Home Insurance while away for more than 60 days in a year

[unixman]

For the benefit of anyone who comes searching here: I took out a policy through Towergate brokers. Cost £154, no more than "normal" insurance.

Specialist Personal & Business Insurance | Towergate Insurance

[psychocandy]

How about you just start saving up the insurance premium and maybe sell the most expensive items that you don't need anyway? (Since you're not staying there that much)
In the very unlikely scenario that the house gets broken into, what are the maximum losses that you expect? Would you be able to afford them from your warchest or whatever?
As a rule I only insure against critical things that I can't afford to cover myself (loss of life etc) and that I am legally obligated to - car insurance etc.
You could also consider installing motion sensors and an alarm that calls private security.
Please bear in mind that we are talking about an unlikely scenario, so assuming that you would have paid 500GBP for the insurance per annum and your expected maximum losses are 10000GBP, you will statistically be better of not getting an insurance, if the cumulated odds of losses are lower than 5%.
There's also a ton of other things that the insurance company will try and question to avoid paying out (basically they will try everything they're legally allowed and sometimes try more).
On the other hand if you did get an insurance how are they going to check how long have you been away?

What if your house burns down to the ground? All posessions plus house gone.

Quite a lot of wonga.

[yasockie]

How about you just start saving up the insurance premium and maybe sell the most expensive items that you don't need anyway? (Since you're not staying there that much)
In the very unlikely scenario that the house gets broken into, what are the maximum losses that you expect? Would you be able to afford them from your warchest or whatever?
As a rule I only insure against critical things that I can't afford to cover myself (loss of life etc) and that I am legally obligated to - car insurance etc.
You could also consider installing motion sensors and an alarm that calls private security.
Please bear in mind that we are talking about an unlikely scenario, so assuming that you would have paid 500GBP for the insurance per annum and your expected maximum losses are 10000GBP, you will statistically be better of not getting an insurance, if the cumulated odds of losses are lower than 5%.
There's also a ton of other things that the insurance company will try and question to avoid paying out (basically they will try everything they're legally allowed and sometimes try more).
On the other hand if you did get an insurance how are they going to check how long have you been away?

[psychocandy]

House insurance is a joke. Notice a lot these days have issues if you live within 400 meters of a water course (i.e. river). Assuming this is due to flood risk.

400m point to point in the south wales valleys probably puts you half way up the side of the mountain (and 100-200m higher!). If these flooded then Cardiff, Swansea, Newport would be in big trouble.

[SueEllen]

Just found this necro thread today. I am having a spot of bother getting house insurance because I stay away 4 nights a week during which time my house is unoccupied.

Privilege insurance stipulate the house must not be unoccupied more than 60 days in a row. However I phoned to check and they say they can't offer insurance because they deem my house to be not my main residence if I stay away 4 nights a week.

The AXA application form/page says the house must be occupied "Most days for at least a few hours".

Any ideas?

Privilege is UK insurance which is the same as Directline.

Personally I've noticed that some of the people on the phones have limited understanding of things like "main residence."

So your best bet is to go through a broker if you are worried.

What will happen is that someone like Axa etc will insure you on basically the same policy but it will be understood that your house is your main residence. It will cost you more because the broker got involved.

However if you calculate that you could be at home for over 50% of the year - weekends, some holidays and the fact your contract is only 3 months in length - then just get normal insurance.

[unixman]

Try AXA. Just checked my AXA policy and it says this:

"Unoccupied: Not lived in and not occupied overnight by you or your family for more than 30 consecutive days or occupied by squatters"

Just found this necro thread today. I am having a spot of bother getting house insurance because I stay away 4 nights a week during which time my house is unoccupied.

Privilege insurance stipulate the house must not be unoccupied more than 60 days in a row. However I phoned to check and they say they can't offer insurance because they deem my house to be not my main residence if I stay away 4 nights a week.

The AXA application form/page says the house must be occupied "Most days for at least a few hours".

Any ideas?

[captainham]

Try AXA. Just checked my AXA policy and it says this:

"Unoccupied: Not lived in and not occupied overnight by you or your family for more than 30 consecutive days or occupied by squatters"

[SueEllen]

I asked him if it was 60 days consecutively or 60 days in total across a year and he was adamant that it was 60 days across the year.

Not all policies are the same.

When I look for policies I've found More Than had some of the most restrictive terms for loads of things.This tends to make them one of the cheapest. I suggest you get quotes from and read the policy documents of acompanies like Axa, Aviva, Direct line (Uk Insurance) and Hiscox.

Aternatively go to an independent insurance broker who can talk to underwriters of some insurance companies.

[northernladuk]

Yep, Bob from More Than told me that since the house would have no one sleeping in it for more than 60 days in a year they wouldn't insure

And did you ask him what the industry does for people that do have to move? Surely they know people are away and have a product/solution to cover? I can't believe the entire industry will just say no to you.

[teclo]

I asked him if it was 60 days consecutively or 60 days in total across a year and he was adamant that it was 60 days across the year.

[captainham]

Do you mean 60 days consecutively, or adding up smaller periods over the course of the year to reach 60+? I believe it's only the former that can be an issue with most policies.

[SimonMac]

Yep, Bob from More Than told me that since the house would have no one sleeping in it for more than 60 days in a year they wouldn't insure

Why do you have the house empty for so long?

[teclo]

Yep, Bob from More Than told me that since the house would have no one sleeping in it for more than 60 days in a year they wouldn't insure

[northernladuk]

Have you asked them what you can do in your situation?

[teclo]

Does anyone have any suggestions for home insurance while you work away from it? I've been trying to get cover but they seem to have limitations that you can't be away from it for more than 60 days in a year. The only one I could find after a while would only cover the home for earthquakes