Home insurance

[Topcat47]

I'm looking for House & Contents Insurance. My current provider has declined on account that my home was inundated sub-floor, following a drain blockage in a neighbouring property which was coupled with unusually heavy rain. Typically "Computer say NO" situation. This was a once in 42 years. Any suggestions?

 

[Graham376]

We're with GSI, one of the few who will cover area protected by sea defences and house unoccupied for up to 9 months while were away.

 

[Richard10002]

I'm looking for House & Contents Insurance. My current provider has declined on account that my home was inundated sub-floor, following a drain blockage in a neighbouring property which was coupled with unusually heavy rain. Typically "Computer say NO" situation. This was a once in 42 years. Any suggestions?

I always thought a current provider had an obligation to continue to insure, albeit at a price if their choosing.

I'm going back some time when I took advantage of it, and don't know what rule or regulation enforced it. Could be worth a Google or a call to an ombudsman.

 

[Topcat47]

I missed the renewal notice this year and they're now saying it's a new policy and the Computer Say "NO". I'll try GSI after the holiday.

 

[The Q]

If you are old enough try saga, they are a broker, so have a range of insurance companies to chose from.. or find an insurance broker yourself let them find a company to insure the house.

For my sailing boat I went via a local brokers and they were half the price of going direct to companies..

 

[DavidonMersea]

I'm looking for House & Contents Insurance. My current provider has declined on account that my home was inundated sub-floor, following a drain blockage in a neighbouring property which was coupled with unusually heavy rain. Typically "Computer say NO" situation. This was a once in 42 years. Any suggestions?

It is a mistake to look for one insurer to insure both house and contents. Some company's are good for buildings, but not good for contents and VV

 

[Topcat47]

Interesting, GSI have found me an insurer but at a positively usurious price. I may try to spilt them out.

Good advice!

 

[ashtead]

You might find if you use a building society eg Nationwide that there not so choosy as they tend to have wider criteria from the underwriter providing cover. Clearly a lot turns on your contents risks as well and how HNW your contents are. . If you have covers with insurers for other assets you might find they give a discount if you insure the buildings etc with them.

 

[DavidonMersea]

building society eg Nationwide that they are not so choosy as they tend to have wider criteria from the underwriter providing cover.

Have you got any evidence of that?

 

[ashtead]

I just know having done Tenders for NS business that they want as wide a footprint as possible for their customers. Given size of account insurers are generally told the parameters as part of aRFP.

 

[Bobc]

Try NFU

 

[BobnLesley]

...provider has declined on account that my home was inundated sub-floor, following a drain blockage in a neighbouring property which was coupled with unusually heavy rain...

Fortunately it doesn't effect us, but despite living near the top of a hill, several of our near-neighbours are paying astronomical amounts for flood risks courtesy of one householder:
The properties have a small stream close to the end of their back gardens, so to make those last few feet of garden more accessible, the householder laid an 18" concrete pipe at the lower end of his section of the stream and put soil/turf over it to form a bridge. As part of the same project, he built a substantial wall across the bottom of his garden to obscure the chain-link fencing of the school playing field behind. Twelve months later there's heavy summer rain-storm and the debris washed down quickly blocked his 18" pipe and with the wall there now too, the stream couldn't - as it has for millenia - over-spill onto the school playing field; in just a few minutes the water was around 3' deep against the wall (the fire brigade knocked a hole in it with sledgehammers) and the ground floor of his house and the next house downstream were both awash.
I'll concede that my having worked in construction perhaps gives me some insight, but surely someone ought to have thought/asked: "But what happens when..."

 

[pyrojames]

Try NFU

The only thing of mine they don't insure is the boat....