Home Insurance Discussion

purplegaily

youth_leader said:

I just came on to say I've heard from my insurance company as my renewal is due at the end of February - no figure in the email, they want me to phone them to 'discuss it'. They are closed from 1 pm today, I will have to phone on Monday.

I went direct to John Lewis and have a quote for £332.16.  I read the policy and will be phoning them on Monday, I can't understand the burglary cover as it says not covered for theft if the building is unoccupied - so not covered when on holiday? 

To take the 2 points you've just made. Firstly I'm glad you're getting the help you need with your roof now.

I work in insurance as a broker, and we're seeing increases across the board with household insurance without claims - I suspect that your present insurer will want to discuss what has been done to prevent a reoccurrence, and may wish to discuss excesses - as taking a higher one next year might reduce their renewal offer. 

Have a look at the policy conditions (I've just lifted these from the John Lewis essential policy - policy conditions)
 -  if the home is going to be unoccupied.
For the purposes of this condition, unoccupied means your home is going to be left without any occupants for more than a total of 60 days in any insurance period. 

If you are within this, then there should be no issue. 

I would chat to both your present insurer and John Lewis on Monday. Your renewal this year might not be nice, and I know you've had issues getting to where you are with the repairs, but your current insurer has paid out on a reasonable claim. If you are thinking of moving to John Lewis, make sure you give them the present position accurately - full disclosure is important. 

youth_leader

Thank you very much for your replies, I will report back. 

youth_leader

I feel as though the world is ending - 1500 hours tomorrow Storm Corrie is going to land  

Annemos

Good evening youth_leader. I am so sorry the storms are causing you worry again. Once the work is done, I hope you will have a nice and secure roof that will be very storm proof. 


When the renewal date arrives, will you have signed off on the claim? Or will work still be in progress and some more payments might still need to be made to you?   If so, I don't know if that could potentially stop some of the regular companies from quoting for you, perhaps? 

Then you would have to try and stay with the same insurer until everything is all paid out and the repairs all done. And everything finally signed off on. (Will that even be easier to achieve, if you remain with the old insurer for another year?)   

Then after that you can look for a new insurer and would be able to say that you had this claim and the other one in the past, but that everything had now been completed. 

Please let us know what John Lewis says.   Yes Purplegaily has it...... as long as you are not away from your home for more than 60 days in total, with holidays etc, then you are OK for John Lewis.

In fact they changed Insurer about a year ago for a new 5-year contract and so they now have Bronze, Silver and Gold policies. Here is the link that shows the three levels. It is still 60 days.

https://www.johnlewisfinance.com/insurance/home-insurance.html

First button down and third button down in this next link is the wording. 

https://www.johnlewisfinance.com/insurance/home-insurance.html#PolicyWording




(Our Mum is just having to go into a care home now and we have had to declare her home as being unoccupied. That has put the premium on her home up with Lloyds Bank from about 200 pounds to 450 pounds. I think they worry if nobody is there, in case water leaks etc are missed. There are also rules about the heating etc.

I just noticed a review on SAGA yesterday where a storm claim was declined for someone because their father had died and they did not inform SAGA that his home was now unoccupied. I think many people perhaps do not realise that they have to inform insurance, if the elderly relative goes into a home or passes away and the occupancy test ends up being failed. )  

youth_leader

Thanks Annemos, I do still have business with the insurer, I am still waiting for the cash settlement for the drying machine electric costs, and I won't have my bill with VAT to submit for some time yet.  The claims handler did do everything in his power to help me in the end.  Our local council declared Storm Arwen as a major incident, and I think Storm Malik has also caused a lot of damage, all insurers will be busy tomorrow.

I'll report back.  If it rains today I can be relaxed about it for the first time in months now I have a roof again - I hope!.

youth_leader

I meant to say thank you for the info on SAGA - I will let my neighbour's daughter know, her Mum was lucky enough to find a place in a home just before Christmas, all rather rushed.

youth_leader

I rang my insurance company today about my renewal, and have been referred to another team, who are going to ring me within the next 24 to 48 hours to ask me 'questions'. 

I had a look at the Trust Pilot reviews last night - several people affected by Storm Arwen are complaining they have not had their claims paid - some were rejected for perceived maintenance issues.  I save a percentage of my pension for maintenance and will be keeping the bungalow in the best condition I can afford.

Annemos

Good evening youth_leader. 

Yes I have been noticing that, too. That house that lost its roof in Gateshead. You sort of think there would not be enough of it left, to work out if it was or was not maintained before the storm?

But if one loses a few tiles or has damage to a flat roof, then I reckon one might have problems claiming.


However, I have also thought of this..... that if the claims handlers have so many claims come in that they can't manage the volume, then they might just ask homeowners for some photos. And then if it looks like it will be under a de-minimus amount, then they will just pay out money within the day? And then they will immediately ask the claimants for feedback reviews on Truspilot and get many many 5 star reviews for quick and professional handling of all the claims. (Apologies if that sounds cynical!) 


I have thought to myself it would be just too stressful to ever claim, unless there was awful damage and a tornado here!

I have also thought, now, that it is not really worth owning anything expensive or plush, in ones contents. The Insurance Industry is turning me into a Buddhist...... Renounce all ones possessions!


Don't you find youth_leader that the Insurance Claim itself can give one a very bad dose of PTSD? In my case the actual claim has been even worse than the actual event. And Subsidence is already bad enough without that. 

youth_leader

Hello Annemos, you are spot on. My neighbour lost tiles during the morning of Storm Malik.  When I saw him this morning he said he had phoned and was offered cash to find his own roofer - and asked to leave a review.  He refused and asked for them to send their people, he is having to wait. 

I just popped in to say I had the call this evening, many questions checking last year's answers, the offer of add-ons to the insurance which I refused, and confirmation of the settlement amount, which includes VAT, thanks Doc_N.  They've still not uploaded the electricity costs for the drying machine, I'll give them a few more days.

The young lady then proceeded to give me my renewal quote - just £29 more than last year.  As a WASPI living on a small Teachers/Widows pension I am very pleased, but very surprised.  I do have my car insured with them,  and will be switching for that. 

I agree that it has been harrowing claiming - hopefully this will be our first and last experience  

Annemos

That is wonderful news and also about the renewal price. I am thrilled they are doing that for you. 

It makes you wonder what would have happened if you had not come on here. 

Mine is never ending. It's been ongoing since August 2018. I can't believe that it is even longer than my University Course was in the 1970's!    (I am also a WASPI)


Here's how I knew what must be happening in the Claims Industry.

Please see the attached photo which I came across on my travels! 

(I can assure you that I am NOT one of the ones who has left a 5-star review for BVS)