Highhouse Insurance

Buildings Insurance

Building in UK
Buildings Insurance for the UK

Buildings insurance covers the structure, fixtures and fittings such as the walls, roof, floors, ceilings, doors, windows, bathroom suites and fitted kitchens, generally speaking anything fixed to the property. This may also include outdoor buildings, fixtures and fittings such as garages, sheds, greenhouses, boundary walls. This is not standard to all insurers so please check with them to ensure they offer the level of cover you require.

Assessing the buildings sum insured for house building insurance
When assessing how much your building sum insured should be, this should NOT be based on the market value of the property but rather the rebuild value of the property itself. Market value includes the cost of the land which in proportion to the value of the building can vary greatly and Insurance policies take all types of risk into account.
For building insurance usually the highest risk is a complete property rebuild. The land proportion of this is very rarely affected and it is often far cheaper to completely rebuild the property, therefore it is advisable to make sure you have a sufficient buildings sum insured to cover the rebuild cost of the property. When assessing the rebuild value there are a number of ways this can be obtained:

1. The first is on your home survey/ buyers report when you purchased the house, however if this is a few years old then the rebuild value should be reassessed. If you have just purchased your home then the rebuild value should be on your mortgage valuation.

2. Get a chartered surveyor to produce a report for you.

3. Use an online home insurance buildings calculator. The Association of British Insurers has an online calculator in association with the Building Cost Information Service (http://abi.bcis.co.uk). It is also important to remember that whenever you have an extension or work done to your property that increases the building sum insured such as an extension, that you incorporate this into your buildings cover. You should also notify your insurer whenever you have any structural work done so they can advise whether this will affect your policy during or after work being done on your property. If insurers are not made aware of an extension such as an extra room being added then your insurance may cover you should you need to make a claim.

Should you require buildings insurance then Highhouse can provide you with a free quote and we offer discount when you combine your buildings and contents covering all the usual perils as well as accidental damage. Our own property policies are underwritten at Lloyds of London and  we issue our own polices “in house” noting lenders interests if required and we can have you on cover, with the documents over to you, your solicitor or lender, in most cases on the same day.

What is home insurance

Pic of home to help illustrate what is home insurance and what does home insurance cover
What is home insurance

What is Home Insurance

Household Insurance, although not a legal requirement is one of the most important expenses any house owner should incur. So what is home insurance? The range of perils and liabilities a Home Insurance policy covers in proportion to the annual premium paid offers the best ‘value for money insurance policy’  and should never be overlooked.

The ultimate cost of not having Home Insurance in place is that you lose everything! A house fire or flood can destroy a lifetimes worth of saving, security and personal belongings in just a few hours without warning. Household insurance policies often include, as standard, legal liability to protect against damages from an accident at the property resulting in bodily injury to someone or damages to their property that you may become liable for. If you have a mortgage or loan on the property, to protect their financial interest the lender will often require you to have buildings insurance in place for the duration of the loan and with their interest noted on the policy as well.

What does home insurance cover?

A good home insurance policy will cover, permanent structures, land you own and offer the option to add contents and other all risks cover.

Standard benefits should include cover against:

  1.  Fire, Lightning, Explosion, Earthquake
  2.  Aircraft and other flying devices
  3.  Storm, Flood or Weight of snow
  4.  Riots, Strikes and Malicious damage or behaviour
  5.  Subsidence or Heave of the site or Landslip
  6.  Theft or attempted theft
  7.   Collision by vehicles or animals
  8.  Falling trees, Lamp-posts or Telegraph poles
  9.  Escape of water from fixed water tanks, apparatus or pipes

When going through questions with an insurer before taking out a policy you should be open, honest and answer all questions in full. For example, you will be asked whether the property to be covered has ever had subsidence, landslip or heave. If you have experienced any of these you should disclose this to the insurer otherwise the insurance could become invalid.

Within our set of home guides we offer advice on how to reduce your home insurance by highlighting some of the factors that insurers take into account when accessing the risk of a property or tips on how to obtain cheaper house and building insurance by combining buildings and contents or increasing voluntary excess.

