Category: Home Guides

Cheaper home insurance

Save Money on Insurance Premiums

Cheaper Home Insurance Premiums

Home insurance is a very competitive market and generally  in return for the value of the risk covered, most premiums offer very good value. There are however certain things that can be done to reduce premiums further.

Reduce Home Insurance

Obtaining a quote for your property will have been based on your unique set of circumstances. Making your circumstances more favourable to insurers will reduce their perception of the risk and any loads that have been put on your premium could be reduced or removed.

  1. Check your property meets modern security standards-
    Insurers base their premiums on the level of risk they feel they are covering. By conforming to modern security standards and making your home as safe and secure as possible insurers will usually discount their premium. It is important to ensure that all windows and doors have locks. External doors should have five-lever mortise deadlocks (British Standard BS3621) and all accessible windows should have key-operated windows locks. Fire alarms are essential in your home whether you insure your house or not. However insurers will often ask whether you have these and may incorporate this into the premium.
  2. Fit fire alarms and reduce fire associated risks-
    Fire alarms are essential for your own safety and can sometimes reduce your home insurance, remember however if you state you have them, you must remember to keep them in working order or this may invalidate your insurance if subjected to a claim.
  3. Have an alarm installed-
    Having a Burglar or intruder alarm, especially those that are NACOSS- approved will install great confidence with insurers and an area where you are likely to be able to reduce the premium by going above and beyond the minimum security requirements.
  4. Maintain trees close to the property-
    If you have trees or shrubs over several metres high within 3 metres of the property it will usually be an insurance requirement that these trees are maintained. Also always employ a qualified professional to remove or maintain trees and shrubs as accidents caused by maintenance are not often covered under standard policies.
  5. Install a safe for high-value items-
    If you have and list high value possessions such as jewellery on your insurance policy then it is usually worth having a safe installed. There are sometimes good discounts available for doing this and should pay for itself in time as well as provide that extra piece of mind for both you and your insurer.
  6. Join a neighbourhood watch-
    Becoming part of a neighbourhood watch can sometimes reduce the premium offered by an insurer although the discount for this will usually be very small if any. The real benefit of joining such a scheme is the knowledge and advice offered by such a committee which in turn may decrease the chances of you being burgled and thus less likely to claim (maintaining a no claims bonus).

Finding cheaper  House and Buildings Insurance

There are many insurance companies offering a number of different insurance products for house and buildings insurance. Below are a few tips that will help you to make savings which can affect premiums when choosing house insurance:

  1. You do not have to insure your property with your mortgage provider-
    It is not a legal requirement to have buildings insurance but mortgage lenders will often require it to be in place when you can take out a mortgage. They may offer you their own insurance policy so you can tie it neatly in with the mortgage seamlessly. However it is worth looking around as you may find other competitors to be far cheaper and offer a more comprehensive product.
  2. Compare the amount of excess applicable to the policy (the first amount you pay of any claim)
    Most insurance policies have a standard excess rate to deter policy holders from making claims for small items or incidents that are although covered under the policy and therefore claimable, are not really what the policy is intended for. The rate of excess an insurer requires can vary and when comparing what different policies have to offer, the excess rate is something that should be looked at. Some insurers offer low competitive annual rates for their product but they may set their standard excesses considerably high as well ! The excess can also vary depending on what a potential claim is related to, for example excess for subsidence is usually higher than for the standard excess for the rest of the policy. It’s always worth looking at the ‘small print’ when comparing insurer policies.
  3. Increase voluntary excess-
    You can make savings by increasing your excess voluntarily, most insurers give you this option and in return discount your premium. Note though that voluntary excesses are in addition to the insurer’s standard excess. So when you want to make a claim the total excess will be standard and voluntary excess added together.
  4. Combine buildings and contents-
    Insurers normally offer discount when you combine insurance cover together such as buildings with contents and also more convenient having a combined renewal date on a single policy. It is worth however, getting a quote for both insurance types together and separately as different insurers assess the risk differently and set their premiums accordingly.
  5. Insure only at the level needed-
    The key to finding the right insurance is to know exactly what you want to insure, the cover required and correct level to insure at. Many insurers can be quite flexible with their policies so it is to your advantage to know what values you want covered without estimating. This avoids paying higher premiums than necessary which on a year-on-year basis can soon add up.
  6. Give yourself time to look around for cover when choosing which house insurance-
    The insurance market is hugely competitive and each insurer will offer different benefits and premiums for their product. Look at your insurance needs as early as possible and if possible give yourself time to assess what insurers have to offer. It is important to not instantly go for the cheapest quote before assessing the quality of the policy they are offering. If possible ask for the associated policy wording and look at the ‘small print’. What will they cover you for?, what will they not cover you for?, what are the limitations and excesses for the cover? The cheapest cover isn’t necessarily the best value and important areas of cover are sometimes stripped down or removed completely to offer the premiums derived at. At the same time the most expensive premium quotes don’t necessarily offer the most comprehensive cover for your needs, look around and make sure the insurance quote you finalise offers you the best all round value whilst still covering all your specific needs. Although comparison websites profess to do the looking around for you, some insurers are not represented here, they offer cheaper quotations if you go to them directly, as they do not have to pay the comparison web sites for the introductions. Also, do not forget that your local high street insurance brokers are still there and offer good and personal service and can be cheaper than buying policies on line.
  7. Pay the premium in full-
    This is often cheaper than paying by direct debit on a monthly basis so it is often worth finding out the details of a direct debit alternative.

