Home Insurance While Travelling

[Tincataylor]

This is a duplicate of something I have raised on the Continental Touring (Spain) forum, but I though it worth airing here as well to get the maximum response.
It turns out that my home and contents insurance has clauses in it that in effect render it useless if the property is unoccupied for more than 30 days. We will shortly be off on a Spanish trip and we do not anticipate being home until some time in March 2015. Have other Funsters come across this, and if so, how did you manage to maintain insurance cover while you were away? I am reliably informed that most, if not all, companies include an "occupancy" clause in the policy document so it is possible that others Funsters are putting their property and contents at risk while being on an extended trip as well.

The Tinca's

 

[nomadic]

Arrange for a family member to check the house over once every 27 days, record it in a diary, and make a telephone call. In essence they occupy for one night.

Well worth a bottle or two

 

[colyboy]

Hi we have today just renewed our household insurance via the Camping Club. They allow up to 190 days away if you are a member, if not a member I think it is half that. Cost was £190.

colyboy

 

[motorhomer]

Policies vary enormously. Many are 30 days, some 60 some with our without occupancy clauses. I researched this a couple of years ago.

I have my house insured through the camping and caravanning club, their policy was the best I found and it allows for 180 days away.

 

[motorhomer]

SNAP!!!

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[Bertie Bassett]

Colyboy and motorhomer many thanks for that info. We've always done what nomadic suggests but given the fact that insurers will always find a get out would prefer to do it 'properly'. Any 'grey' areas with the C&CC policy and is it linked to any other insurances, travel etc?

 

[Puddleduck]

When relatives did their round the world trip I slept over at their place a few nights every month and their son went in most evenings switching lights on and off at random, watched tv, sent email.

They told their insurance company who said that as long as someone was there overnight that was occupancy. they got it in writing as they were concerned. As it happened all was fine except a tap started dripping - we got it sorted before they came home.

 

[Bertie Bassett]

When relatives did their round the world trip I slept over at their place a few nights every month and their son went in most evenings switching lights on and off at random, watched tv, sent email.

They told their insurance company who said that as long as someone was there overnight that was occupancy. they got it in writing as they were concerned. As it happened all was fine except a tap started dripping - we got it sorted before they came home.

Thanks Pd, good to know, we've never asked LV=, our insurers, so it might pay to do so.

 

[Emmit]

An Insurance Co. Would get short shrift from the Ombudsman if they tried to weedle out of claim re unoccupancy if you had proof that the house was occupied by someone who was making telephone calls.
I would even argue that it is not necessary for the house to be occupied overnight.

 

[Puddleduck]

I would even argue that it is not necessary for the house to be occupied overnight.

Possibly but I needed somewhere to sleep when working in the neighbourhood so it worked to everyone's advantage.

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[peter marshall]

Hi
It depends where you live in relation to the sea or a river, C & CC Ins was over £3,000 for my Post Code needless to say I didn,t take them up same with their Health cover over a £1,000 for long stay due to my past health prob,s, I Ins home with RSA through a broker called Central Bespoke part of the Marsh Group, and CC for the redpenant so Home, Health & recovery around £1,000 cover for up to 6 months away, certain things to do on the home cover but what we would do anyway. Pete

 

[sedge]

Our RSA policy via Paymentshield is 60 days - but daughter and next door neighbour pop in and out sporadically - neighbour to move post, checks everything looks hunky dory twice day when he takes his dog out, daughter stays longer Her visits are 'random' so if being watched they'll never be sure whether she's going to be there.

Can't move it anyway - we were broken into in February whilst away. Increase in premium after wasn't bad at all - considering.

I'm pleased about that - since they still pay me every month - as I'm a Staff pensioner !

 

[PhilandMena]

Arrange for a family member to check the house over once every 27 days, record it in a diary, and make a telephone call. In essence they occupy for one night.

