Category: Archive

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 bonafide 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. Remember to make sure that your Gas Certificates are up to date (every 12 months) as this will be a requirement under all Buy to Let policies.

Those of you that have short term holiday let properties should ensure that during the time that the properties are not let that they are adequately heated still. It is a requirement under the Un-Occupancy endorsement in your policy to maintain the temperature at 10 Degrees or above and we may still have a sharp cold snap !

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.

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.

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 .

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 .

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.

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.