House with subsidence but no Insurance

SUNK76

We have had building insurance with B&B since 2012 and after a small subsidence claim in 2013 we set up automatic renewal each year.  We currently have 2 ongoing claims, one for escape of water and another claim for subsidence. The subsidence was apparently due to a tree and it’s roots.  The tree has been removed and the cosmetic repairs are to take place this week.  Unfortunately this year the policy did not automatically renew (don’t know why?) and we were required to phone to confirm renewal but unfortunately  we missed the renewal date and now B&B have refused to insure us (we did not cancel the automatic renewal and our policy that has just expired states it will be automatically renewed!).  

We are now struggling to get anyone to cover us for subsidence!!!!  Information on insurance for houses with subsidence is very vague.  How can we get subsidence cover in the future?

Legaleagle1234

Contact the ombudsman to set out your position. If the policy ought to have auto renewed, I think the ombudsman will find the insurer has to offer insurance to you. 

Legaleagle1234

Alternatively use a broker to source cover for you. You may find your excess is greater than before, but at least there will be cover in place. 

Sandtree

Legaleagle1234 said:

Contact the ombudsman to set out your position. If the policy ought to have auto renewed, I think the ombudsman will find the insurer has to offer insurance to you. 

You cannot go to the ombudsman until you have received a final response letter from the insurer or 8 weeks have passed since you registered your complaint.

To the OP - if your letter stated they would autorenew the policy (or even if it says somewhere else like their online portal) what have they said about the reason it wasnt? If its something like your payment method having expired was there any call to action or comment of this in the communications?

dunstonh

We are now struggling to get anyone to cover us for subsidence!!!!

You shouldn't have a problem if it was just cosmetic.  What grading was it given? 

Information on insurance for houses with subsidence is very vague.  How can we get subsidence cover in the future?

By not using a comparison site. They cherry pick the easy stuff. Use a local broker or NFU.

Subsidence is not black and white.   There is a grading scale of 0 to 5.     Grades 0-2 are classed as cosmetic or aesthetic and are not normally a concern to insurers (although comparison sites and basic policies will often baulk at it).    

Also, far too often, movement is classed as subsidence incorrectly.  If yours was cosmetic and the cause resolved, then its unlikely to be subsidence but movement.  Decent insurers know the difference whereas comparison site/basic policies put it under one category and say no.

SUNK76

Sandtree said:

Legaleagle1234 said:

Contact the ombudsman to set out your position. If the policy ought to have auto renewed, I think the ombudsman will find the insurer has to offer insurance to you. 

You cannot go to the ombudsman until you have received a final response letter from the insurer or 8 weeks have passed since you registered your complaint.

To the OP - if your letter stated they would autorenew the policy (or even if it says somewhere else like their online portal) what have they said about the reason it wasnt? If its something like your payment method having expired was there any call to action or comment of this in the communications?

In Aug 2019 because of a change of credit card the automatic renewal payment didn’t go through, but they contacted us and we gave them the new card details.  At no point did they tell us that it would affect automatic renewal nor did they send out a new policy to say as such. This years payment would have been taken from the same card we had used last year!

SUNK76

dunstonh said:

We are now struggling to get anyone to cover us for subsidence!!!!

You shouldn't have a problem if it was just cosmetic.  What grading was it given? 

Information on insurance for houses with subsidence is very vague.  How can we get subsidence cover in the future?

By not using a comparison site. They cherry pick the easy stuff. Use a local broker or NFU.

Subsidence is not black and white.   There is a grading scale of 0 to 5.     Grades 0-2 are classed as cosmetic or aesthetic and are not normally a concern to insurers (although comparison sites and basic policies will often baulk at it).    

Also, far too often, movement is classed as subsidence incorrectly.  If yours was cosmetic and the cause resolved, then its unlikely to be subsidence but movement.  Decent insurers know the difference whereas comparison site/basic policies put it under one category and say no.

They have not given us a grade but I will ask for it.  They believe the damage is related to a large tree in the garden (which as since been removed) and so other bushes (also removed)

SUNK76

SUNK76 said:

dunstonh said:

We are now struggling to get anyone to cover us for subsidence!!!!

You shouldn't have a problem if it was just cosmetic.  What grading was it given? 

Information on insurance for houses with subsidence is very vague.  How can we get subsidence cover in the future?

By not using a comparison site. They cherry pick the easy stuff. Use a local broker or NFU.

Subsidence is not black and white.   There is a grading scale of 0 to 5.     Grades 0-2 are classed as cosmetic or aesthetic and are not normally a concern to insurers (although comparison sites and basic policies will often baulk at it).    

Also, far too often, movement is classed as subsidence incorrectly.  If yours was cosmetic and the cause resolved, then its unlikely to be subsidence but movement.  Decent insurers know the difference whereas comparison site/basic policies put it under one category and say no.

They have not given us a grade but I will ask for it.  They believe the damage is related to a large tree in the garden (which as since been removed) and so other bushes (also removed)

I’ve just checked and it’s been classed as grade 2

dunstonh

Grade 2 is cosmetic.  We have grade 2 movement (which is not subsidence) in one wing of our house and NFU covered it with no additional clauses or special terms.      Most the houses in our area suffer grade 0-2 movement every time there is a hot summer.     Trees are probably more movement than subsidence.     
We got a structural engineer to look at ours and we gave a copy of the report to NFU and they were more than happy to offer terms.

SUNK76

dunstonh said:

Grade 2 is cosmetic.  We have grade 2 movement (which is not subsidence) in one wing of our house and NFU covered it with no additional clauses or special terms.      Most the houses in our area suffer grade 0-2 movement every time there is a hot summer.     Trees are probably more movement than subsidence.     
We got a structural engineer to look at ours and we gave a copy of the report to NFU and they were more than happy to offer terms.

Hi, that’s great to know.

dacouch

SUNK76 said:

Sandtree said:

Legaleagle1234 said:

Contact the ombudsman to set out your position. If the policy ought to have auto renewed, I think the ombudsman will find the insurer has to offer insurance to you. 

You cannot go to the ombudsman until you have received a final response letter from the insurer or 8 weeks have passed since you registered your complaint.

To the OP - if your letter stated they would autorenew the policy (or even if it says somewhere else like their online portal) what have they said about the reason it wasnt? If its something like your payment method having expired was there any call to action or comment of this in the communications?

In Aug 2019 because of a change of credit card the automatic renewal payment didn’t go through, but they contacted us and we gave them the new card details.  At no point did they tell us that it would affect automatic renewal nor did they send out a new policy to say as such. This years payment would have been taken from the same card we had used last year!

What does the letter inviting renewal say about automatic renewal?