Home Insurance FAQ’s

Frequently Asked Questions

Every now and then we get asked questions that we feel should be answered but aren’t covered in our home guides. Since closing our forums we have moved the best questions into this section.

Q) Can I use my Homeowners Insurance on a theft from my car while it was parked at home?

A) There is cover for personal effects under the motor insurers for a small amount, however, depending on what has been stolen from the vehicle, will be dependent on the cover provided by the home insurer. For example the theft of a laptop from an unattended vehicle is not normally covered.

Q) Do you have to have a survey of your home to get homeowners insurance?

A) No having a survey is not a requirement, however, the survey may be helpful to establish the rebuilding costs of the property for insurance purposes.

Q) How often should I inspect the home for insurance purposes?

A) All homes should be checked at least once every 14 days if the property is unoccupied and a detailed itenery of visits maintained. There may be other cover restrictions that could apply and as such you should always refer to your policy.

Q) Are Home Foundation Repairs Covered by Home Insurance?

A) The repairs to foundations are included as a result of the insurable perils under the policy, such as Landslip/heave and subsidence. But not as a result of faulty workmanship.

Over Insurance and Under Insurance

Architect dicussing plans on a rebuild
Underinsurance can lead to not covering a full rebuild

When providing quotes for property insurance here at Highhouse we often come across enquiries where people are unsure about true values for either their buildings sum insured (BSI) or contents sum insured (CSI) and have never really taken stock of what assets they own and how much it would cost to replace everything in a worse case scenario such as a fire or flood, where everything could be damaged or lost.

When you guess or base your insurable values on inaccurate or incorrect figures, this can lead to either over insurance or underinsurance. The stresses and strain of having to deal with a worse case scenario and picking up the pieces for your family could be further worsened if you find yourself thousands of pounds out of pocket and unable to replace half of what is needed to start up again.

Underinsurance

Overinsurance

Contents Inventory Checklist

Download this article in pdf 

overinsurance-underinsurance-pdf-download

Under Insurance


Underinsurance is where the sums insured are inadequate and the insured will usually only become aware of this when it is too late and a claim has been made only to find out that the final settlement is far less than the accurate cost of replacing lost or damaged property. The sums insured for buildings should be the full value of a complete rebuild and remember that it is the maximum figure that the insurer will pay out.

An example of underinsurance for buildings is when a property rebuild value has increased because either renovation work and/ or extensions have been built or in the case of listed buildings, the cost of listed building materials have increased faster than the protective index-linked rate.

An example of underinsurance for contents is when the insured sets a CSI based on a blanket figure to take into account the cost of replacing big items they would like to have cover for such as fridge/ freezers, cookers, TV’s, computers, beds and basic furniture including carpets. This does however fail to take into account a true reflection of what may have to be replaced and its the smaller items such as smaller electrical appliances, DVD’s, CD’s, crockery, cutlery, pots and pans, curtains, blinds, mirrors, bed linen, clothing, ornaments and so on. By listing everything in a room and adding up their values, its amazing what the actual cost of replacing like for like really could be.

