Insurance renewal after flooding - any advice please?

newbie71_2

Hi everyone, I have posted this on the floods board and the insurance board as I'm aware a lot of the flood victims might not have access to the internet to get on the forum. Sorry for the length of the email..

Basically we were flooded out last July. Contents cover was renewed in December with no problems as we managed to move most stuff upstairs so minimum claim. Buildings cover was with Budget (underwriters Axa). We have been with them almost a year (renting before this) and renewal is up at end of January.

Had a letter from them dated 8 Jan. in which they informed us of new renewal quote (increased but not too bad) and said they would take money from my visa card. cancel. My visa card has changed recently so rang them and explained I wished to change card details. When I rang I was informed that there was a referral on the policy which meant it needed to be flagged up again with the underwriters - I was not told why as the person in call centre did not know but assumed it was flood related - and that we would be contacted asap about this.

Yesterday I received a letter from Budget (dated 16 January) informing me that the underwriters had declined to renew the policy. Budget were currently negotiating with their panel of underwriters to see if they could get a deal for us but if they can't then our buildings cover runs out at midnight on 31 January 2008!!:mad:

I spent all this morning on the phone to various insurance people who refused to cover flood victims, or won't cover property because we are not living in it (but it's not inhabitable!!!). My mortgage provider may cover the insurance as they have an obvious interest in the property but again they need to check with underwriters and get back to me.

To say I'm upset and furious would be an understatment!!! When I spoke to insurance companies this morning a couple of them mentioned that there was an unwritten agreement between insurance companies that those people who'd been flooded would generally be able to renew their insurance and they were quite surprised that Budget were doing this. Is anyone aware of this 'agreement'?

I am going to ring Budget tomorrow and say they have 48 hours to get back to me with a yes or no - as it is I have a matter of days to try and find buildings insurance and get it all in place for Feb 1! I mean didn't know they months ago that they would not renew flood victims insurace and couldn't they have sent letters out then warning people?

Has anyone else had a similar thing happen to them after the flood when their buildings insurance was up for renewal? During the claim I have to put in a formal complaint to Axa about their suppliers and driers due to appalling service and this complaint was upheld and my policy excess was returned - could this also be a reason why renewal has been refused?

If Budget do not uphold this renewal then could I put in a complaint about them - not only about non renewal but also about the timescales of all this? Or am I being naive and this is the way all insurance companies operate?

Sorry for the long email and the ranting but we are currently stuck in temporary accommodation with a 6 month old baby (born one week after the house was flooded!) and have had to argue every bloody thing with the underwriters and loss adjustor and just when we thought we were in the home stretch and might be back in by Easter we now get this bombshell from them right at the last minute!
:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:

Any advice anyone can give or similar experiences would be gratefully received. Thank you everyone.