2 separate properties on 1 title deed - how to insure?

Valkyrie888

Hello, 

Situation: I have a smallholding consisting 2 separate houses, a 4 bed and a 2 bed, and some outbuildings. The smallholding has 1 set of title deeds and is listed as M_____ W_____ Farm; the houses have separate addresses, council tax bands etc. I live in 1 house and my wife (separated) lives in the other house. 

The properties are insured with 2 different insurers. 

Are there any insurance boffins who know whether 2 houses on 1 title deed should be: 
a) on 1 policy covering the two houses? 
b) on 2 separate policies from the same insurer? 
c) on 2 separate policies from different insurers? 
d) other 

Many thanks

DullGreyGuy

Other than the title, is there a clear demarkation between the two properties? Would the average person be able to clearly say this is address 1 and its garden and this is address 2, its garden and outbuildings? Or could they see its two houses but be unclear on how the rest is split? 

Not sure who would entertain A in the direct market other than NFU but a good broker (if you can find one) may find other options. 

Valkyrie888

Hi Dull Grey Guy, 

Thank you for your response. 

The 2 houses are easily distinguishable, fenced off, separate gardens - you could easily split the properties and sell them individually. 

The reason I ask....I have an insurance claim in and the insurers are starting to make noises about me being uninsured - I think they are asserting that both houses should have been listed on one policy. 

Many thanks

DullGreyGuy

Valkyrie888 said:

Hi Dull Grey Guy, 

Thank you for your response. 

The 2 houses are easily distinguishable, fenced off, separate gardens - you could easily split the properties and sell them individually. 

The reason I ask....I have an insurance claim in and the insurers are starting to make noises about me being uninsured - I think they are asserting that both houses should have been listed on one policy. 

Many thanks

You'd need to split the title to do sell one off. 

Who pointed out that it's a single title or did they find out themselves? Can't say I've ever known for titles to be checked during Home claims. 

Valkyrie888

DullGreyGuy said:

Valkyrie888 said:

Hi Dull Grey Guy, 

Thank you for your response. 

The 2 houses are easily distinguishable, fenced off, separate gardens - you could easily split the properties and sell them individually. 

The reason I ask....I have an insurance claim in and the insurers are starting to make noises about me being uninsured - I think they are asserting that both houses should have been listed on one policy. 

Many thanks

You'd need to split the title to do sell one off. 

Who pointed out that it's a single title or did they find out themselves? Can't say I've ever known for titles to be checked during Home claims. 

Oh yes they'd need to be split on the deeds but what I mean is that the properties are clearly separate, distinguishable and easily divisible. 

I told the loss adjustor that the properties are on one title deed; I've provided them with the map which depicts the title deed but they are now asking for the deeds. They really are trying everything to put me off I think!

DullGreyGuy

Valkyrie888 said:

I told the loss adjustor that the properties are on one title deed; I've provided them with the map which depicts the title deed but they are now asking for the deeds. They really are trying everything to put me off I think!

The advantage of consumer insurance is that you have no legal obligation to offer them additional information that they dont explicitly ask for and insurers are not allowed to rely on vague questions like "please tell us about anything else that may be relevant". They are however allowed to take into account anything someone voluntarily gives up or inc answers to vague questions. 

Unless there is something explicit in the policybook about the property matching the title you will probably win any dispute but it was unnecessary to have told them unless they explicitly asked. 

Valkyrie888

DullGreyGuy said:

Valkyrie888 said:

I told the loss adjustor that the properties are on one title deed; I've provided them with the map which depicts the title deed but they are now asking for the deeds. They really are trying everything to put me off I think!

The advantage of consumer insurance is that you have no legal obligation to offer them additional information that they dont explicitly ask for and insurers are not allowed to rely on vague questions like "please tell us about anything else that may be relevant". They are however allowed to take into account anything someone voluntarily gives up or inc answers to vague questions. 

Unless there is something explicit in the policybook about the property matching the title you will probably win any dispute but it was unnecessary to have told them unless they explicitly asked. 

I sang like a canary to the loss adjustor because he was a nice bloke and sent him so many documents to speed up the process, utility bills, invoices, deed maps, breakdown of contents cover etc

DullGreyGuy

Valkyrie888 said:

DullGreyGuy said:

Valkyrie888 said:

I told the loss adjustor that the properties are on one title deed; I've provided them with the map which depicts the title deed but they are now asking for the deeds. They really are trying everything to put me off I think!

The advantage of consumer insurance is that you have no legal obligation to offer them additional information that they dont explicitly ask for and insurers are not allowed to rely on vague questions like "please tell us about anything else that may be relevant". They are however allowed to take into account anything someone voluntarily gives up or inc answers to vague questions. 

Unless there is something explicit in the policybook about the property matching the title you will probably win any dispute but it was unnecessary to have told them unless they explicitly asked. 

I sang like a canary to the loss adjustor because he was a nice bloke and sent him so many documents to speed up the process, utility bills, invoices, deed maps, breakdown of contents cover etc

The good ones are... you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar  

user1977

I don't see why the title would be relevant to insurance? Perfectly competent to have several properties on one title, or one property comprising several titles. It's what's physically there which matters.

Valkyrie888

user1977 said:

I don't see why the title would be relevant to insurance? Perfectly competent to have several properties on one title, or one property comprising several titles. It's what's physically there which matters.

Yes it does seem a bit strange that they want a copy of the deeds; not the title deeds, the actual old deeds.