House insurance - which insurer

[Jon Maine]

As we have now moved in and the site insurance will be running out soon, either when the policy expires or when the building regulation notice is issued so technically it is no longer a site but a finished home I have been looking at insurance.

So I have been exploring quotes from different brokers or insurers.

On an £800k rebuild value with £80 k contents the premiums have varied from £712 up to almost £1300.

The best quote is with the NFU. Has anyone much experience of them? I have heard that they are good on other insurance matters for their insured and have experience of historic property. They have come in around £200 cheaper than the next premium up off the top of my head.

Views or experience anyone??

 

[Penners]

Jon - my daughter and her husband live in a listed building, and they use NFU. Fortunately, they've never had occasion to make a claim, but they've been happy with the personal service that they get.

NFU apppear to be prepared to insure a lot of period properties that the more run-of-the-mill companies aren't interested in. Most of the online insurers seem to balk at covering anything that isn't a modern, brick-built box,

Having said that, my listed building is covered by Norwich Union.... sorry, Aviva ( :x ). It's an 18th-century timberframe, under a tiled roof, but its rebuild value is considerably less than yours. I got a quote from NFU but they were a lot higher than NU.

More Than are currently advertising free contents cover up to (I think) £75k, if you take out building insurance.

 

[Jon Maine]

The problem I find with many online insurers is that they balk at one or more of the following

1/ Listed building
2/ Rebuild Value
3/ Over 4 bedrooms
4/ Over 300 years old

 

[skier-hughes]

We have similar problems, rebuild value and age.
We use NFU.
They paid out to do some major work on the house about 10 years ago, or maybe a bit more now. Sceptic tank sprang a leak, saturated the ground and a subsidence type problem occured.
Some companies put the phone down when you say the house has suffered some movement.
NFU were the cheapest quote we had when we moved here and have proven to be so ever since, with our premiums going down year on year, even though the rebuild value has now reached £1m, well it did in March 2008, could well be £89.50 this March.
Of course they have accurate info of the problem, what was done to rectify it and also know that the tank is no longer in use with mains drainage now used, so it's recouping money paid out to them!!

Graham

 

[Flyfisher]

We're with NFU although, thankfully, have no experience of claims with them.
Our experience sounds similar to others - many of the 'usual suspects' refused to insure because the house is not 'brick built', some wouldn't quote on anything over 5 bedrooms. NFU were helpful and, seemingly, understanding of older properties.

 

[Pford75]

NFU do seem to have a good reputation and we are considering them for our renewal.

I would also suggest giving La Playa (brokers advertising via this site) a go.

Zurich Private clients also cover Listed Buildings etc and so far in my discussions with them appear to have a good appreciation of the issues involved in insuring a listed building.

I have both NFU and Zurich coming out this week for an appraisal and will let you know how they go

 

[Penners]

The problem I find with many online insurers is that they balk at one or more of the following

1/ Listed building
2/ Rebuild Value
3/ Over 4 bedrooms
4/ Over 300 years old

Yes, that's exactly it.

I have obtained a quote from Hiscox in the past. My eyes are still watering.

 

[Jon Maine]

Well the NFU talk in the right way, The most expensive quotes I received were La Playa, Ecclesiastical were lower than £1000 and so were the insurers for the listed property owners club (of which I am not a member). Norwich union were ok with everything bar high rebuild value so no quote, halifax didn't like the fact it was over 300 years old so no quote.

It seems to me that the NFU are my choice then as no horror stories appear to exist and they talk the talk.

 

[biffvernon]

I changed to Saga when I became of age.

 

[Penners]

I think the word 'great' is missing from that statement, Biff. I'll leave you to decide where it fits.

And may I wish you luck if you ever decide to cancel your Saga policy. Our experience was that they simply don't understand the 'C' word.

 

[DaveBrigg]

We're with More>Than, despite the stupid logo. They were very good about repairing the earthquake damage, although the loss adjustor said that our claim was actually lower than for the new houses he had seen, since we hadn't bothered listing the new cracks which blended in with the others that were there already.

 

[masochists-r-us]

We're with Ecclesiastical (£700 p.a.) and no problems to report, however based on this thread will get NFU to quote next time.

 

[Penners]

we hadn't bothered listing the new cracks which blended in with the others that were there already.

You're lucky they didn't charge you for 'betterment' - adding additional period character to the building.

 

[Gervase]

After last night's mighty blow (gusting up to Force 11 here) we lost part of a barn roof:

Gawd bless the NFU!
I rang them first thing and they said "don't worry, we'll sort it.." Two hours later two local (and very competent) roofers arrived to make it safe and secure against tonight's forecast winds, and will be back next week, complete with tricky-to-source 24x12 slates, to make good. Yes, I know I could do it myself, but when the insurer is prepared to do all that, it's silly to lose paid time to do the work.
I really can't recommend the NFU highly enough.

 

[Jon Maine]

Gawd bless the NFU!

I really can't recommend the NFU highly enough.

What I wanted to hear

 

[Penners]

Two hours to turn out some builders is impressive indeed.

 

[Jon Maine]

Maybe there are a lot of builders sat at home waiting for the phone to ring..

Certainly at the moment if anyone wanted me to start a job this week we could.

 

[Gervase]

Fingers crossed and touch wood, I'm booked up solid until the start of summer. I just pray it carries on that way.

 

[Feltwell]

Builders round here appear to be busier than ever. People seem to be deciding to stay where they are and "improve", because they can't get the price they want on their house - so extensions / conservatories / loft or garage conversions are more popular than ever.

The other comment I've heard from one builder is he seems to be getting a lot of work from older people with savings, who have decided that for the interest they get at the moment they may as well spend it on the house.

The downturn we've seen is on new build - it's very noticeable, there are a lot of new build areas around Telford that have stopped or are just finishing off those properties that were already started. It seems to be the larger contractors rather than the smaller jobbing builders that are suffering, in this area at least.

 

[FamilyWiggs]

I think we all echo that Gervase. I hope all of our tradespeople the best of luck in current conditions - can't be easy.

Says he, from his cossetted public sector manager's job 8)