Home insurance - what is 'Contents'?

Bendy_House

Hi.

When filling out the details on MoneySupermaaarket for a 'contents'-only quote, the guide was to 'imagine turning your house upside-down and giving it a shake - everything that falls out is 'contents'.

This is for MIL. She has a leasehold property in a retirement 'village', and the 'outer fabric' of the building is covered by the care home's buildings insurance. That's it - the walls, roof, windows, outside doors, and outside space. Everything inside is her responsibility.

Sooo, if a pipe burst and damaged her kitchen units, would 'contents' cover it? What about floor coverings? Hers is stuck-down (LVT), so wouldn't fall out if turned u-d and given a shake.

Furniture, yes, I get that - covered. TV. Appliances. Clothes. Bedding. Jewellery. Possessions. That's all clear. But what else inside that is 'fixed down'?

Thanks.

tacpot12

Kitchen units are usually considered part of the building because if fitted correctly, they are fixed to the walls. Similarly laminate floors are fixed, so are part of the building. I think that you will be able to find a Contents policy that covers these items, but it might need more research, and actually speaking to someone.

You might try an insurance broker to see if they can advise further.  

user1977

We've had similar queries before if you can navigate the search system here - but obviously anybody in a flat with a communal buildings policy has the same issue, so there will be products available.

DullGreyGuy

Fixtures and fittings, such as kitchens, are typically covered by buildings insurance rather than contents. There are a minority of policies that put them in both contents and buildings but probably expect to have a debate as it feels like lax wording rather than intentional.

Some policies offer "Tenant Improvements" which do include fixtures and fittings that you are responsible for... some are low limits as standard whereas others are a paid optional extra but not all are offered online.

Bendy_House

Thanks - clearly we need to confirm with the insurer.

I think MIL's situation is different to most leasehold properties, as this care provider's responsibility appears to be very crisply defined down the walls! They just won't step over the threshold! They even tried to argue that the DG units were the occupier's responsibility, and they look after the frames...

Thanks all.

eddddy

Bendy_House said:

I think MIL's situation is different to most leasehold properties, as this care provider's responsibility appears to be very crisply defined down the walls! They just won't step over the threshold! They even tried to argue that the DG units were the occupier's responsibility, and they look after the frames...

What you describe is similar to most leasehold flats, maisonettes etc, to a lesser or greater extent.

The freeholder is usually responsible for part of the main structure of the building, and the leaseholders are each responsible for their own parts of the building. (And the leaseholders are responsible for their fitted kitchens, fitted bathrooms, etc)


BUT - the freeholder takes out a single buildings insurance policy that covers the whole lot. (i.e. the freeholders bits of the building, all the leaseholders' bits of the building, all the leaseholders' fitted kitchens and fitted bathrooms, etc)

As I say, that's the case with the majority of leasehold flats and maisonettes. (But you should double check.)



So if a water leak (or other insured risk) causes your MiL's ceiling to fall down - she would claim through the freeholder's buildings insurance.

Bendy_House

Thanks eddddy.

I'll ask her to confirm with Care South to check what exactly is covered. And then we can look at 'contents' to fill the gaps!

Cheers all

eddddy

Bendy_House said:

They even tried to argue that the DG units were the occupier's responsibility, and they look after the frames...

Going off topic  - but that's not unusual. In fact, window frames are often the leaseholder's responsibility as well. So if the frames need replacing, the leaseholder has to arrange it and pay (having got the freeholder's consent).

diystarter7

Hi OP
I've read in a few places when renewing our quotes that 'contents' are items that are not 'fixed, = EG, fixed items anything screwed/fixed/fitted down kind of permantely like w/c pan, kitchen units, doors, skirting, etc but not tv's fixed to wall, curtain poles, gas hob/oven/fridge,sheets.curtains etc,etc

Someone else may have a simpler definition.

ps - your wallet, clothing, phone, lappy, games, food in the fridge, fridge, washing machine, shies, pictures, etc etc are also contents

eddddy

Bendy_House said:

 And then we can look at 'contents' to fill the gaps!

The only key gap might be "tenant's improvements".

The lease might have been originally granted with a 'basic kitchen' and 'basic bathroom'. If a leaseholder has replaced these with a 'luxury kitchen' and 'luxury bathroom' with a much higher replacement cost, the freeholder's building insurance might not cover them - for example, if they're destroyed by fire.

So you can look for contents insurance that has cover for "tenant's improvements", if that's important to you.


Other issues might be that:

• Freeholder's buildings insurance doesn't usually have accidental damage cover. (I suspect it will be difficult to find a standalone policy that only covers accidental damage to buildings)

• Freeholder's buildings insurance often has high excesses - higher than you would normally prefer. (But again - I suspect it will be difficult to find a standalone policy that only reduces the excess.)

diystarter7

eddddy said:

Bendy_House said:

 And then we can look at 'contents' to fill the gaps!

The only key gap might be "tenant's improvements".

The lease might have been originally granted with a 'basic kitchen' and 'basic bathroom'. If a leaseholder has replaced these with a 'luxury kitchen' and 'luxury bathroom' with a much higher replacement cost, the freeholder's building insurance might not cover them - for example, if they're destroyed by fire.

So you can look for contents insurance that has cover for "tenant's improvements", if that's important to you.

Very true