some historical cracking?

If the subsidence was 20 years ago then what relevance does a shrub removed several years ago have?

Do you happen to know which companies those are? It would be good to have some names.

Yes, there was a previous subsidence claim, 16 years ago. As for the shrub, presumably the engineer thought it might have contributed to the subsidence but because it has been removed it's not an ongoing risk.

*Scarlett

You may be able to get cover from mainstream companies as the issue was with a detached garage and was due to construction issues or a shrub that has been removed.

Get some quotes online and check the assumption questions on the insurers website - some will ask about subsidence within a certain time period, some want to know if it has ever happened.

If you are happy you can answer satisfactorily then go ahead with the policy. I you have any doubt then ring any competitive companies with all relevant details. They will not necessarily decline you - just might want a bit more info.

Alternatively you you try companies who specialise in subsidence cover

http://www.homeprotect.co.uk/property-condition/subsidence-insurance

http://www.adrianflux.co.uk/subsidence/

vaio

cashferret wrote: »

Do you happen to know which companies those are? It would be good to have some names.

Yes, there was a previous subsidence claim, 16 years ago. As for the shrub, presumably the engineer thought it might have contributed to the subsidence but because it has been removed it's not an ongoing risk.

Double check as things might have changed but I think Legal & General ask about claims within 15 years, AXA for 10 years

As always, read the T&C and general assumption and don't go volunteering anything not asked for, they are the experts and the questions they ask will give them all the information they need.

If you start volunteering things it just confuses things and will likely cost you ££££

cashferret

Thanks, Vaio and Scarlett - I'll try those.

dacouch

cashferret wrote: »

I'd rather not be pinned to whoever they've got - I'd like to know if it's not really going to be a problem getting insurance anywhere and if it will be a problem, which companies I should be looking at.

Using the current owners Insurers is normally the best way to arrange cover as they will provide subsidence cover in theory forever more and should allow you to transfer the policy to any future buyers of your property.

If you're using someone like L&G or Axa who have both recently started offering covered to underpinned properties having refused them before. Bear in mind Axa relatively recently started offering Pet Insurance and have recently stopped accepting new pet Insurance as they were losing money. If they change their mind about underpinned properties it will leave you up the proverbial creek

my_names_dave

vaio wrote: »

Double check as things might have changed but I think Legal & General ask about claims within 15 years, AXA for 10 years

As always, read the T&C and general assumption and don't go volunteering anything not asked for, they are the experts and the questions they ask will give them all the information they need.

If you start volunteering things it just confuses things and will likely cost you ££££

That is seriously bad advice. The OP has advised that the property has been subject to a subsidence claim and that MUST be disclosed as it is a material fact.

AXA and L&G are big companies, and as such will have different products to suit different customers. Lets hope the OP doesn’t assume that the first team he gets through to is the right one.