Should we share increased insurance costs?

claire16c

Sensible_Jess wrote: »

I have a dilemma and I'd like the thoughts of the wise folks on here.

It's home insurance renewal time again, and being MSE and as our current insurer has hiked the premium from last year, I'm shopping around.
We have the perennial problem of having to tick the 'less than 400m away from a river' box, but this is not what I want advice on.

My OH has an item of high value, which we have to specify and also sports equipment of high risk/high value which have to be itemized and insured separately.

This year it's been hard to get quotes and the best premium is over double what we would pay without these items on the insurance. I'm getting fed up with the rigmarole every year, not to mention the additional cost that I'm paying half of!:mad:

I've looked into specialist insurance companies for the sports equipment, but that's even more astronomical than adding the items to the house insurance.
Our budget will be squeezed this year as I lost my well paid job and my new job will pay half what I earn now (but with good prospects) so I'm looking to save money where I can.

Would I be unreasonable / mean to ask my OH to pay the extra premium costs that come from having his sports equipment on the house insurance? Is it something I should accept as part of being a couple?

I guess it depends on how serious or long term your relationship is.

If you are married then I cant really see why this would be a question. Surely you would share everything.

If you've just been dating 6 months and just moved in together then I cant see it being unreasonable for him to pay more.

persa

Tigsteroonie wrote: »

Would it be unreasonable for him to ask you to contribute more towards the electricity bill because his hair is short and dries naturally, whereas yours is long and you use the hairdryer every day for 10-15 minutes? [For example]

I'm sorry, but surely insurance comes under the heading of 'joint household expenditure' ... :cool:

Depends on whether the uplift is considerable and can be reasonably identified separately - the OP has obtained quotes which show a difference.

OP, how much are we talking? A few pennies or a few hundred quid?

Sensible_Jess

Thanks to everyone for your input.

In answer to some queries:
We don't earn the same amount but we split everything 50:50 apart from cars which are separate. We have one joint account that we both pay in an equal amount every month. This is meant to cover all usual monthly bills: food, mortgage council tax etc.
As council tax is paid over 10 months from April-Jan, and our house insurance is due in March, there is budget for the house insurance 'built in' to the amount we pay in every month.

I admit he doesn't use a hairdryer(!) but then, I don't have dirty kit that needs washing twice a week! I think our respective energy usage and food requirements even themselves out.

To get an idea of the increase I am talking about, without the 8K worth of sports equipment, the insurance would be about £130-150.
With it specified on the policy (and when I can get a quote) the cheapest has been £450 (with a large excess).
The quotes have gradually crept up, and his purchase of a brand new piece of kit at 3.5K this year has really caused problems as it's over most inusurer's single item limit.

So effectively, I feel like I'm subsidising him having expensive stuff at a time when I'm trying to keep my expenses as well as the household budget to a minimum.

I have no idea if I would expect him to pay if it was the other way around as I don't have anything nearly that expensive to insure!:D

I guess I'm finding it frustrating to have spent the best part of a whole day trying to get someone to insure our home and contents, when if I didn't have to consider the expensive stuff he has, it would have taken less than an hour.....;)

Beckyy

For those kind of increases then I would ask him for some extra - it counts as part of his hobby and isn't an unreasonable request IMO. That's assuming you'd be willing to pay the extra in any other areas that may have been down to you if he asked.

Gloomendoom

I'm curious. What is his hobby?

Tigsteroonie

Sensible_Jess wrote: »

I guess I'm finding it frustrating to have spent the best part of a whole day trying to get someone to insure our home and contents, when if I didn't have to consider the expensive stuff he has, it would have taken less than an hour.....;)

Make him do this himself! Doesn't have to be you that finds the insurance deal ...

maman

Beckyy wrote: »

For those kind of increases then I would ask him for some extra - it counts as part of his hobby and isn't an unreasonable request IMO. That's assuming you'd be willing to pay the extra in any other areas that may have been down to you if he asked.

Totally agree.


Thanks OP for coming back to explain. My reasoning is that he's taken on this extra 'liability' in the past year and the extra insurance follows directly from that so his shout.


I was imagining just a few quid (so not worth quibbling about) but this is a big undertaking of his making, totally down to his hobby so IMO he should fund it.

PeacefulWaters

You've probably got an old fashioned insurance broker on a nearby high street.

Talk to them. This may be one time they can save you a large sum.

getmore4less

have you tried directline?

they have a £4k single item limit

http://www.directline.com/content/dam/dlg/Direct-Line/Products/Home-insurance/Product-pages/PDF/dl-home-plus-policy-document.pdf

Does the equipment stay at home or do you need extended cover outside the home?

Sensible_Jess

Thanks @getmoreforless

I already tried Direct Line - the 4K limit is for valuables and doesn't cover sports equipment - their limit is 1K for this.

I think I will have to just suck up the extra premiums this causes us on the insurance through the limited number of people who will provide a quote (Four at the last count). Although I don't feel happy about it as I look at other things the £300 could have been spent on.....