[Finance] Buildings and contents insurance

[dazzer6666]

Used PolicyExpert for the last few years - recently renewed for £287 (3% up on last year). Their standard cover is £1m for buildings and £100k for contents (neither of which we’re anywhere near).

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Just a thought .... have you checked the quote? Maybe it's wrong

It’s written quite clearly in the email, with an offer of 12 interest free payments, also quoting last year’s total.

 

[LamieRobertson]

Gocompare, comparethemarket, moneysupermarket - they should also give you a rebuilding cost guide. Always worth calling your existing insurer to see "what they can do".

….and via a CASHBACK website

 

[Zeberdi]

That’s cheaper than last year and almost half of this year’s quote.

It’s relative. I live in a very low property value area in Norfolk compared to SE, especially Brighton.

For the equivalent property in Brighton, my buildings insurance would be much higher ( currently my 2 bed semi house is valued at about £300,000 rebuild cost (About £50,000 more than property market value).

Same period, freehold property house in Brighton with similar size garden etc would have a property market value of easily 3 or 4 times that.

My Mum lives in East Dulwich - her combined insurance is around £900 per year for a 3 bed Period terrace.

Area and age/value of house impacts on premiums

 

[Balders]

Try Policy Expert, ours is up for renewal a larger house than yours but £266. Up from £196 last year. I tried the comparison sites and it still comes out as a reasonable quote. We had a claim 3 years ago.

Absolute charlatans - had the misfortune of having a claim kicked out by them, which the Ombudsman eventually overturned after a few months later.

They will lob out anything for the smallest thing and they only insure you if you are incredibly low risk. If you look at firstly the number of claims referred to the Ombudsman, that in itself is pretty high, but the percentage of those that the Ombudsman overrules is very high when compared to other Insurers....

 

[Thunder Bolt]

It’s relative. I live in a very low property value area in Norfolk compared to SE, especially Brighton.

For the equivalent property in Brighton, my buildings insurance would be much higher ( currently my 2 bed semi house is valued at about £300,000 rebuild cost (About £50,000 more than property market value).

Same period, freehold property house in Brighton with similar size garden etc would have a property market value of easily 3 or 4 times that.

My Mum lives in East Dulwich - her combined insurance is around £900 per year for a 3 bed Period terrace.

Area and age/value of house impacts on premiums

Newhaven is the cheapest in the area.

 

[Bodian]

I’m up the hill about 100 feet above sea level! I hope they’re not lumping all BN9 properties together!

I'm just a smidgen under 200 metres from the 'sea' (sand and mud in reality) as the crow flies, and so last year they tried to claim I was therefore a 'flood risk'. It took me a while to make them understand that I was only at risk from flooding from the sea if the tide rose by around 35 metres from the maximum height it's ever been before.

That’s all well and good, but are your locks BS3968 part 2 section 3a subsection iii compliant?

Yes, both front and back door are brand new in the last two years!

I'm not quite sure whom is whooshing who here...!

Mine went up by 20% in February so I shopped around and got better cover for a very slightly lower cost. Unfortunately you have to do that every year as they othwerise just rack their prices up.

Did you tell them exactly how many bricks would be needed to rebuild it? I assume you have counted them?

 

[Super Steve Earle]

I'm just a smidgen under 200 metres from the 'sea' (sand and mud in reality) as the crow flies, and so last year they tried to claim I was therefore a 'flood risk'. It took me a while to make them understand that I was only at risk from flooding from the sea if the tide rose by around 35 metres from the maximum height it's ever been before.




I'm not quite sure whom is whooshing who here...!



Did you tell them exactly how many bricks would be needed to rebuild it? I assume you have counted them?

I think you mean who is whooshing whom? Or am I being whooshed...

 

[Super Steve Earle]

Insurance wise, I pay £35 pm through NatWest. Unlimited buildings and £100k+ Contents. All whistles and bells with accidental damage on a 3 bed semi. A lot of 'qualiity' insurers aren't on comparison websites.

 

[Bodian]

I think you mean who is whooshing whom? Or am I being whooshed...

Yes - you're right. I actually put that, and then changed it for some inexplicable reason....

 

[Nitram]

Absolute charlatans - had the misfortune of having a claim kicked out by them, which the Ombudsman eventually overturned after a few months later.

They will lob out anything for the smallest thing and they only insure you if you are incredibly low risk. If you look at firstly the number of claims referred to the Ombudsman, that in itself is pretty high, but the percentage of those that the Ombudsman overrules is very high when compared to other Insurers....

Sorry to hear that, my experience of making a claim through them was the total opposite, paid out with no hassle after storm damage to a wall.

 

[South Stand Bonfire]

I'm just a smidgen under 200 metres from the 'sea' (sand and mud in reality) as the crow flies, and so last year they tried to claim I was therefore a 'flood risk'. It took me a while to make them understand that I was only at risk from flooding from the sea if the tide rose by around 35 metres from the maximum height it's ever been before.




I'm not quite sure whom is whooshing who here...!



Did you tell them exactly how many bricks would be needed to rebuild it? I assume you have counted them?

Unfortunately I ran out of digits at 21

 

[bhafc99]

Making an assumption here, but if you're over 50 you could try Saga, their rates are usually good

Assumption? I thought you had to be over 50 to sign up to NSC?