How do window locks affect house insurance?

Aretnap

lisyloo wrote: »

If you say your car/bike is in the garage then it must be and they won’t pay if it isn’t.

Only if there's a clause to that effect in the policy. Some policies do indeed include a clause to the effect that theft will not be covered if the car is stolen while parked within xxx meters of your home and it is not in the garage. However in the absence of such a clause the insurer could not refuse to pay a claim simply because you told them it was "usually" kept in a garage, and on this occasion it wasn't.

Similarly with locks. A lock which does not work at alll is essentially no lock and should probably be declared as such. However if you do have locks, without an exclusion in the policy the insurer could not refuse a claim simply because you forgot to lock your windows, regardless of whether you declared them.

Carrot007

My broker who I got insurance though said it is probably best to say no to all the do you have's. (or excuses to not pay out as he put it) And also suggested the cheapest one who would pay out.


Either choose bargain basement or enlist appropriate help. I pay £20 a month. There are cheaper but do you care about your home enough to fight over payouts?

Connie

I know this is an old thread, but thought I'd add  -

My contents insurance policy says, "If you have not answered any questions honestly, [or]  withheld information . . . . . . we may refuse to pay your claim, pay only part of your claim and/or void your policy."

Thrugelmir

Connie said:

I know this is an old thread, but thought I'd add  -

My contents insurance policy says, "If you have not answered any questions honestly, [or]  withheld information . . . . . . we may refuse to pay your claim, pay only part of your claim and/or void your policy."

Most people don't read the small print which in essence has been the same for decades...........

davidmcn

Connie said:

I know this is an old thread, but thought I'd add  -

My contents insurance policy says, "If you have not answered any questions honestly, [or]  withheld information . . . . . . we may refuse to pay your claim, pay only part of your claim and/or void your policy."

So, the same as pretty much any sort of insurance. Not sure it's all that relevant to the original query here i.e. what's the effect of not using the locks.

Connie

davidmcn said:

 Not sure it's all that relevant to the original query here i.e. what's the effect of not using the locks.

It's relevant to  the original poster's question, "So should I answer yes because they do have locks or no because even though they do have locks they're not always locked when they should be?