Tips on preventing becoming underinsured

  1. For Buildings – The sum insured should be the cost of a full rebuild which in the worse case scenario of a fire may include the cost of demolition, debris removal, architects fees, surveyors and legal fees and of course the rebuild itself.
  2. For Contents – go thoroughly through each room and note as many items as possible, creating a checklist with a full replacement value for each item, think of the worse case scenario and you had to replace everything and therefore you want to have the correct sums to be able to do this. Remember to include contents from the garden and outbuildings and create a list that can be reused or changed to make the process of updating easier in the future. We have put together a sample checklist later in this guide to help get you started.
  3. Heirloom items, antiques, jewellery, fine arts and other expensive items should be correctly evaluated by properly qualified valuers to their full market or current market value depending on the piece and be aware of any market trends that may affect their value.
  4. Where an insurance company will not dispute you owning a washing machine or television in the spare bedroom, they may however require evidence of ownership or proof of existence for more expensive ‘specified items’ like jewellery or antiques. Keeping photographic evidence and as much proof of ownership as you can in a safe place will help, should a claim arise in the future. Ideally a backup of proof should be safely stored away from the property in case of a fire where all evidence could be lost as well.
  5. Don’t take out insurance and then forget about any endorsements or exclusions that have been applied to the policy. For example some insurers apply a safe clause endorsement for specified items such as rings or necklaces and will not cover theft of jewellery from the home unless it is kept locked in a safe whilst not being worn.

Over Insurance

Overinsurance means the insured is paying too much for the cover required  and would save money by reevaluating the correct values. It is also possible you may have an item insured more than once under different types of policy such as home insurance and insurance cover through banks and credit cards.

An example of where a property might be over insured is where they have based their BSI on the market value of the property and not the rebuild cost which is usually less (except in circumstances such as some listed properties) as it excludes the value of the land the property is built on.

An Example of where contents might be overinsured is an evaluation of items that had a higher value a few years but have since gone down in price. Remember its not the price you paid for something that you are insuring but rather the cost of replacing it like for like and with advances in technology making appliances and devices cheaper, their cost to replace is also reducing.

Tips on preventing being overinsured

  1. Don’t guess or purposely evaluate an item to be worth more than it is especially to the extent where you think you would make a profit by doing this, insurance companies and in particular loss adjusters are very good at determining an accurate value of items and it is in your interest to do the same.
  2. Don’t do an evaluation of how much buildings and contents cost in the first year of insurance and then never do it again. It may be unrealistic to expect people to evaluate everything every year but remember that what you own collectively and insure in year 1 isn’t going to be the same as in year 10. For high value listed items on an insurance policy, you should keep the insurance company notified when you sell them, if they are damaged (but you don’t claim) or if their value has dropped significantly.
  3. Check that your possessions aren’t insured over several different policies. Banks these days often offer a premium service for monthly fee which may include phone and gadget insurance as well. Ideally it is not worth claiming for a phone or small electrical items as a singular claim on your home insurance because losing a no claims bonus and an increase in premium can out way the benefits of the claim in the long term. That said it is worth noting when items are insured and with whom because you may be paying for a separate phone insurance policy when you already have insurance with your bank.
  4. If you live in a flat and contribute towards a management company then make sure you don’t have duplicate cover with a single flat policy you have taken out and a block of flats policy taken out by the management company.

Contents Inventory Checklist


To aid in assessing your contents on a room by room basis we have provided a contents inventory checklist to help you get started:

Lounge Estimate
Total £
Carpets, rugs & curtains £
Three piece suite & chairs £
All furniture £
Pictures, mirrors, clocks & ornaments £
Tv, stereo & electricals £
Media like DVD’s, Cd’s £
Other Items:
£
£
Dining Room Estimate
Total £
Carpets, rugs & curtains £
Table and chairs £
All other furniture £
Pictures, mirrors, clocks & ornaments £
Tv, stereo & electricals £
Media like DVD’s, Cd’s £
China, glass, crockery and cutlery  £
Other Items:
£
Kitchen Estimate
Total £
Curtains, blinds, rugs £
Cooker, microwave £
Washing machine, dishwasher, tumble dryer £
Pictures, clocks & ornaments £
Electrical appliances £
Pots, pans and other Utensils £
Knives, forks and crockery £
Refrigerator and freezers £
Refrigerator and freezer contents £
All Food and drink £
Tv’s & other electrical equipment £
Other Items:
£
£
Study Estimate
Total £
Carpets, rugs & curtains £
Desk, chair and furniture £
Computer and other hardware £
Books £
Tv, stereo & electricals £
Pictures, mirrors, clocks & ornaments £
Other Items:
£
£
Bedrooms Bedroom 1 Bedroom 2 Bedroom 3 Bedroom 4
Total £ £ £ £
Carpets, rugs & curtains £ £ £ £
Beds and bed linen £ £ £ £
Bedroom furniture £ £ £ £
Electrical items £ £ £ £
Tv, stereo & other electricals £ £ £ £
Pictures, Mirrors, Clocks & Ornaments £ £ £ £
Clothing, shoes, toys, personal items £ £ £ £
Other Items: £ £ £ £
£ £ £ £
£ £ £ £
Bathrooms Bathroom 1 Bathroom 2 Bathroom 3 Bathroom 4
Total £ £ £ £
Floor coverings, rugs and blinds £ £ £ £
Furniture £ £ £ £
Pictures, mirrors, clocks & ornaments £ £ £ £
Other Items: £ £ £ £
£ £ £ £
£ £ £ £
Hall, stairs, landing and conservatory Estimate
Total £
Carpets, rugs & curtains £
Three piece suite & chairs £
All Furniture £
Pictures, mirrors, clocks & ornaments £
Phone and other electrical items £
Household items £
Other Items:
£
£
Garage, outbuildings, loft, cellar and garden Estimate
Total £
Lawnmowers, strimmers etc £
Other garden tools £
DIY tools, drills, saws and sanders £
Garden furniture, statues, bbq £
Other Items:
£
£
Specified items and valuables Estimate
Total £
Jewellery £
Watches £
Gold, silver, gold and silver plated £
furs £
Pictures £
Pedal Cycles £
Other Items:
£
£
Area of property Estimate
Total £
Lounge £
Dining £
Kitchen £
Study £
Bedrooms £
Bathrooms £
Hall, stairs and conservatory
Garage, outbuildings, loft and garden £