If you require a home insurance quote then Highhouse can quote for standard home insurance, listed building, thatched roof or flats (including blocks) and tenement flats in Scotland.

Our  policies offer cover for both buildings and contents against standard perils as well as accidental damage should you require it and you only pay for the level of cover needed. Discounting is also available for no claims, combining both your buildings and contents or if you take out several policies with us. To contact us for a quote call us directly on 01243 606552 or fill in our quote form and we will contact you to discuss your requirements and provide a free quote.

Highhouse Home Insurance Definitions

Insurance definitions used in word cloud
Insurance definitions

Home Insurance Definitions

Wherever the following words appear in this insurance they will have the meanings shown below.

You / your / insured The person or persons named in the schedule and all members of their family who permanently live in the home.

We / us / our Certain Underwriters at Lloyd’s.

Schedule The schedule is part of this insurance and contains details of you, the premises, the sums insured, the period of insurance and the sections of this insurance which apply.

Endorsement A change in the terms and conditions of this insurance.

Period of insurance The length of time for which this insurance is in force, as shown in the schedule and for which you have paid and we have accepted a premium.

Standard construction Built of brick, stone or concrete and roofed with slates, tiles, metal or concrete.

Buildings

  • the home and its decorations
  • fixtures and fittings attached to the home
  • permanently installed swimming pools, tennis courts, drives, patios and terraces, walls, gates and fences and fixed fuel tanks you own or for which you are legally liable within the premises named in the schedule.

Premises The address which is named in the schedule.

Home The private dwelling of standard construction and the garages and outbuildings used for domestic purposes at the premises shown in the schedule.

Bodily injury Bodily injury includes death or disease.

Sanitary ware Washbasins, sinks, bidets, lavatory pans and cisterns, shower trays, shower screens, baths and bath panels.

Occupant you or persons authorised by you to stay in the home overnight.

Contents Household goods and personal property, within the home, which are
your property or which you are legally liable for.
Contents includes:

  • tenant’s fixtures and fittings
  • radio and television aerials, satellite dishes, their fittings and masts which are attached to the home
  • property in the open but within the premises up to £250 in Total (other than radio and television aerials, satellite dishes, their fittings and masts which are attached to the home)
  • money and credit cards up to £300 in total
  • deeds and registered bonds and other personal documents up to £1,500 in total
  • stamps or coins forming part of a collection up to £1,250 in total
  • gold, silver, gold and silver plated articles, jewellery and furs up to 35% of the sum insured for contents (10% of the sum insured for contents for any one item) within the private dwelling
  • domestic oil in fixed fuel oil tanks up to £1,000
  • office equipment up to £5,000 or 20% of the sum insured for contents whichever is the less, within the home

Content does NOT include:

  • motor vehicles (other than garden machinery) caravans, trailers or watercraft or their accessories
  • any living creature
  • any part of the buildings
  • any property held or used for business purposes other than as defined under office equipment
  • any property insured under any other insurance.

Office Equipment Computers and home office equipment belonging to you and used in
conjunction with your business at the home.
Office equipment does NOT include:

  • loss of magnetism or corruption of data
  • compensation for you not being able to use the computer or any equipment following loss or damage
  • equipment more specifically insured by any otherinsurance.
  • the cost of reconstituting any lost or damaged data
  • any business stock or money held for business purposes
  • equipment being confiscated or repossessed
  • loss or damage to computer software, software tapes / discs / CD Roms and any data stored

Valuables Valuables includes

  • jewellery
  • furs
  • gold, silver, gold and silver plated articles
  • pictures.

which are your property or which you are legally responsible for.

Personal possessions Clothing, baggage, sports equipment and other similar items
normally carried about the person and all of which belong to you
Personal possessions does NOT include:

  • money and credit cards
  • pedal cycles.

