House Insurance rejected

JenJones62

Hi, we have had our house insurance with Hastings direct for about 3 years, last October we got broken into, we had our car taken from the drive (this was sorted with car insurance) and there were various items taken from the house, the value this came to was about £13K, they paid out and we had all the correct information such as receipts, proof of wear and letters from relatives who had given us the items taken. We have since installed 7 cameras in the house with recording systems and all that to try and deter thieves in future but also to make the house safer.


However now it has come to renewal Hastings have said they cant get anyone to insure us. Therefore we need to look elsewhere ourselves, which we had already done, the price has gone from £250 a year to about £600.


Is it right that they are saying they wont insure us, it just feels wrong that they can say that.


Thanks for your advice in advance.


Jennifer

[Deleted User]

If they choose not to, that's their choice.

It would be wrong if you were able to force them to accept a risk they're not comfortable with.

paddyandstumpy

CCTV is good to watch someone robbing you, but not much else.

A real deterrent and the only really effective theft prevention is an alarm linked to a monitored station.

As above, they are well within their rights to decline to insure you. Perhaps if you offered to install an alarm, they might reconsider cover?

Hastings_Direct_company_representative

Hi Jen,

Thanks very much for the post and for letting us know about your concerns. I'm sorry you're unhappy not to have received a renewal quote on this occasion and I can appreciate you'd have preferred to stay with us. If you wanted to write to us directly, you can so so at help@hastingsdirect.com and I will ensure that it is passed to the Home team as we are always interested in reviewing customer feedback and gauging overall experience

Many thanks,

Joe

dacouch

There is an unwritten rule that Insurers continue to offer cover after a theft claim providing the claim did not throw up anything unusual about you that alarmed the Insurer and that you abide by any improvements to to security the Insurer requests.

Some of the newer Insurers do not abide by this and there is no way of forcing them.

Bear in mind your premium would have increased anyway this year even without the theft claim

JenJones62

Hi Joe,


Thanks for this, I have emailed the address you provided yesterday morning but not had a reply as yet.


Kind regards


Jennifer

Hastings_Direct_company_representative

Hi,

Thanks for the message - we will do our best to respond at the earliest opportunity for you

Thanks,

Joe