Invasive Plants, Weeds and the Homeowner

  • ragwort-invasive-weed
    Ragwort - An invasive weed in the UK

There has been a lot written recently about Japanese Knot weed and the damage it can cause to homeowners property but many people do not realise that there are several hundred invasive plants in the UK including Japanese knotweed, giant hogweed and Himalayan balsam .

These plants are non-native to the United Kingdom  and you are forbidden from growing them under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. Details of this Act can be found by reading the Guidance on section 14 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981.

These plants have been brought in to the United Kingdom and can cause damage to both health and the economy.

A good list of plants that are on the list can be found in Schedule 9 Part 2 of the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981

It is a criminal offence to plant or cause to grow a non-native invasive species that is listed on Schedule 9 in the wild which carries penalties of up to £5,000 fine and/or 2 years imprisonment.

The key point top the above statement is in the wild, homeowners who discover an invasive species on their property should of course seek assistance in the best ways of controlling the plant to prevent spreading.

Injurious weeds are native species, which cause problems for farming. They are harmful to livestock and must not be allowed to spread to agricultural land.

The Weeds Act 1959 is an Act of Parliament in the UK which aims to control the spread of injurious types of weed, namely Broad Leaved Dock, Common Ragwort, Creeping Thistle, Curled Dock and Speared Thistle.

Broad Leaved Dock is a common plant found in the UK and can produce up to 60,000 seeds each year, flowering between June and October. The seeds may even survive in the soil for up to 50 years.

Curled Dock is found mainly in meadows, dunes, wasteland and dry soil, producing 3000 to 4000 seeds per year. It contains high levels of oxalic acid which can be dangerous to livestock.

Creeping Thistle is commonly found in grassland and grows up to a metre in height, flowering between July and September. It is very difficult to remove due to its large root system and often prevents the growth of other crops by releasing a natural biocide into the soil.

Spear Thistle is found in pastures and along roadsides and is easily spread by vehicles as they pass by. It can eliminate other crops.

Ragwort can grow up to a metre in height and can produce up to 150,000 seeds per plant. These seeds may survive up to 15 years in the soil. Ragwort is highly toxic to horses, cattle, goats, deer and pigs due to its high alkali concentration which can cause damage to the liver. Sheep are less affected, however, as the effect is cumulative, consumption could prove fatal in the long term.

The Weeds Act 1959 allows the Secretary of State for Environment, food and Rural Affairs to use measures to prevent the spread of these weeds on private land by means of enforcement. A notice may be served on the occupier of the land requiring him/her to take action to prevent these weeds from spreading within a specified time. The Act allows officials from the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) to enter the land to make an inspection to see whether the enforcement order has been complied with. If the occupier has not complied the Secretary of State may arrange for the weeds to be removed at the occupier’s expense.

As DEFRA does not have the resources to investigate all complaints, it may only investigate injurious weed complaints that fall into a high priority category. High priority is given to complaints where weeds are threatening land used for keeping livestock, land used for agricultural activities or to farmland used to produce conserved forage.

In cases where a complaint is made about the spread of injurious weeds to allotments or to private gardens, a high priority would not usually be given. The best solution in such cases is for the complainant to discuss the problem with the occupier of the land in question.