Money

  • current legal tender, cheques, postal and money orders
  • postage stamps not forming part of a stamp collection
  • savings stamps and savings certificates, travellers’ cheques
  • premium bonds, luncheon vouchers and gift tokens all held for private or domestic purposes.

Credit cards • credit cards, charge cards, debit cards, bankers cards and cash dispenser cards

United Kingdom The ‘United Kingdom’ will include England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands, and journeys between these countries.

Europe ‘Europe’ will include:

  • all Mediterranean Islands;
  • all countries with a Mediterranean shoreline;
  • the Canary Islands;
  • Madeira;

and journeys between these countries.

Terrorism any act(s) of any person(s) or organisation(s) involving

  • • the causing, occasioning or threatening of harm of whatever nature and by whatever means
  • • putting the public or any section of the public in fear in circumstances in which it is reasonable to conclude that the purpose(s) of the person(s) or organisation(s) concerned are wholly or partly of a political, religious, ideological or similar nature.

Excess the amount payable by you in the event of a claim.

Highhouse Insurance/Highhouse The insurance intermediary that arranged this insurance on your
behalf and to whom all correspondence should be addressed.

Get A Free Quote

Office Insurance

Office Insurance Key Benefits

If your after a simple surgery or office insurance policy that takes into account all the risks for a comprehensive package then look no further. At Highhouse we have been working closely with large and specialist insurance companies to put together a comprehensive list of office insurance policies each chosen for their excellent value or particular requirements. To save you time and money just tell us your business and insurance requirements and staff at Highouse can identify the best products at the best prices for you. Main advantages for many of our policies include:

  • No claims bonuses
  • All risks cover that can be extended to include options such as: -Accidental damage -Buildings cover -Theft by employees -Products and public liability -Employers liability -Business interruption -Loss of Metered Water -Loss of Money -Theft of keys -Damage to property at exhibitions -Computer breakdown
  • Multi location policies
  • Upto £10,000,000 sum insured for any one location
  • Monthly installment payments by direct debit

Professional Indemnity

Professional Indemnity Key Benefits

  • Experienced staff & Underwriters with access to an extensive range of markets.
  • We are able to cover Professional Indemnity Insurance across Europe.
  • Speak directly to staff and underwriters – No automated phone service.

Professional Indemnity Insurance Explained

What is professional Indemnity Insurance?
Professional Indemnity Insurance, sometimes known as Professional Liability Insurance is there to protect businesses or sole trading professionals whose occupation is to offer advice, knowledge or skills and offers protection for possible claims against them in circumstances where general liability insurance wouldn’t cover. Professionals are advised to have PI insurance to protect them in the case of a claim made against them by a client or third party for things such as negligence, breach of confidentiality, wrong advice or mistakes made in relation to the services provided and will cover the legal costs and damages up to the limit of the insurance policy.
Do I need professional Indemnity Insurance?
If you are in the business or giving advice, offering know-how or skills then YES is the simple answer. There are many professions whose authoritative body usually requires them to have PI Insurance in place before they can offer their services and for certain professions it is a legal requirement including Solicitors, Lawyers, accountants and financial advisers. You should however seriously consider getting PI insurance if your business offers a professional service that includes giving advice to clients or you are in a position where you handle confidential information or copyrighted material that belongs to third party. In a time where businesses are looking for areas to cut their overheads and improve their overall balance sheet this is one business expense that no profession should consider avoiding in order to cut costs. The legal costs alone would be enough to put many small businesses into liquidation and single cases can run on for a substantial amount of time. A claim could be made against you or your business out of the blue for an error of judgment, or wrong advice that the claimant considers has lead to a loss of business as a result. This maybe for advice given in the past for previous services offered and something you may not be expecting. Whether the claim against you or your business has a strong case or not you will still need to fight your corner and usually with considerable legal costs involved. Professional Indemnity insurance is there to pay all reasonable running costs allowing you to focus all your energies on defending your case. Should however you lose the case PI Insurance will also pay any compensation costs due up to the agreed limit on the policy. It is advisable to keep all client work, advise given and anything related well documented so that if needs be a court can gauge an accurate visual account of your dealings with that client and would also have a positive reflection on your professionalism. Good records will also help you to remember things that could be used in your defense and provide the ammunition needed to build a stronger case and give your legal team more to work with.
What do I need to consider for PI Insurance?
Before looking for PI Insurance you should understand your profession and the nature of the industry your business operates in first. It is important to be as risk averse when assessing the level of cover you may need, for example what kind of claims could be made against you? Research and find out about previous cases in the media and within your industry, what levels of compensation were paid out? Don’t limit your indemnity below the levels of compensation that you know have been paid out in in the past and remember that past examples are there as a guideline only and future cases could be considerably more. You need to look internally at your business, who are your clients?, what is their turnover?, the size and nature of your contract with these clients?, are you handling sensitive information? what is the size of a potential claim that could be made against you? For a comprehensive Professional Indemnity Policy look no further than Highouse Insurance. We compare insurers and can tailor a policy to meet your exact needs whilst offering a competitive quote.

