Home insurers that cover outbuildings fully?

Home insurers that cover outbuildings fully?

Author
Discussion

Muncher

Original Poster:

12,219 posts

248 months

Thursday 23rd February 2017
quotequote all
Can anyone recommend a good home insurer that actually fully covers the building and it's contents without either trying to worm out of actually covering it (Admiral) or doubling the premium for only a small increase in cover (Home protect). Most of the others on comparison sites don't give you enough information to tell whether they will cover it or not.

I am only looking for about £50k of buildings cover and £10k contents.

530dTPhil

1,374 posts

217 months

Thursday 23rd February 2017
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NFU Mutual will do what you need. We had a similar requirement a couple of years ago when we moved and the only one that we tried that made any sense without silly conditions was the local NFUM office. I visited in person, described the property and provided them with a sales brochure with full details. I was quite surprised that they didn't want to visit but they provided the cover to do exactly what you have described.

Dog Star

16,079 posts

167 months

Thursday 23rd February 2017
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I fell foul of this a few years ago; my garage got burgled, and as well as two motorbikes there were all my tools (20+ years worth of quality stuff), boat engine, big trolley jacks, power tools - they basically took most of my possessions.

We had 125K contents cover with LV, so assumed all was well. One day I was going through the claim and they were weaseling out of the boat engine, next thing the claims adviser notices that it's a detached garage. 2K max. I got absolutely buttfked. I realise that this is "small print" and I should have known better, but I really didn't spot the crazy worthless limit and assumed (hah! never assume!) that a "quality" insurer like LV had little conditions like this.

What even makes it worse is that they paid the max 2K out, but our premiums have gone up so much that we may as well not have bothered.

browno

508 posts

233 months

Thursday 23rd February 2017
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I had this fun after I had my extension done and wanted to ensure all the stuff in my garage was covered. I ended up with Kwik Fit at that point who's online documents showed no distinction, and I made sure that I called and had verbal reassurance that it was the case that there was no reduced limit for garage contents. I also had the same reassurance from them as I renewed - so at least I have something to fall back on should the worst happen...

Red Leader

243 posts

122 months

Thursday 23rd February 2017
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Hi, PM sent

vxsmithers

716 posts

199 months

Thursday 23rd February 2017
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I have admiral platinum which I was assured does what you want, now I'm feeling a bit nervous!


Muncher

Original Poster:

12,219 posts

248 months

Thursday 23rd February 2017
quotequote all
vxsmithers said:
I have admiral platinum which I was assured does what you want, now I'm feeling a bit nervous!
Nope, it doesn't! There is a specific exclusion against it in there.

On the one hand it says this:






But the current admiral platinum policy booklet here:

http://www.admiral.com/policyDocs/HH-007-009-Plati...

Says at page 30:

What is not covered

Theft or attempted theft

To contents in your garage, shed or
outbuildings or kept in the open on the land
your home stands on








Muncher

Original Poster:

12,219 posts

248 months

Thursday 23rd February 2017
quotequote all

vxsmithers

716 posts

199 months

Thursday 23rd February 2017
quotequote all
bds! that's the only reason I took their policy.

will need to give them a ring as I have an email stating listed items are covered in the garage

moles

1,794 posts

243 months

Thursday 23rd February 2017
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Think Directline cover outbuildings it says any garage, shed or building on your land is covered on their FAQ's.

Muncher

Original Poster:

12,219 posts

248 months

Thursday 23rd February 2017
quotequote all
moles said:
Think Directline cover outbuildings it says any garage, shed or building on your land is covered on their FAQ's.
Limited to only £2,500 which isn't enough for me.

Pamoothican

266 posts

91 months

Thursday 23rd February 2017
quotequote all
vxsmithers said:
bds! that's the only reason I took their policy.

will need to give them a ring as I have an email stating listed items are covered in the garage
I've been with them for three years, this is also why I took the policy, the gold standard supposedly gave me extra protection to the garage! FFS!

seapod

212 posts

198 months

Thursday 23rd February 2017
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NFU Mutual very good at this, they have the whole outbuilding/barn thing well covered as its their bread and butter. Like you I have a fair bit of stuff/kit and only the NFU and Hiscox came close to providing a decent level of cover. Hiscox were more expensive however.

anonymous-user

53 months

Thursday 23rd February 2017
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Another recommendation for NFU from me.

V8RX7

26,766 posts

262 months

Thursday 23rd February 2017
quotequote all
You have to be very specific

I had a standard policy with £5k shed cover - I specifically called up and asked what was covered

"Everything" was the reply

"So my jet ski is covered"

"No"

"So my motor bike is covered"

"No"

"So what is covered"

"Everything that normal people have"

irked

PistonBroker

2,406 posts

225 months

Thursday 23rd February 2017
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Speak to an insurance broker. Preferably a Chartered one.

I may know of someone. ;-)

anonymous-user

53 months

Friday 24th February 2017
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+1 for NFU Mutual, as their background is farming they understand this sort of thing, they aren't the cheapest but you do seem to get what you pay for with insurance.

Muncher

Original Poster:

12,219 posts

248 months

Tuesday 28th February 2017
quotequote all
Did anyone follow this up with Admiral to check the position?

At the moment I have a £270 policy for £400k buildings and £60k contents

To move to add £40k of garage buildings cover and £10k of contents is doubling, if not tripling the premium. I tried NFU and they came in at £650.

Pamoothican

266 posts

91 months

Tuesday 28th February 2017
quotequote all
Muncher said:
Did anyone follow this up with Admiral to check the position?

At the moment I have a £270 policy for £400k buildings and £60k contents

To move to add £40k of garage buildings cover and £10k of contents is doubling, if not tripling the premium. I tried NFU and they came in at £650.
I have been on the phone to Admiral this morning.

The gold cover, which is the one I had, is up to £1000 cover for contents of garage, including bicycles. So why I have a few bikes separately listed with them totaling over their £1000 didn't seem to concern them. They said I could upgrade to their Platinum policy which would be £5000 cover for contents of the garage, which is more than enough for me, but their quote was ridiculous.

I have since gone with Nationwide as they also do the £5000 cover, they beat the renewal by Admiral for the gold, got 20% discount for having my mortgage with them and a £30 amazon voucher. woohoo Its the little things.

Its quite common, after getting a few quotes form the usual comparison websites, that they don't make this very clearly from the out set and you can end up with what looks like a really good quote, then you delve into the small print and the quotes skyrocket. LV, JohnLewis, quote me happy, etc, etc

ETA - Would you need the buildings cover for the garage separately? I forgot to check with Admiral, however Nationwide said that their buildings will cover a garage, so if it falls down or blows away I'm covered.

Edited by Pamoothican on Tuesday 28th February 12:09

V8RX7

26,766 posts

262 months

Tuesday 28th February 2017
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Pamoothican said:
Would you need the buildings cover for the garage separately?

I forgot to check with Admiral, however Nationwide said that their buildings will cover a garage, so if it falls down or blows away I'm covered.
It's worth checking but I suspect a normal double would be covered.

I have an 8 car wooden garage and most will only cover it for:

Flood (I'm on a hill)
Aircraft strike (pretty unlikely and surely the Plane Co. would pay)
Lightening strike
Earthquake

All I wanted was Fire and most wouldn't cover it for any amount - because some who have an old wooden garage set fire to them to get a new one banghead