Flat Roof Home Insurance

Picture of a flat roof either being laid or repaired
Flat roofs and getting insurance

Flat Roof Home Insurance

Of all the features of a building that insurers deem to be of non-standard construction, by far the most ubiquitous is the flat roof, commonly seen on home building extensions the length and breadth of the country. Flat roofs form typically up to 25% of a roof area although some can be a lot higher, they are normally horizontal with a low pitch to help with drainage, a roof that is entirely flat may have a problem with water pooling which can lead to damage.
Flat Roofs have been in existence for hundreds of years all over the world including our own but it wasn’t until the 1950s with the introduction of the mineral felt covering that their usage became more prevalent.

Types of Flat Roof

Flats roofs are traditionally covered with either: Felt, Asphalt, Concrete, Fibreglass or Metal. In recent years, mainly in an attempt to improve their lifespan, materials which employ the use of plastics and rubber have been introduced. It is now also possible to buy various chemical treatments to help ensure water tightness.

Why is flat roof home insurance harder to obtain?

In simple terms, they have a tendency to leak, especially ones that have not being either correctly laid or maintained.

The majority of flat roofs in the United Kingdom are made of felt laid down on timber battens. This is a simple method of roofing, initially decking is laid down on the battens with the addition of a top layer of felt. If your roofing contractor knows his stuff, then three layers of felt should be added. The felt employed is pre-made and laid in strips, this type of covering is often confused with asphalt, which is laid on hot “hot roofing” and then covered with stones or chippings as an extra layer of protection. Flat felt roof covering will have a maximum life of between 10-15 years, possibly longer if it is coated with modern sealants.

A good deal of flat roofs are older than this and also unmaintained, building insurance companies know that these often have a propensity to leak causing damage to both buildings and contents. As well as problems with water ingress, a good deal of damage is caused by wind, getting in under the felt and causing it to lift. Cracking can be caused by exposure to the sun especially on roofs that face south although this damage can be minimised by a good covering of shingle.

For these reasons when buying building insurance, you will probably encounter a question asking;

  1. How much percentage of your roof is flat
  2. How old is the roof?
  3. When was the last time it was maintained?

At Highhouse insurance we are happy to offer insurance for buildings with flat roofs of varying sizes and we simply apply the following to our policy;

Flat and Felt Roof Clause

In respect of Section 1 – Buildings, (insured event 3) ‘Storm, flood or weight of snow’ – under ‘what is not covered’:

• the first £250 of every claim for loss or damage to flat & felt roofed areas of the buildings.
• flat and felt roofs which have not been recovered within the last 12 years.
• loss or damage arising as a result of water leaking through your flat & felt roof, unless the loss or damage is caused by an insured event

This is our normal clause, but clauses dealing with flat roofs can vary from insurer to insurer, some will require you to carry out regular maintenance checks and to have such checks recorded and any required remedial work carried out. Wherever you obtain your building insurance, always make sure you fully understand any terms or conditions, especially those relating to maintenance and upkeep. Regardless of insurance requirements, we recommend that you should have any flat roof area of your property checked by a builder or roofer at least every two years to ensure that they remain watertight. Any damage should be repaired and a builder will also make sure that the roof is still draining properly. Depending on your own ability, there are certain maintenance tasks you can carry out yourself. If the roof is quite low in height, say over a ground floor extension, once a year you can check that all guttering is free of leaves and detritus.

Obtaining Insurance

When proposing for building insurance, it’s important to have an accurate knowledge of the size of your flat roof, don’t guess at it, you will probably find a description within any survey documents that have been prepared for your property. Insurers treat flat roofs differently depending on their size and sometimes an alteration of a few percent can make the difference between a risk being acceptable or not. At Highhouse insurance we have extensive experience of dealing with insurance for flat roofs of all descriptions, we issue our own insurance polices “in house” noting lenders interests if required and we can have you on cover, with the documents over to you, lender or solicitor, in most cases on the same day.

If you require home insurance or advice for properties with flat roofs then give Highouse Insurance Services a call or simply fill in our quick contact form and we will call back- We look forward to receiving your enquiry.

Get A Free Property Quote

Getting flood insurance in flood risk areas

In future insuring a home in flood risk area could be more difficult
Home Insurance in flood risk area can be more difficult to insure.

Flood Insurance

Adequate flood insurance cover for a property can help reduce the financial consequences, stress and trauma that flooding can bring. Insurance industry data indicates that households at high flood risk pay around £340 on average for buildings and contents insurance (ABI 2011). This compares with between £20 – £30,000 for the average cost of damages after flooding.