Insurance Matters February 2012

The Spring is nearly here, however, it is still cold and wet so all property owners need to keep an eye on their roofs. Loose and missing slates and tiles may mean that water is getting into the roof area. Arranging for a professional to put back any loose or missing slates or tiles is much cheaper than the repairing or replacing of roof timbers! These are simple protective measures which if undertaken regularly, can save a great deal of time and trouble later by avoiding burst pipes, the expensive repairs and also the declination of claims due to failure to maintain your property and or ‘gradual ingress of water’.

Burst pipes are also a problem in the cold weather and the cost and inconvenience immense so follow the following easy steps:

– Make sure that the boiler and heating system is serviced regularly and check that the thermostat is working correctly.
– Make sure you know where and how to turn off the water supply.
– Check the insulation on your water pipes and cold water tank- those in the attic or vulnerable spaces should be lagged or similarly protected.
– Make sure any external taps are turned off and disconnect hoses.

If you discover a frozen pipe, don’t wait for it to burst! Turn off your water supply and slowly thaw the affected pipe by introducing gentle heat to the area, such as using a hairdryer, space heater, hot water bottle! Do not try to thaw the pipe with a blow torch or other flame, as this can lead to disastrous results!

If the pipe does burst, turn off the water supply at the stopcock and but a bucket under the leak, do not use the electrics if you believe them to be affected. There are devices available that do detect excessive water flow and will shut off the supply immediately and automatically.

Is your property unoccupied? If so:
– Keep the property heated to reduce the chance of a pipes freezing
– If the premises will be unoccupied for some time, drain down the water system and shut off the water
– Ask someone to check on the property daily. This may not prevent a loss but early signs of a leak may ultimately help to reduce the cost of the damage.
– Don’t forget to advise your broker if the property is unoccupied for more than 30 day, or any claim may simply not be paid.

If you are in any doubt and need guidance and FREE advice you can contact Highhouse Insurance Services Limited as we would be delighted to help you on 0845 230 1477.

Insurance Matters March 2011

The cold weather is abating and at last the first signs of spring are here. This is the time for the spring cleaning to commence. But be careful how you handle things! Most Home Insurance policies will exclude damage during the cause of cleaning, so take particular care with fragile items.

You may also be considering getting a gardener or domestic help at this time of year, and most policies do cover your liabilities towards these people as ‘domestic servants’, however, this is purely towards any accident that they may have in your premises and covers your negligence only.

Be sure that those people that you employ to do the odd jobs for you have their own Public Liability cover in place. Remember that if they are trustworthy and bona fide, they should have this cover in place and be able to show you a copy of their Liability Schedule. It is normal for them to have a minimum of £1,000,000 cover to cover their accidents or mishaps! It does not cover faulty workmanship, and nor does your Home Insurance Policy. Choose who you use with care.

Those of you that let properties, also have a duty to employ only bona fide contractors to complete the works for you, as you owe your tenants a ‘Duty Of Care’, so make sure that you check the Liability cover and work on good recommendations, just in case.

