What counts as a claim on a home insurance policy?

[Eddie Twadds]

Just going through the annual renewal process and the nice lady providing a quote asked the question: 'Have you had any claims in the last five years?'

I answered truthfully (or so I thought) with 'No'.

She then trotted out two home emergency call outs I had in 2022 and 2023 and an enquiry I made to my current insurers this year regarding a potential employment claim through my Family Legal Protection.

I always assumed the likes of Home Emergency Cover and Family Legal Protection to be add-ons that I pay for (or not depending on the policy) and that they are not classed as claims. Is this the case or, as all things with insurance, is it policy and insurer dependent?

[alscar]

Eddie Twadds said:

Just going through the annual renewal process and the nice lady providing a quote asked the question: 'Have you had any claims in the last five years?'

I answered truthfully (or so I thought) with 'No'.

She then trotted out two home emergency call outs I had in 2022 and 2023 and an enquiry I made to my current insurers this year regarding a potential employment claim through my Family Legal Protection.

I always assumed the likes of Home Emergency Cover and Family Legal Protection to be add-ons that I pay for (or not depending on the policy) and that they are not classed as claims. Is this the case or, as all things with insurance, is it policy and insurer dependent?

Technically those 2 home emergency calls were both claims and if the phone call ended up costing them time and money then that too under the relevant policy section would also be a claim BUT what impact they would have on your renewal quote I would suggest would be pretty negligible if anything.
Claims under the main coverage sections can also have little impact ( as with above once excesses are factored in ) if they are also modest.
As you suggest ,each Insurers t and c will vary.
Assuming it’s not an esoteric policy the quoter will run the details through their rating matrix according to how you answered.
Out of interest was there a difference in renewal premium ?

[Eddie Twadds]

alscar said:

Technically those 2 home emergency calls were both claims and if the phone call ended up costing them time and money then that too under the relevant policy section would also be a claim BUT what impact they would have on your renewal quote I would suggest would be pretty negligible if anything.
Claims under the main coverage sections can also have little impact ( as with above once excesses are factored in ) if they are also modest.
As you suggest ,each Insurers t and c will vary.
Assuming it s not an esoteric policy the quoter will run the details through their rating matrix according to how you answered.
Out of interest was there a difference in renewal premium ?

The advisor from the insurer called back and advised there would be no impact on the premium - which was nice . Consider me now schooled on what is, and what isn't, a declarable claim.

[TwigtheWonderkid]

Eddie Twadds said:

I always assumed the likes of Home Emergency Cover and Family Legal Protection to be add-ons that I pay for (or not depending on the policy) and that they are not classed as claims. Is this the case or, as all things with insurance, is it policy and insurer dependent?

If it's an extra that widens the cover of your actual house insurance policy (tick the appropriate box to add accidental damage cover, legal expenses cover, or whatever), and it's still under one policy number, your house insurance, then it's a house insurance claim. If it's a separate legal expenses policy that you can add on for £15, which has a different insurer and policy number, then it's not a household insurance claim, it's a legal expenses claim made on a stand alone legal expenses policy.

[Griffith4ever]

I've found minor claims (accidental damage and the likes) seems to make little difference on new policies.