There is currently an agreement between the Government and the insurance industry, called the Statement of Principles that obliges insurance companies to offer flood cover as part of standard policies in most cases. The agreement does not guarantee cover for some properties e.g. those that continue to have a significant risk of flooding and in all cases does not affect the price of insurance which remains a commercial decision for insurers. The existing agreement is due to expire on 30 June 2013.

After 30th June 2013 it is unlikely that these agreements will be maintained meaning that 1000’s of homes will be left to the mercy of the Insurers and their understanding.

Due to the fact that most insurers have limited data to a particular post code area, this could mean that properties that clearly are not in danger of flooding are ‘tarred with the same brush’ making them, to most Insurers, uninsurable.

This is a major problem for Home and property owners in these areas and could lead to properties being deemed as Uninsurable.
Highhouse Insurance Services Limited has access to data that is even more detailed than that of the Environment Agency and is able to assess the potential risk of surface and other flooding down to a 5 Meter Square grid.

We have tested this data over the past 12 months and this is proving to be a ‘Lifeline’ to people that would have potentially been trapped in the trap of not being able to afford or even get quotations from insurers for their properties.

As such, we are able to offer flood insurance for properties that have been declined due to potential risk of flooding by other Insurers working without this data and now released under the agreement that is in place to the 30th June 2013.

At Highhouse we issue our own polices “in house”  for property insurance, underwritten by Lloyds of London, 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. If you require a quote, please call our office on 01243 606552 or simply complete our online form for property insurance.

Get A Free Home Insurance Quote

Outbuilding and Shed Insurance Cover

Outbuilding and shed insurance cover
Outbuilding and shed insurance cover

These days most properties contain buildings that are external to the main building whether it’s a wood cabin, garage, greenhouse, Breeze House or just a garden shed. Factors such as the costs involved with moving have led to trends in people deciding to utilise their existing property and the space around it by building extensions or adding buildings such as log cabins to the surrounding ground. Outbuilding and shed insurance cover will usually be as standard on home policies but it is worth checking with insurers that this is the case.

Buildings that are not of standard construction are not normally covered under standard insurance policies….
When taking out a quote for home insurance, if you ask about insurance cover for such buildings they may make an exception providing full details are declared at the time and noted in your statement of insurance. For example thatched cottages and listed buildings sometimes have out buildings that are built with the same materials as the main property and some insurers are ok with this especially if the policy is designed for such circumstances such as thatched or listed building policies.

Contents in sheds and outbuildings
Most insurance policies have a standard level of cover for content that is either out in the open or stored in sheds and other out buildings up to a fixed amount which will vary from insurer to insurer.
Accidental damage does not normally extend to contents within garages and outbuildings but this is subjective to each insurer and is worth enquiring about with your insurer or if you are requiring a quote.

Flat roofs on out buildings
Insurers usually like to know if any part of the property contains a flat roof and what percentage of the overall property this represents, this extends to outbuilding and Shed Insurance Cover for garages, extensions and other out buildings. Flat roofs should be maintained more frequently than standard roofs, usually 10-12 years and is required under many standard insurance endorsements.
However advances in roofing materials means that some specialist roofing companies now offer their own insurance backed guarantees of longer periods which is more like 20 years or more and a quick internet search will help you find them if interested.

Get A Free Quote

Burglary prevention at Christmas

The build up to Christmas can be both exciting and stressful but imagine coming home one day and finding your property broken into and all the gifts you have bought or received gone.
The festive period is a prime time for burglars with properties being stocked with new unopened items of high value that are easier to sell on in their new and boxed condition, it is also a time when more people leave their homes unattended than usual to go on Christmas parties or to visit friends and relatives.
Opportunist thieves don’t need much to feel presented with a chance to steal and the season of goodwill can also be a time where people are more relaxed and don’t take the same security measures they may take when they go on holiday.

Most insurance policies will have an automatic uplift for contents of 10% for the Christmas period (we do here at Highhouse Insurance), if this is not the case, please ensure that your contents insurance is sufficient for your requirements. If they are not, then ensure that you contact your insurance to increase the sum insured as necessary.

Burglary prevention at Christmas

We have put together is a brief guide on various measures and general advice to help prevent your property from becoming a target.

Don’t leave gifts on display
Nothing feels more like Christmas than looking at a nicely decorated tree full of presents underneath. However having gifts on show, particularly in view from a window is also attractive to thieves. If possible hide all gifts until the day of opening and be equally stringent after they have been open. If you are going out or going away don’t leave them on show.