It is important in these hard trading times to keep overheads to a minimum, but don’t feel that Insurance is one of those areas to trim down. Make sure that you are insured for the full value of the stock and traded fixtures and fittings, as should there be a claim, then the claim will be settled on ‘Average’. Average means that if you insure your stock for half the amount you should have, then you will receive from the insurers half the value of the damaged stock etc. This could mean the difference of sinking or surviving should a claim occur.

We hope that this information is of use to you, and that you are enjoying the harbingers of spring.

Highhouse Insurance Services Limited will be more than willing to give Free Advice and guidance on all property and business insurances, just call us directly on 0845 230 1477 .

Insurance Matters January 2011

Well Christmas has been and gone and the Christmas decorations stowed away for another year. The government have also given us all a good start to the year with the increase in Insurance Premium Tax from the 6th January 2011. The rate of tax has increased by 1% from 5% to 6% from this date. What this means is that any insurance policy renewed after the 6th January 2011 will have the new 6% imposed on their premiums by the insurers.

We are hoping that this increase will not see stealth premium increases by the insurers! So make sure that any increases are just 1% in this soft insurance market, it is not anticipated to see considerable increases in premiums in the short term. If you would like a free and competitive quotation then please call us.

January is the time when we are looking towards and booking our annual holidays, a lot of people these days have annual travel insurance with their bank accounts or credit cards. Whilst this seems a very good deal, please be sure that you tell them if you have any pre-existing health conditions and also check the age limits for these policies. The cover normally offered is not as good as that which can be purchased via local insurance brokers for as little as £12 a month for the whole family! The only time you get to know of quality of these added value travel insurance products, is when you need to make a claim. Always check the cover limits, as you could be delayed due to the weather conditions and receive just £20 for the first 12 hours and £10 an hour for every 12 hours thereafter to a maximum of just £120! This happened to me recently when I was stranded abroad for 5 days, at least it paid for the curled up sandwich and bottle of water at the airports exorbitant prices! Remember that any airline including budget carriers have a responsibility to you once they have booked you in for the flight.

For our Business Partners, keeping pathways and entrances clear of snow and slip hazards is more than ever important at this time of year. Unfortunately, slips and trips can happen, particularly when there is snow and ice on the ground. You have a responsibility to offer a duty of care to ensure that your staff, services users or visitors to your organisation or premises are safe.

You should take actions that are ‘reasonable in the circumstances’. this can include ensuring that entrances and exits routes are clear and kept free of anything that may cause a person to slip, and take preventative measures such as clearing and gritting paths. It is not necessary to ensure that each and every available path is immediately cleared as long as there is at least one safe route to access the building. Clearly the timing and the extent of any snow fall is relevant. Whilst it might not be reasonable for paths to be cleared during heavy snow falls, the longer the snow and ice remains on the ground after the fall has ceased, the greater the likelihood of it being considered reasonable for some attempt to clear it to be made.

We hope that this information is of use to you, and that you weather the cold long days and look forward to the spring. Highhouse Insurance Services Limited will be more than willing to give Free Advice and guidance on all property and business insurances, just call us directly on 0845 230 1477 .

Insurance Matters December 2010

Christmas is nearly here, and so too are those that prey on property owners during this time. You need to be extra vigilant at this time of year, with money being short and expectations high, this is a prime time for burglaries.

This is also a time where you need to be aware that an extended Christmas break away, could see you with NO insurance cover! Most policies have what is called an ‘Unoccupancy Clause’. This clause restricts some of the cover under your policy if you are away for a period of time (normally 30days). If you are planning on an extended holiday during this period, read your policy and the exclusions very carefully. If you are in any doubt, then contact your Insurance Broker for clarity.

When we have completed our Christmas shopping, battled with the wrapping paper and disobedient sticky tape and placed the gifts under the tree, the larder and cupboards are full of Christmas Cheer, we feel that we have achieved….. but what happens if someone breaks in a steals the gifts and Christmas fare?

