Advice with Home Insurance Contents Policy

scram102

Hi Money Saving Experts!

I'm hoping you might be able to help...
My partner and I have had home insurance with Home Protect and have certain high value items insured for out of the home. This includes an engagement ring, laptop and a watch. We renewed recently, the day before the renewal I wanted to add another item but was told it was below the amount and would be included. We renewed on the understanding that our insurance would cover the same as before and the policy was the same price.
This week we've been abroad and my partner lost his watch which was on the specified high value items. We've tried to claim, but have been told that losses aren't insured
We've gone back over our documents and seen that this is a new exclusion on the new policy.

I'm so upset/ mad/ frustrated as I think we've been mis sold the policy and we renewed on the basis we were getting the same. Why on earth would we renew, with specified high value items, for the same cost and not be covered for loss if we clearly knew! I spoke to someone on the phone the day before and this new exclusion wasn't raised, which I think is terrible as they ran back over the items we had insured.

We have started the complaints process, but I'd really appreciate any further help or advice!
Thanking you in advance.

[Deleted User]

Unfortunately, your insurance was not mis-sold. It is your responsibility alone to check the coverage of the insurance you have purchased.

What proof do you have of an "understanding" that you would be covered in the exact way as before and for the same price?

Unless you have documentation showing that the coverage was the same as before you are basically on a hiding to nothing.


Incidentally, this is the PPI board.

dunstonh

This week we've been abroad and my partner lost his watch which was on the specified high value items. We've tried to claim, but have been told that losses aren't insured

Did you have personal possessions on the plan?

Items in the home may be covered but unless you have personal possessions cover as an add on, then items away from the home are not covered.

We've gone back over our documents and seen that this is a new exclusion on the new policy.

What does the exclusion say?

I'm so upset/ mad/ frustrated as I think we've been mis sold the policy and we renewed on the basis we were getting the same.

If you renewed an existing policy and made no changes, then you would expect it to be the same as before. So, maybe you were not covered before.

They have a phone recording. So, it should be easy for them to consider the outcome. However, you should still see if you had personal possessions cover both before and after.

scram102

Thank you both for replying.

"Did you have personal possessions on the plan?"

We had 'specified items within and away from the home' and General possessions too. The watch was on this list

What does the exclusion say?

The new exclusion is named under 'Changes Made to Your Cover' and under that says 'cover for losses is restricted to theft only. i.e. unexplained or accidental losses are excluded'

My partner left the watch in a golf bag and realised the day afterwards, he phoned the golf club and they couldn't find it. So we it can be safely said it has now been stolen, but I guess that doesn't seem to make much of a difference now.

If you renewed an existing policy and made no changes, then you would expect it to be the same as before. So, maybe you were not covered before.

I've been looking for the old policy documents and cannot find them. The only thing I can is from my emails which actually gives very little detail about the cover. Which is interesting.... it states 'Additional High Risk Items covered within and away from the property' but no written detail about what that actually covers.

Thanks both again...

BorisThomson

The new exclusion is named under 'Changes Made to Your Cover' and under that says 'cover for losses is restricted to theft only. i.e. unexplained or accidental losses are excluded'

Why did you think you were getting the same when they told you changes were being made?

Is this missold or failure to read key facts?

[Deleted User]

scram102 wrote: »

The new exclusion is named under 'Changes Made to Your Cover' and under that says 'cover for losses is restricted to theft only. i.e. unexplained or accidental losses are excluded'

As I said, it was your responsibility alone to check what coverage you purchased. No point only finding out after a claimable event, that's plainly too late.

You have no recourse. You have not been mis-sold.

BorisThomson wrote: »

Is this missold or failure to read key facts?

The latter I'm afraid.

scram102

Thanks all... gutted. But thanks!