Festive outdoor lighting
Outdoor Christmas lights can act as a deterrent like any other outdoor lighting but can pose a potential risk if they are mains operated and need to be plugged in through a window. When possible buy lights where not only the lights are suitable for outdoor use but also the transformer or plug, then connect to an outdoor mains. Alternatively there are a large range of battery or solar outdoor lights available and have come on leaps and bounds since their first generation attempts.

Don’t publicly display any packaging
Councils these days are much tighter on rubbish and recyclable waste and some don’t allow you to put rubbish out beyond what will fit in the plastic bins or bags provided so the visibility of rubbish and recyclable goods isn’t as generally noticeable these days. However just after Christmas they generally are more relaxed and bins are overflowing, be careful not to display packaging, only put extra bags or boxes out on the day of collection or night before and when possible take what you can to a recycling centre. Don’t give potential thieves an idea of what they might find in your house.

The Christmas tree looks lovely by the window
A classic place for a beautifully lit Christmas tree is by a window with the curtains or blinds open so it can be visible to passers by and while I don’t want to destroy the spirit of Christmas it is also worth pointing out that not only the tree may be visible especially in the evening when the room is fully lit and the curtains aren’t drawn. The tree will also succeed in grabbing the attention of almost anyone that passes by so be careful in what else is visible should you decide to place it by a window especially when you are out.

Take basic home security measures.
This may appear in every article to do with home security but ensuring you have minimum securities in place where possible can never be understated. A third of burglars enter a property through a window so all ground floor and accessible windows should have key operated security locks which are kept shut and locked when the property is left empty.
Two thirds of burglars enter a property through a door so it is important to do what you can to make them as secure as possible. The minimum security standard for most home insurance requirements is having 5 Lever Mortice Deadlocks but additional security measures include fitting mortise bolts to the tops and bottoms of doors, fitting chains or bars and if the door has a window or glass panels then these can be replaced with either laminated glass or a special film over the existing glass which does a similar job.

Ensure all outbuildings and sheds are locked securely and that no ladders, steps, or outdoor seating that can be easily moved is readily accessible to aid thieves

Don’t leave spare keys in obvious places such as under a doormat, nearby plant pot, loose brick or rock, under the tyre of a second car and so on. Leave with either a trusted neighbour or friend and don’t leave any keys indoors in bowls, hanging up or visible from an external viewpoint such as through a letterbox.

Motion Sensor lighting and spotlights are very good for lighting areas of your property that would have very little lighting otherwise and can act as a great deterrent to potential burglars. Most have adjustable detection ranges so you can change them to only switch on when someone comes on your boundary and not just walks past.

Be wary of the pitfalls to using social media
We posted an article a few weeks back on thieves using social media sites to target victims, by using information they have made public such as being away on holiday leaving their property vacant. Christmas is no different and people should be wary of posting information when they are visiting friends and family especially when they share their location whilst posting, its best to do this post dated after you have returned home. It is also not a good idea to go showing off all the new presents you have on social media and keep an eye on what information your children are sharing.

Should you require home insurance or any other type of property insurance today or at some point in the future and would like a free quote then please feel free to contact us by either selecting the appropriate insurance or calling us directly on 01243 606552.

Sources
Home security guide, city of London police, HSL02- produced by the Home Office Communication Directorate, January 2004

Home insurance cover and liability related to dogs

Home insurance cover and liability related to dogs
Liability related to dogs

Fine weather is here at last and I find that enjoying a long walk with my dogs is ideal at this time of year, not too hot for them nor for me. Whilst walking the other day, I was asked about home insurance cover and liability related to dogs! So as many of you may have dogs, This may be of interest.

Under the Home Insurance Contents section of most insurance policies, the chewing, fouling and damage caused by pets to contents is specifically excluded. So do be careful leaving your pets in areas where a large wagging tail could do damage!

The other aspect is what would happen if my dog caused an accident or bite someone! Well this is a very in depth subject, but the general rule is if your dog is under control (on a lead generally) and is in the custody of an insured person, the Liability to the Public section of a standard Home Contents cover will cover you for any damage or injury caused, as long as you can show that the incident was a single isolated incident and that the dog was under reasonable control at the time. Having a dog off the lead, does not in itself constitute the dog being ‘not under control’!

The general cover under this section of the policy is normally limited to between £1,000,000 and £5,000,000.

The Holiday period has started, and those that have come to join us for the summer period, a warm welcome back to you. Please also remember that those that leave their permanent homes for a period of greater than 30 days in one time should check their Home policies to ensure that they abide to the ‘Unoccupancy Clauses’ in their policies and that they tell their Insurers if they exceed the limitations of the policy. The Insurers are totally within their rights to not honour a claim for these extended periods.