Most insurance policies will have an automatic uplift of 10% for the Christmas period, if this is not the case, please ensure that your contents insurance is adequate for your requirements. If they are not, then ensure that you contact your ensure too increase the sum insured as necessary.

All your garden tools and machinery are neatly packed away for the winter, but are they still there? Check periodically the safety of these items and ensure that Garden Sheds, Garages and storage areas are well secured and locked and check that they are still there!

It is common now to adorn our homes with festive lights and novelties, make sure that you have extended your Buildings cover to include Accidental Damage cover should you put your foot through the roof! Ensure that the lights that you are using do not cause a fire hazard with worn wiring and overloading the household circuits, or indeed in some cases the National Grid!!

For our Business Partners, please ensure that the Stock Cover is increased for the festive session and that the cash limits under your insurance cover are adequate for the trading period.
With the wet weather, please make sure that all slippery surfaces are clearly marked for your customers, and perhaps provide temporary storage for wet umbrellas by your doors.

Shop Lifting and pilfering is rife at this time, so train your staff in the correct way of dealing and spotting this activity, and importantly, to have the local Police telephone number easily accessible.
Most importantly, make sure that you have cover in place for Public and Employers Liability. If you are in any doubt and need advice or guidance, Please do not hesitate to contact us on 0845 230 1477.

There is one final thing to mention here, and probably the most important thing and that is :-

From all of us at Highhouse Insurance Services Limited, we would like to thank our customers for their custom during 2010 and Wish everyone a safe, claim free and Happy Christmas and New Year.

Insurance Matters – November 2010

Well the year is flashing past and it is November already, this is a time when you have to look after your property to ensure that it survives the winter onslaught.

We had the hardest and longest winter in 30 years last winter that caused a record number of domestic household claims with burst pipes, water leaks and general water damage.

You need to be prepared, as there are some claims that are just not covered under your household policy!…. damage caused by ‘lack of maintenance and repair’ being the most common repudiation of claims.

Just because your flat roof leaks as a result of heavy rain, or that water seeps through your walls as a result of a damaged or blocked rainwater pipe, does not mean that your insurers will consider this to be a valid claim!

To protect yourselves from this potential and common damage, it is easy to prevent by taking the following measures:-
– Ensure that all fallen leaves are cleared from gutters, drains and that the drain pipe is clear at the roof level. Some people put a tennis balls in the top of their drain pipes to stop the debris falling down the pipes and they rise when the water level in the gutter rises, however, more often than not they get stuck! This causes more damage to the property than it prevents.
– Ensure that all outside taps are turned off from an isolator in the property, or wrapped on the outside with insulation, as simply as a carrier bag full of newspaper to stop the water in the tap and pip from freezing in low temperatures.
– Ensure that the lagging of pipes in loft areas are in place and in good order, especially if you have loft area insulation which will lower the temperature in the loft area and may in cold weather cause the pipes to freeze and burst.
– If you have a flat roof, you should ensure that it is maintained in good order and inspected on a regular basis, the average life of a normal felt flat roof is 15 years, so if it does need replacing, then you should consider doing this and perhaps using the newer plastic coverings that are now available that have a ‘lifetime’ guarantee.
– Ensure that paths and decking is kept clean of algae and leaves, as slips do occur and visitors with visitor coming onto your premises, you should take care of their safety.
– Fireworks!! Be really careful when you set off fireworks from your premises, have consideration to your property and those around you, particularly where you are close to Thatched Properties.
– Chinese Lanterns, these are especially dangerous in an area where there are a number of Thatched and non standard construction buildings. DO NOT USE THEM. The fuel that is carried by them is enough to set a property alight if it should land on them.

We hope that this information is of use to you, and that you enjoy November and the firework festivities, and look forward to a claim free Christmas ahead.

Highhouse Insurance will be more than willing to give Free Advice and guidance on property insurance, just call us directly on 0845 230 1477 and speak to us.