Well worth a bottle or two

If you want some fun and games ask your insurer how long you have to be back in your premise before you can vacate again ! My insurer did not have a clue. I too said what happens if my daughter stays overnight and was told not acceptable. Has to be the policy holder ?? (It's possible their staff not fully convesent with detailed terms and conditions,....or simply not detailed in T.&C,). Anyway, for me, with Aviva, it's first 60 days free then 10% of policy cost for every subsequent month. I'm happy with that, knowing we will have full insurance policy in place for all of our duration.

 

[colyboy]

Hi Bertie Bassett. Sorry for delay in getting back, full documents just arrived today. The insurance was bought via the CCC and is with Legal and General the cost was £187. L & G explain the definition of :-

PRIOD OF UNOCCUPANCY is amended to read:-

" Any period starting from the first day, during which the home will not be lived in and slept or more than 180 days consecutive days. By lived in, we mean slept in for at least five consecutive nights every month, or two consecutive nights every week."

colyboy

 

[Tincataylor]

Just a quick suggestion to anybody who opts for the "I get a neighbour / family member to pop round and sleep / make a phone call" strategy, to read the terms and conditions of their policy carefully. When the house insurance was taken out the members of the household will have had to have been specified and if the person "occupying" the house is not one of these then you could find yourself without cover,

The Tinca's

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[Cobweb]

Hi

This is something we have struggled with for many years when we have spent up to 5 months away on our sailing trips . We have to have a separate policy for contents since part of our property is commercial and the property is also grade 2 listed whic limits our choices. We have used Saga which might not be the cheapest option but in our case almost the only one . For each month over 2 there in an extra charge appx £ 30 per month .The unoccupancy clause
states that the property has to be inspected once a week as well as the heating either left on or drained completely during winter months (we drain the system as well as turn off water and gas) So far the longest period we have been away is 5 months but then add to that our Motorhoming in the summer months when we can only go away for 2 months at the time without the unoccupancy clause kicking in . Our home is very secure and alarmed and friends are keeping an eye on it and checking it from time to time . So far so good . Some of our motorhoming friends in a more normal property use the Camping and Caravan club insurance which seems to have less restrictions . In all cases do read the small print !

 

[Bertie Bassett]

If you want some fun and games ask your insurer how long you have to be back in your premise before you can vacate again ! My insurer did not have a clue. I too said what happens if my daughter stays overnight and was told not acceptable. Has to be the policy holder ?? (It's possible their staff not fully convesent with detailed terms and conditions,....or simply not detailed in T.&C,). Anyway, for me, with Aviva, it's first 60 days free then 10% of policy cost for every subsequent month. I'm happy with that, knowing we will have full insurance policy in place for all of our duration.

Good to know..........thanks.

 

[Bertie Bassett]

Hi Bertie Bassett. Sorry for delay in getting back, full documents just arrived today. The insurance was bought via the CCC and is with Legal and General the cost was £187. L & G explain the definition of :-

PRIOD OF UNOCCUPANCY is amended to read:-

" Any period starting from the first day, during which the home will not be lived in and slept or more than 180 days consecutive days. By lived in, we mean slept in for at least five consecutive nights every month, or two consecutive nights every week."

colyboy

Ta for that coly................the definitive answer, so now we'll be rejoining the C&CC club, we always did like their CS's anyway.

 

[makems]

WE are insured with the C&CC and as said above, up to 180 days or so away is OK.
Before that we had a policy with 30 days unoccupied max. I rang the insurer when we were going away for 3 months and they continued cover for a relatively small extra premium (then we changed to C&CC at renewal!)
Ive had the same with travel insurance where it is normal for there to be a 90 day maximum in one trip even if the policy says unlimted number of trips. Again on speaking to the insurer (Insure&Go) a relatively small increase in premium was charged for a trip that exceeded the 90 days. It still worked out cheaper than a specific longer stay policy.

 

[gibbon]

D

Policies vary enormously. Many are 30 days, some 60 some with our without occupancy clauses. I researched this a couple of years ago.

I have my house insured through the camping and caravanning club, their policy was the best I found and it allows for 180 days away.

Ditto

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