To our Business Partners: It is important that you have the insurance cover in place in case you do cause damage or an accident whilst working. This is called Public Liability insurance, and can be purchased for as little as £10 a month for a £1m cover. You can see that this is a little to pay for that amount of cover and for peace of mind.

For a non biased guide to home insurance, including advice on buildings insurance, contents insurance and tips on reducing your premium read our House Insurance Guide section.

Get A Free Quote

Burglars use social media to target homes

These days social media platforms such as facebook and twitter have become ever popular and many people now see them as an extension of themselves to chat with friends, share views, sell their unwanted items, advertise events or businesses and make new friends.
This social revolution has not only changed the way we interact with one another but also how we share information about ourselves. There are plenty of positives to be gained by doing this like meeting up with long lost friends, finding out about local events and who is attending or just meeting people that have similar interests.

Burglars use social media to target homes

There are however some dangers to the use of social media and users can be left vulnerable without realising it. Social media has opened the doors for people to tell the world about themselves, who they are, what they like and what they are doing. There are many people who enjoy reading and sharing this information for honest reasons but there are also a few out there who use social media as a resource for gathering personal information with the intentions of criminal acts.
People love to write about what they are doing, where they are going and in particular when they are away on vacations. I often get face book posts from friends on holiday showing off a picture with them and their family enjoying themselves in some resort, somewhere hot and sunny whilst the rain hammers down in England.
Social media has however gained the interest from thieves and now burglars use social media to target homes. They  use the information to target people by following posts to find out where they live, when they are on holiday and how long they are away for. Many users on facebook accept friend requests from people they have never met and allow them to read their non public posts. Options in facebook, twitter and google+ allow users to share their location whenever they post something and because they can be posted in almost real time, thief’s know when and where they are at anyone point in time.
Web mapping services such as google maps can provide additional information to thieves and help provide a blue print on properties to plan ahead.

Take Action

When sharing personal information it is important to be careful on what information you share and with whom. Be careful who you allow as a friend and / or what information you post about yourself online. If you go on holiday and wish to share photos or keep an online diary of your travels it is advisable not to post this real time or even better wait till you return home before you share it. Many mobile devices now carry location services so be sure to switch them off as well and ensure that your children take the same precautions because their online activities are equally attractive to thieves.
Of course thieves aren’t just looking for opportunities when people are away on holiday but rather simply just when they are away from the property, vacations are ideal because the whole household tend to go away but with every member of a household now connecting to facebook and these accounts naturally all being connected through ‘friends’ its possible to build up an idea of the activity for that property through details and posts such as where and when they work or regular day to day activities. The more information about themselves a person posts the clearer the picture about them and those around them becomes, for example dad is a travel rep, mum works as a secretary for a local solicitors (or the other way round) and the kids are at school and then picked up afterwards by gran and then collected by mum or dad after work, Monday to Friday. Comments and posts however small and insignificant over a historical timeline and across connected accounts can be used collectively to determine personal activities of a household the same way a points card used by supermarkets collects details on peoples buying habits.
Platforms like face book have become very popular quickly and revolutionised the way we interact not just with other people but with technology itself. As social media and technology integrates and evolves with new services and opportunities to share information it is important to remain astute and be aware of the potential pitfalls because professional thieves can be savvy and don’t need much to see an opportunity.
There are of course other measures you can do outside of social media to help prevent opportunist thieves from detecting when your house is vacant, here is a brief dos and don’ts for when you are away:

• Don’t broadcast your holiday, as much as you want may want to tell the world of your much needed break the same advice applies just as on social media, the less people know the better.
• Get a house sitter or ask a trusted friend or neighbour to regularly check on the property. If they are able to share their rubbish with your bins and put them in and out on collections days. Turn lights on and off in the evenings and the telly or radio, whilst shutting the curtains. This is of course subjective to what they would be willing to do but if you offer the same service in return then the old saying ‘what are neighbours for’ gains a bit more value!
• Cancel newspapers and redirect mail if possible. If people can visibly see mail and newspapers mounting up then this is a good indication the house hasn’t been vacant for a while. If you have a trusted neighbour or friend who checks on the property while you are away then have them collect the post and move it to a different part of the property, that again isn’t on view- unopened letters and a stack of newspapers on a table is just as evident. Also it is better to cancel newspapers than to put your deliveries on hold.
• Use timers on lamps in the house that switch on and off in the evenings and that are visibly on through windows.
• If you have a drive way then keep a vehicle on there, if not then ask if a trusted neighbour would be willing to park their vehicle there.

Get A Free Quote