House insurance query - how to protect ourselves?

[havoc]

We've had some cracking around the ceiling/wall interface and running up/down from windowframes, mainly upstairs, for a little while - started in one room, has spread a lot further - most are hairline but a couple are very noticeable. We live on clay soil which in our back garden gets saturated during very-wet weather.

Combined with a couple of minor cracks outside (near windows), we we concerned enough and called our insurance. Assessor came out, reported that it's thermal expansion caused by old plaster and old, wooden double-glazing. They said it's not subsidence, don't worry, and we should just redecorate - it'll go away for a while. OK, so far so good.

EXCEPT...insurance renewal has come through at +75%, and on calling them they've got it down as a 'subsidence claim'. I'm expecting a call from them tomorrow so I can challenge this, as it's BS (Insurer has paid for assessor visit / report, which very clearly states it's not subsidence, insurer hasn't paid for anything else - so yes I guess it's a claim but it's certainly not subsidence)


So how do I play this to cover ourselves?
- My biggest concern is that the assessor is wrong and it does turn out to be subsidence at a later date. If we're still with the same insurer (unlikely given their conduct and their quote), no problem, but if we move insurer what happens - will they roll out the old "pre-existing condition" chestnut, and then what do we do vis-a-vis the old insurer???
- My second question is when ringing around for quotes we'll be asked about claims - this sort-of IS a claim, but it's got a clean bill of health structurally, so (how) should I explain this?


I know the stock PH answer is "call a solicitor", but I can see this taking a few hundred quid of billable time to explain/get a straight answer (if a solicitor can give such a thing! ), by which point I've lost any money I could save on probably 2 years of renewals...

[havoc]

Sounds like it's a bit late for that now.

We thought we were doing the right thing by getting the cracks checked out...

[havoc]

xjay1337 said:

havoc said:

Sounds like it's a bit late for that now.

We thought we were doing the right thing by getting the cracks checked out...

You were, just not by the insurers.

However if the report says NOT SUBSIDENCE but you have a claim listed I would challenge that.

I plan to.

I'm asking for advice on how to play it / what issues I may face / what I must/mustn't do (in particular given Twig's hyperbolic statement above)?

[havoc]

Original and worst cracking


Also runs up towards the ceiling in a jagged diagonal


vertical from doorframe plus across ceiling join


There's also a little bit of a zig-zagging crack through the mortar (7 rows of bricks) on the outside down from this windowsill - again it's <~1mm wide.

House is ~1990, so I think it probably IS thermal expansion...it's just we've been there 6+ years and it's only started doing it in the last year or so...

[havoc]

Update: Insurers are now saying renewal was high because claim was still showing as open (now fixed), and the C-S agent referred to it as 'subsidence' as they could only see summary notes, it will now be changed to "Incident only" (i.e. no claim to be made).

I did query about CUE as well as their database and he said it wouldn't be recorded as subsidence.


Does that put us in the clear, or is there still an element of risk???