Is home insurance valid straight away?

charlibombarli

Hi we currently have no house insurance (stupid I know!)
We are tenants in a rented property so I'm sure the landlord will have building insurances etc.

The whole thing confuses me!

But my basic question is, if I insured my contents on the internet will I be covered immediately?
I guess it's from the weather reports for harsh weather we are supposed to be getting tonight that is making me feel weary.

Also, when I have looked in the past I haven't been able to find out if we would be protected in a flood? Is there a special insurance for this? The house has never been in a flood to date.

Thanks for reading! ✌️

AndyPK

there's a good chance.
I think you put in a date you want it covered from, hopefully you can put in todays.

It should ask you how close to water you are and any previous flooding,

Best get it done ASAP

charlibombarli

I have just signed up with Lloyd's home insurance, it said the start date was from today and is just for basic insurance, nothing fancy.
Do you think we would be covered for flooding??
There was just one question that asked if we love within a quarter of a mile of water (which we don't)

I always feel like I'm getting tricked by insurances!

Aretnap

Your policy documents will generally tell you what you're covered for better than some people on the internet can - it's really a good idea to read them before you buy the policy. Assuming it's this policy then it covers items in your home against storm or floods, but not items "in the open, within the boundary of your home", ie your garden..

charlibombarli

This is the policy I have been emailed:
http://www.lloydsbank.com/assets/media/pdfs/insurance/Home-Options-Contents-Policy-Booklet.pdf#page=1

For some reason whenever I have gone to get insurance in the past my brain gets boggled then I think I'll have another look later....we all know how that turns out!

Having a look at it I think I am covered against flooding....there is flooding happening about 10 mins away from me as we speak so that is why I wanted to get it asap. Have had an email to say I am covered from now.

We have just had a new front porch fitted and our living room replastered so will be so annoyed if they get ruined!
(Also hope everyone is safe too!!)

TonyMMM

charlibombarli wrote: »

We have just had a new front porch fitted and our living room replastered so will be so annoyed if they get ruined!

Contents insurance won't cover a porch or plaster on a wall - that is covered under Buildings insurance (which your landlord should have).

Contents is for the stuff in your house ( your belongings), not for the fabric of the building itself.

charlibombarli

TonyMMM wrote: »

Contents insurance won't cover a porch or plaster on a wall - that is covered under Buildings insurance (which your landlord should have).

Contents is for the stuff in your house ( your belongings), not for the fabric of the building itself.

Ah rightio, thanks for clearing that up for me! 👍

It was high time we got the contents insured anyway, fingers crossed we don't wake up to the dog swimming about in arm bands and goggles!

InsideInsurance

Cover will be instant, if you select it to start today.

Naturally, if you start a policy at 1pm and then claim you broke your TV at 1.05pm then there are going to be questions raised on if you didnt actually break it at 12:55pm which is why you bought the policy but it is up to the insurer to prove any allegations of fraud.

eddddy

InsideInsurance wrote: »

Cover will be instant, if you select it to start today.
....

I'm not suggesting that this is the case for the OP, but a general question...

If extreme weather has already been forecast, and perhaps the Environment Agency has issued a Severe Flood Warning for your area, can you still legitimately get insurance cover?

In this case, could the insurers argue that the possibility of damage was foreseen at the inception of the policy, and therefore is not covered?

(I can't see any wording in the OP's policy that relates to foreseen risks, but is it a general principle of insurance?)

JimmyTheWig

eddddy wrote: »

I'm not suggesting that this is the case for the OP, but a general question...

If extreme weather has already been forecast, and perhaps the Environment Agency has issued a Severe Flood Warning for your area, can you still legitimately get insurance cover?

In this case, could the insurers argue that the possibility of damage was foreseen at the inception of the policy, and therefore is not covered?

(I can't see any wording in the OP's policy that relates to foreseen risks, but is it a general principle of insurance?)

I was going to say this. I'm not convinced that the damage from a storm that had already started when the policy was taken out would be covered.

InsideInsurance

eddddy wrote: »

I'm not suggesting that this is the case for the OP, but a general question...

If extreme weather has already been forecast, and perhaps the Environment Agency has issued a Severe Flood Warning for your area, can you still legitimately get insurance cover?

In this case, could the insurers argue that the possibility of damage was foreseen at the inception of the policy, and therefore is not covered?

(I can't see any wording in the OP's policy that relates to foreseen risks, but is it a general principle of insurance?)

You can still legitimately get insurance but if it would cover flood for that particular event is a separate question.

Ultimately each case would be judged on its own merits. If you bought it the night before when nothing has actually started in your area then you have a reasonable chance of having cover as the weather reports are never that accurate either in the prediction of what or where. Obviously if you can see the flood waters progressing up your drive as you are on the phone trying to buy then you are on much weaker position