Insurance advice

[Liz57]

I don't know if anyone out there can help but I'm looking for a household insurer who will insure mum's house even though it's no longer being lived in as I've just had her regular insurer, with whom she's been for over 50 years, refuse to cover from renewal date which is the end of this week.

Mum moved into a care home a few months ago and the property has been unoccupied ever since. We've no immediate need to sell it and it's proving useful to accommodate extended family members when they come to visit. I live less than 500 yards away, visit every day and have been maintaining the property and gardens etc. ever since. There's a police officer living opposite and another neighbour is parking his car in the drive.

Has anybody else had trouble insuring a property and did you manage to find someone?

 

[lin1]

Hi. I Did a quick Google and found this
https://www.moneysupermarket.com/home-insurance/unoccupied/
I hope it helps

I have nothing to do with the company.

 

[100 miles]

Is the house permanently unoccupied? Or just normally unoccupied? I think a lot of policies will not provide cover if they are unoccupied for more than 30 days. If the house is occupied say fortnightly by visitors (or yourself) it is possible someone may still offer cover. You could try an insurance broker.


I would also remove any valuables (both those with sentimental value and monetary value). Although let other family members know what you are doing.

 

[canary]

Do you have PoA or CoP deputyship?
When mum went into her CH no-one would allow me to insure her bungalow until the CoP deputyship came through. One insurance firm explained to me - I didnt own the property, I didnt live in the property, I didnt have POA or deputyship. I could have been someone setting up a scam.

 

[Liz57]

Thanks for this. It's come at completely the wrong time as I've just changed jobs and have no time at all this week to research insurers. I do have power of attorney so that's something.

The insurers in the article do say that they have no or limited power to manage the policy online which is a real issue as I work very long hours. I guess I'm going to have to ask for some time off to trawl around the brokers locally.

 

[Liz57]

Just as an update, telephoned a local broker and was redirected to a specialist unit in the Midlands. The lovely lady there not only found me a suitable policy for an unoccupied premises but the annual premium was £100 less than mum was paying before! Result!

 

[Kevinl]

Everyone assumes the best deals are on line, like you I got the best deal from a High Street broker, horribly old fashioned I know but using the internet isn't always the cheapest or easiest option.
K