Buildings insurance renewal declined

Digby52

We have buildings insurance with SAGA, They have declined to renew the policy saying that none of the companies they use will not accept our house because of the flood risk.  (Surface water risk- Low, River Water risk - Medium) However, we have a current subsidence claim going through with them (since 2022) they say this will be completed but we can not find sensible insurance while this claim is still open current best quote is £9000. Anybody experienced this. 

DullGreyGuy

Who is the insurer that Saga have currently placed you with?

Annemos

This happened to me, too, with SAGA in 2018. Mine was mid Subsidence Claim. I did not have a flood risk. But certain Companies in the Chain on the Policy had stopped working with each other for future policies. 


As DullGreyGuy has said, please take a look at the current Policy and tell us the following:  


Saga sold you the Policy, but who are the Insurers   X and Y? 

My Saga policy said    "The Insurer of your Buildings Insurance Policy is  X on behalf of Y"   

It is also possible, you only have X.     (Could this be RSA?) 

Digby52

The subsidence claim is with Royal Sun Alliance the claim value is £6241.  SAGA have not offered any alternative companies just gave us the number of BIBA.
We’ve been in the house for 25 years and never been flooded.  

Annemos

We are starting to hear of more RSA cases that have not been given any help. (RSA is pulling out of the Home Insurance Market.) 

Saga likely asked the other members of their Panel and they have declined. In my case only one of the others would cover me but with NO Subsidence cover. 


You need to submit an immediate Complaint to RSA. I know they have just reinstated a Policy for a Morethan Customer who had been dropped. They do still provide Insurance to Commercial Landlords etc. 

The FOS typically requires RSA to continue to insure you while your Subsidence Claim is outstanding. Or find you another Policy at a reasonable cost. 


Re the Flood risk aspect....

RSA is a member of the Flood Re scheme, too. I believe one of the criterion for that is  :  The home was built before 1st January 2009 (if a home is built before 1st January 2009 but then demolished and rebuilt, the new home is still eligible)

I don't know what DullGreyGuy thinks, but I hope that because RSA considered your home to be an acceptable risk when they gave you the current policy, then the FOS Ombudsman would say that it is also fair that they carry on covering your for that risk, while their Subsidence Claim is ongoing. 


I am just going to look back at another Post and see if I can give you some more info for Complaining to RSA and also a Case study from the FOS. Can you also see a direct Complaint Line in your Policy for RSA? Or does it merely send you to an Arranger Company? 

Annemos

Here are 3 cases with helpful information.  

https://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/decision/DRN-4190935.pdf

https://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/decision/DRN-3897491.pdf

https://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/decision/DRN3300987.pdf

Note in that last one, that the FOS even said the Ins Co should refund the excess premiums the homeowner had paid. 

I will now try and find a Complaint line for RSA!  (Note that if you have to go to the FOS, RSA has to be given 8 weeks to give a reply to the Complaint.) 


Also please note... SAGA only informed me I was dropped from Insurance one week before the Policy was due. That is not enough time. So I complained to SAGA too and SAGA gave me 70 pounds Compensation! 

Annemos

https://www.rsainsurance.co.uk/contact/

If you cannot find a better Complaint line for RSA via your policy.... here is the RSA website.  

They are based in Halifax. E-mail is. (Mark it very urgent!)  

crt.halifax@uk.rsagroup.com

Annemos

https://www.abi.org.uk/products-and-issues/topics-and-issues/flooding/recovering-from-a-flood/guidance-on-continuation-of-buildings-insurance-cover-while-a-property-is-undergoing-repairs/

RSA is a member of the ABI. The article above says this....

Good practice guidance: Continuation of buildings insurance cover while a property is undergoing repairs

Overview

The insurance industry is committed to supporting customers who are in the process of an ongoing buildings insurance claim. In some circumstances, where a customer’s property has been significantly damaged, the repair process may take many months. Therefore, a customer may need to renew their buildings insurance cover before the repair process has been fully completed, or whilst works are ongoing.

In the event that a property still requires significant repair work from previous damage, other insurers are less likely to be willing to provide cover until the repair process is complete and the property is considered to be in a good state of repair. If the customer’s existing insurer was to not offer to renew cover during the repair process, then the customer could be left uninsured for a number of months.  This is not a good customer outcome and something which the ABI is seeking to avoid where possible.

This ABI good practice guidance sets out an approach to provide reassurance to customers that their existing insurer will use their best endeavours to offer to maintain cover until the repairs on their property are completed. All decisions on pricing, terms or conditions remain at the discretion of individual insurers.

Annemos

This is an old case, but involves Subsidence and Flood Risk 

https://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/decision/DRN0624252.pdf

Annemos

Loughborough BS is giving this number for RSA. Don't know if that might be a way to contact RSA, too. 

For more information please contact RSA by phone on 0345 3197070

https://www.theloughborough.co.uk/rsa-faq

Digby52

Many thanks for all your help. I will update once I have some progress