Home insurance

Seasalt3

We've correctly declared  to our home insurance provider Halifax, that our house is terraced  with 3 beds and 2 bathrooms.  We have a ground floor extension with a flat roof but they don't ask any questions that we could answer to declare  this. 
 I phoned to check and was told they don't need to know this, all they need to know is type of property i.e.  detached, terraced etc,  number of bedrooms and bathrooms   Seems a bit odd as other providers do ask and also % of flat roof. Anyone else come across this?

DullGreyGuy

Seasalt3 said:

We've correctly declared  to our home insurance provider Halifax, that our house is terraced  with 3 beds and 2 bathrooms.  We have a ground floor extension with a flat roof but they don't ask any questions that we could answer to declare  this. 
 I phoned to check and was told they don't need to know this, all they need to know is type of property i.e.  detached, terraced etc,  number of bedrooms and bathrooms   Seems a bit odd as other providers do ask and also % of flat roof. Anyone else come across this?

The law, CIDRA, requires insurers to ask all relevant questions for consumer insurance, they cannot rely on you offering up additional information or have very vague "tell us about anything else relevant" type questions. 

Each underwriter will come up with its own list of questions, this will be based on a combination of things its found statistically relevant in claims experienced moderated by the commercial cost of asking additional questions etc (when you do millions of quotes a year that 30 seconds to ask the question adds up). 

Most insurers want to know about flat roofs but not all, similarly years ago I removed the "where do you keep your car at night" question for a large insurer because the stats showed poor correlation in claims experience and people frequently lied, the saving was a few million a year just by dropping the question but we achieved less benefit than we anticipated as some asked why were weren't asking where it was kept that took longer to say than simply asking the Q. 

Seasalt3

Halifax insurance is underwritten by Lloyds Bank insurance and they don't ask the questions either.  It can be difficult to work out % of flat roof especially as we've also got a semi integral flat roof garage as well as the flat roof extension so that was one of the reasons we went with them as they don't ask and the premium was reasonable as well

DullGreyGuy

Seasalt3 said:

Halifax insurance is underwritten by Lloyds Bank insurance and they don't ask the questions either.  It can be difficult to work out % of flat roof especially as we've also got a semi integral flat roof garage as well as the flat roof extension so that was one of the reasons we went with them as they don't ask and the premium was reasonable as well

We have a similar challenge as we are in a block of flats, the upper two floors are maisonette's with most the flat on level 3 but one room on level 4. The roof is a wave shape with the high bit over their 4th floor room and the low bit has big cut outs for their roof terraces. With Google Maps it would be so much easier if I could screen shot the satalight image and let them decide what percentage it is as to my eyes its probably just under 25% but it also depends on how flat is flat as the wave form goes almost horizontal near the end. 

Seasalt3

Yep it's not easy is it?  I've had this problem for years until I discovered Lloyds and Halifax don't ask.  They just ask if roof is thatched or has wooden tiles.  

DullGreyGuy

Seasalt3 said:

Yep it's not easy is it?  I've had this problem for years until I discovered Lloyds and Halifax don't ask.  They just ask if roof is thatched or has wooden tiles.  

I have a host of other challenges with home insurance, having too much stuff for many insurers and not wanting to pay the prices of a proper mid net worth policy. For now M&S Premier (Aviva) are one of the few were sensible prices for reasonable cover can be achieved for us and just guesstimate the flat roof question 

Seasalt3

I'm sure an estimate within reason is all they  expect customers to give as otherwise you'd have to pay a surveyor to measure it.  They normally ask up to 25% then 25 to 40% or there abouts 

Longshot1974

Lloyds & Halifax may not ask about flat roofs but their home emergency cover specifically excludes flat roofs, something they keep quiet about.