House renovation Building Insurance

TinkieMaggs

I was wondering if someone could help. We are currently renovating our 3 bed bungalow into a 6 bed, first story house. I was about to ring our building insurance company to inform them of this but suddenly stopped. I trust Insurance companies as much as I trust myself with a bottle of wine in the house in Dry January!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.

My instinct tells me the insurance company will naturally raise teh premium but about a million etc etc..
I guess if we don't inform them and want to clai we are stuffed... but the chances of having to claim, are they really that much higher....
Has any one else been in this boat and if so, what is teh best course of action?

Many thanks

helenk1234

Is the house occupied whilst the work is being done? We renovated a house and because it was empty whilst we were doing it we had to pay a specialist insurer. It cost about five times more than it would have done if the house had been occupied. Be warned. But you have to tell or they will wriggle out of any claim if you need to make one.

Doozergirl

As above. You are likely to beed specialist insurance. You won’t be insured at all if you don’t tell them and you’re midway through a mammoth project!

EssexExile

If you're living in it while you do it up they just need to know. In our case it didn't affect the premiums.

System

I'm not sure it would increase premiums (depends on the level of "renovation" right enough!)
We always tell clients to inform their insurance company when they are having work undertaken, for most it doesn't seem to cost anything - some insurance companies have requested copies of the contract for the works too (obviously not applicable if you are diy-ing)