Re: home insurance problem

nullified [null@xxxxxxxxx] said:
I phoned my current buildings insurer to tell them I'm having some
works done. My house is a 4bed bungalow worth about £150,000, and I'm
about to move out while my builder starts work. In 16-18 weeks, I'll
be able to move back, into my now twice as large bungalow with 5 beds
and now (hopefully) worth about £220,000. Doesn't sound that
difficult, does it?
Nope, Zurich frankly werent interested. After 60 days had elapsed with
me not living there, my cover would all but disappear (apparently I
*would* still be covered for global pestilence or something). No
problem, says I, I'll simply move back in *before* the 60 days are up.
Then I'll spend enough time there for the insurance company to be
happy again, and then I'll move back out till the rest of the work is
done. How long do I need to stay then? Well, "indefinitely", according
to Zurich. Once my 60 days are up, even spread over more than once
occasion, it seems I'm done. I'm not entirely sure I'm ever allowed to
leave the building again.
So, having cut my nose off to spite my face and told Zurich where to
carefully insert my cover, I now began phoning other people looking
for someone who has some sense. Ummm, no. Sorry, but it seems even the
60 days cover for empty house is only somethin extended to existing
customers, not new ones. Nobody wants to offer cover. What I need is
buildings and contents cover for my house as it is now, since at the
moment, ahem, I'm not insured. Then, in four months or so, I want my
cover to increase to match the new larger house. And if its at all
possible, I'd really like whatever cover someone would like to offer
for the four month period between the two.
It really cant be that hard, can it? After all, many many people have
extensions all the time - who do they insure with? And I reckon at
least *some* of them actually move out while work is being done!
Anyone have any suggestions?


A friend of mine has just insured his mother's empty house (she has
moved into a nursing home). He mentioned that he was having a hell of a
game because if they would offer cover at all, they would only insure it
against certain risks (not vandalism I seem to recall) and it was going
to be quite expensive but I know he eventually settled on a company that
offered him a reasonable (all relative of course) deal.

So clearly it is not just you having a problem with this sort of issue.

Have you tried a broker?

.

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