house insurance when you are a deputy

mickeym

Registered User
Apr 12, 2019
12
0
My father died in Dec so now the house is my mothers. I phoned up to renew the house insurance (which runs out in August) and explained the situation. They wanted to talk to mum but I told them she is in a care home.( I believe I have sent them a copy of the Deputyship.)
I just wanted the same policy that my father has had for 12 years, only I am living and renting it from her but because he had put the insurance in his name (because she's in a care home) they said they couldn't just give me the same policy.
They are swintons. They used to have a branch nearby but now its all done by telephone.Can anybody advise on how they have dealt with this matter?
Is there a better company than Swintons who don't seem able to cope with Deputyships?
Tks, I am very worried as this is my mothers greatest assett!
 

Lynmax

Registered User
Nov 1, 2016
1,045
0
I recently suspected that my mother had not renewed her house and contents insurance, I think she got it mixed up with her car insurance, which she no longer needed. I phoned the company, Liverpool Victoria, to check and they confirmed that it had not been renewed almost two years ago. They were brilliant though and had no problem with me setting up a new policy for her house and I paid for it immediately with my credit card, getting the money back later. I do have LPA but they did not ask to see it. It must have helped that they had details of her previous policy.
 

mickeym

Registered User
Apr 12, 2019
12
0
I recently suspected that my mother had not renewed her house and contents insurance, I think she got it mixed up with her car insurance, which she no longer needed. I phoned the company, Liverpool Victoria, to check and they confirmed that it had not been renewed almost two years ago. They were brilliant though and had no problem with me setting up a new policy for her house and I paid for it immediately with my credit card, getting the money back later. I do have LPA but they did not ask to see it. It must have helped that they had details of her previous policy.
 

mickeym

Registered User
Apr 12, 2019
12
0
thank you will try liverpool....I don't have LPA though.I am her deputy with the Court of Protection .The thing is I am 'camping' in her house anyway to make sure that all the current insurance is complied with!
 

mickeym

Registered User
Apr 12, 2019
12
0
Hi
The house belongs to your mother and you are renting from her. So she is a landlord and you are a tenant. Your mother needs a landlord policy. I assume you can take out the policy on her behalf but you'd have to check that as there may be a 'conflict of interest'.
We had a house that our daughter and grandchildren lived in rent free - we had to charge her a peppercorn rent to be able to take out landlord insurance - we couldn't insure the house otherwise.. We aren't allowed to recommend here - but the insurance company had a big red telephone ... and other insurers are available.
Thanks for your reply. I am actually 'camping' in the house since my Dad died and continuing to pay rent on my own flat while it is all sorted. I am applying through solicitor to rent from her because of the conflict of interest. if they say 'now' I will go back to my flat. She would be devastated if she knew that I was not allowed to rent it but it never occurred to mum/dad that a/ dementia might strike b/ that they any member of the family would ever have to 'seek permission' over what to do with their property so they never put anything into writing. (You've all heard it all before!)
 

witts1973

Registered User
Jun 20, 2018
731
0
Leamington Spa
Thanks for your reply. I am actually 'camping' in the house since my Dad died and continuing to pay rent on my own flat while it is all sorted. I am applying through solicitor to rent from her because of the conflict of interest. if they say 'now' I will go back to my flat. She would be devastated if she knew that I was not allowed to rent it but it never occurred to mum/dad that a/ dementia might strike b/ that they any member of the family would ever have to 'seek permission' over what to do with their property so they never put anything into writing. (You've all heard it all before!)

Tell me about it,I assume she still has some savings and along with your rent that you pay her that will keep her care fees paid and possibly you may be left with the property,I lost my dad in 1999,and mum has had dementia for about 3 years at least since diagnosis,we didn't ever do any planning to change ownership or set up trusts as we were just being happy living our lives and it wasn't the kind of thing that I would have said"Mum can you transfer ownership to me"
 
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mickeym

Registered User
Apr 12, 2019
12
0
Tell me about it,I assume she still has some savings and along with your rent that you pay her that will keep her care fees paid and possibly you may be left with the property,I lost my dad in 1999,and mum has had dementia for about 3 years at least since diagnosis,we didn't ever do any planning to change ownership or set up trusts as we were just being happy living our lives and it wasn't the kind of thing that I would have said"Mum can you transfer ownership to me"
exactly. I tell everyone now, many times over, get an LPA before it matters. How I wish someone had told me.
 

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