Contents Insurance-MUST I declare my flat roof?

Dawn248

I have got a quote for contents insurance from Co-Op. Just got to the 'buy now' box and it has a list of assumptions, one of which is that the properties roof is mostly tiles or slates.
My building is an old art decor affair with a flat roof. Do I risk it and buy or call them and get it cranked up to an unmanageable price? If I have to claim, is anyone actually going to check on the roof?

It's only contents insurance, not buildings, any advice?

FutureGirl

If they're asking if you have a flat roof, and you have a flat roof, you need to tell them you have a flat roof...

Although you're only getting contents, they're at a higher risk of being damaged because you have a flat roof (especially if it's flat felt roof), as they only have a lifecycle of 10-15 years. From experience I have found more claims for contents damage when people have to claim for flat roofs, rather than tiled roofs.

If you fail to tell them, and you need to claim they will see the flat roof and could void your policy.

Quentin

You will be wasting your money if you click on buy.

They will happily accept your application and set up the policy.

But void the policy in the event of any claim if the flat roof is discovered ( which it will be if you have any claim involving s visit!,)

That would mean a voided policy on your record for evermore

GingerBob_3

Quentin wrote: »

You will be wasting your money if you click on buy.

They will happily accept your application and set up the policy.

But void the policy in the event of any claim if the flat roof is discovered ( which it will be if you have any claim involving s visit!,)

That would mean a voided policy on your record for evermore

I thought this lifetime sentence stuff was open to question?

dacouch

Quentin wrote: »

You will be wasting your money if you click on buy.

They will happily accept your application and set up the policy.

But void the policy in the event of any claim if the flat roof is discovered ( which it will be if you have any claim involving s visit!,)

That would mean a voided policy on your record for evermore

It doesn't even need a visit now days, many claims staff look at google street view to check for flat roofs or if a customer has the garage they claim they park their car in

lisyloo

I thought insurers had to specifically ask questions about things they wanted to know? rather than expect customers to guess what is important (I would personally have no idea that a flat roof was relevant for contents).
I thought a law came in about this? Can anyone clarify?
If not how are you suposed to know what are "material facts"?

dacouch

lisyloo wrote: »

I thought insurers had to specifically ask questions about things they wanted to know? rather than expect customers to guess what is important (I would personally have no idea that a flat roof was relevant for contents).
I thought a law came in about this? Can anyone clarify?
If not how are you suposed to know what are "material facts"?

They do.

The OP's prospective Insurer has a list of assumptions, one of which is that that the property does not have a flat roof.

When an Insurer has a (Clear) assumption it's just as valid as a question, providing it's clear.

Normally the list of assumptions are things the Insurer does not want to cover. So if you try and blag it by ignoring it, they're allowed to void the policy and not pay the claim

FutureGirl

When you take out a policy online they will have 'assumptions' and they will also ask whether you can agree to all the assumptions. So, they are specifically asking.

lisyloo

When an Insurer has a (Clear) assumption it's just as valid as a question, providing it's clear.

The subject matter of the assumption was not clear to me, but I guess it would be if I had a flat roof.

Thanks for explaining.

lisyloo

So, they are specifically asking.

They asked if it was tiles or slate - not whether it was flat.
I did not make the connection.

Quentin

It is assumed from reading the OP that the OP's flat roof is not tiles or slate!