Renovations and home insurance

ro1892

Home insurance is up for renewal soon. In the next year I'm planning to have the roof redone on the sun room and am trying to understand the implications on insurance of this.

I understand that pretty much all policies have a clause that you need to inform the insurance company before getting any building works done and the roof would certainly fall into this.

My question is what happens after I inform them? Could they cancel my policy and say it doesn't cover renovations/building works? Would they still insure me (probably for a premium) but exclude anything relating to the works?

I'm trying to avoid the situation where I take out a policy now but when it comes to informing them about the works they turn round and say sorry we can't cover you anymore.

MyRealNameToo

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6653539/renovations-and-home-insurance

Most insurers are ok with minor works but its more structural things that they have an issue with. The best will set a value of works you have to notify them about, unfortunately most are more vague… Hiscox standard home insurance only requires works over £75,000 to be notified.

Some insurers will allow the policy to continue whilst the works are in progress, sometimes with a higher premium and sometimes with additional endorsements (eg limiting theft from the home to where there is evidence of forced/violent entry). Probably the majority of budget providers will require you to cancel the policy whilst the building works are ongoing.

ro1892

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81867900#Comment_81867900

Unfortunately hiscox won't cover me as the home is worth less than £500k.

There doesn't seem to be a way to find out before starting a policy whether they will continue cover or cancel if you are getting building works done mid policy. All the policy booklets say is "you must tell us" but not what they will do.

If I took out a policy and they wouldn't cover the building work, would that be classed as them cancelling the policy? As I wouldn't want a forced cancellation on record

XRS200

I did a quote recently and one of the assumptions was that you are not planning work over £60k. Can't recall who that was though.

MyRealNameToo

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81867970#Comment_81867970

No, wouldnt need to declare it if you inform them before the building works commence. Its effectively your choice to cancel it, they tell you they won't cover if you proceed and then you decide to proceed so its you not them thats cancelled.

What will be the pain is that you will have to pay the cancellation fees for a mid term cancelation and so maybe factor that in when deciding which insurer to go with.