Home Insurance while away (1 Viewer)

Jean-luc

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Aug 15, 2014
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While not fulltiming we head off for several months on a regular basis.

Our home insurance has a clause which states that certain covers (theft, water escape etc.) will cease to be valid if the house is left unoccupied for more than 45 days.
To avoid this clause being invoked we have in the past made arrangements that our adult children who live elsewhere in the country will come and use the house on a regular basis, usually weekends, when they use the opportunity to visit friends, relations and siblings who live in our area.

However, our insurance broker now says that those visits to not count as the only category of people acceptable for the purpose of making the house occupied are those who normally reside there and other people who may temporarily stay there are not .

This means that either myself or Mrs J-L must return home before the 45 days expire Broken Link Removed

How does your insurance treat you in this respect.
 

Hollyberry

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I'd look around for another insurance company. If you're children are staying in the house for a few days at a time that should be sufficient.
Or look at a house sitter,maybe?
 

peter marshall

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Try Bespoke Ins Brokers (I believe they are now part of Marsh Group ) I have 6 Months cover through RSA with them , several things to do when leaving, empty water off etc but we would do that anyway. Pete

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32143

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We are insured via Swinton, cant remember the company though, but get 60 days cover. Over 60 days,have to phone them and they set individual restrictions at that point, stuff like setting heating to minimum temp, water off, which we do anyway regardless of duration, and we have to remove valuable items from,the property, things, like expensive watches, cameras, jewellery etc. But as we don't have anything like that either not an issue for us. Stuff like tv are ok to stay put. We also said we have family and friends checking and they liked this but it wasn't a specific condition we had to meet.

Lin :)
 

Stonemags76

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Camping and caravanning club do 6 months cover & are quite competitive. They were also efficient & helpful.
 

Emmit

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Could I point out that the broker is not, for these purposes, "The Insurance Company". I would not accept at face value what he says as gospel.
I would write to the Company and in it I would explain, USING THEIR WORDS FROM THE SCHEDULE, what it says in your documentation.
I would further point out that the house would be OCCUPIED for not less than....(insert the timeframe) and I would be proactive in informing them that as the house would be OCCUPIED during this period, that you felt that you had complied with their terms. Suggest overtly that any response to the contrary would be the subject of discussions between you and the Ombudsman.
You could prove that the house is occupied by the use of the home telephone used by your relatives on a frequent basis. The Insurance Company have little chance of proving that the house was unoccupied. (except possibily for circumstances involving accident damage and unforced entry where the Insurance Co. could suggest that as you and your wife were absent, the 'dynamics' of the occupiers had changed.

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Badknee

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I find the fact that it has to be you or your Mrs that occupy the property ridiculous. Its occupied by family or friends, occupied being the point.
 
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Jean-luc

Jean-luc

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Thanks guys for all the suggestions.

It's all sorted :). I was given a bum steer by a chap at the brokers who was in turn given a similar bum steer when he checked with RSA (the policy issuers). It's soooo hard to get good help these days :whistle:

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Emmit

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"It's soooo hard to get good help these days :whistle:"

Unless you're a Funster!!!
 

Allanm

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My Mother in Law lives with us and doesn't come away with us when we use the motorhome so the house is always occupied.
Still not sure if thats a good thing or a bad thing!
 

Emmit

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My Mother in Law lives with us and doesn't come away with us when we use the motorhome so the house is always occupied.
Still not sure if thats a good thing or a bad thing!

Just think of the alternative.

You take the MIL away with you AND!!! you have to pay extra because the house is unoccupied.

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Jan 25, 2013
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And how many times have you needed house insurance? I have made two small claims in 43 years and I tremble to think what I have paid in premiums in that time! Yes, I do have insurance, but do I worry about my 60 days uninhabited? No siree!
 

JockandRita

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And how many times have you needed house insurance? I have made two small claims in 43 years and I tremble to think what I have paid in premiums in that time! Yes, I do have insurance, but do I worry about my 60 days uninhabited? No siree!
Although you might have insurance, unfortunately, (I and others too), have seen the devastation caused to occupiers who have not taken out property and contents insurance, but have suffered the ravages of fire. In most cases, it was heart rendering to witness. :(

Regards,

Jock.
 

makems

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I have just been sent my insurance docs by Camping & caravan club. It includes separate note from RSA defining "Unoccupied":
"When your home has not been lived in by your family or by anyone who has your permission for m"ore than 180 days in a row. Lived in means slept in frequently"
I would think this covers the situation that the OP referred to at the start of the thread. And means that you could, in fact spend MORE than 180 days away provided someone slept in your property with your permission on a frequent basis. Full-timing is, however specifically excluded from the policy.

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Oct 5, 2012
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Try Towergate they are specialist empty house insurance specialists. Their main requirement is a visual internal & external inspection of the property once a week by a neigbour etc. They have 6/9/12 month empty house policies, a bit expensive but cheaper than coming home.
 

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