House Insurance

[Suetheramble]

My husband has always said if you can get insurance you don't need it and I am fast agreeing with him!
Have just tried to make a claim as water has come through the roof and damaged the bedroom ceiling we have been told we are not covered as it is not storm damage but the storm that did the actual damage was prior to the last storm it was just I did not initiate the claim till a couple of months later.
I am fed up with the bickering and want to just insure my house in the future for subsidence only are there any companies that offer this cover only?

[Count-A-Strong]

Seems like you were at fault for not registering the claim for two months. I would be very wary of just having subsidence insurance.

[bednobs]

do you have a mortgage? if you do they will probably insist on full buildings insurance

[themas]

Not insuring your house properly is a very false economy. It is not only subsidence you have to be concerned about, but destruction by fire & various other perils. Think again - & more calmly - when this issue is out of the way.

If you feel you have a valid claim the insurer has to have a complaints procedure you can follow, & you can then go to an independent ombudsman or the like if necessary. Don't give up so easily.

[boxtops]

As is said if you have a mortgage you must have buildings insurance. Why only subsidence? Fire is a far greater risk! I am sure your policy told you that you have to register a claim within so many days so they may be within your rights in not accepting your claim.

I had water damage in my attic bedroom last year but I couldn't claim because it was wear and tear, I didn't realise that I had a loose slate - fair enough, that's maintenance not an insured risk. The policy wording is usually very clear about what you should do.
Themas' advice is sound, but you need to be sure that you are in the right before pursuing it.

[Suetheramble]

THAnk you for your answers I will try and plough my way through the policy details - why is there always so much of it- why do the insurers not just send the details applicable to my policy only?

[chas2008]

yep docspok, they do have infor for all the weather reports, i once made a tentative enquiry about claiming for storm damage for a couple of tiles, i was told the exact wind speed on that day in my area !! as it wasnt above certain speed it wasnt deemed to be a proper storm..

[woozer]

Re wind speed - I have challenged this argument with variable results on a couple of occasions as individual locations can have geographic or other features that would exacerbate the wind effect - eg siting of fences/buildings can create a very localised whirlwind effect - not easy to prove but then not easy to argue against either.

Re your water damaged - you should have got the roof fixed as soon as you knew about it as you have a duty of care to keep the property properly maintained. Insurance is supposed to be for disasters not maintenance.

[ummmm]

Change your insurance company.