Doing Up The House? Confused.com Suggests You Remain Security and Insurance-Conscious
Cardiff, (PRWEB) July 26, 2008
For those thinking about having building work done on their houses, Confused.com warn that lax security and insufficient home insurance cover could lead to a lot of heartache.
Homeowners may forget that a house literally becoming a building site could take them out of the remit of their insurance policies. The best way for them to avoid this from happening is to notify their home insurance providers of any works that have been pencilled in, and enquire as to whether it’s necessary to increase buildings and contents insurance for the duration.
Key things for homeowners to bear in mind when having works done:
Structural Integrity
If any building involves modification to a load-bearing wall, there is potentially an increased risk to the property and anybody therein. If the insurance providers aren’t informed of structural modifications, then potentially any future claim could be invalidated – a potentially costly omission.
Building Security
It is common for external walls, doors or windows to be removed whilst extensions or modifications are being made to a property. This obviously compromises security, as there’s an increased vulnerability to burglars. So it’s prudent for homeowners to check if they’re still covered by their home insurance during this period. Policies differ between companies, so the policyholder may find themselves with a higher premium during this period, or short-term restrictions on their cover
If an extension includes new windows and doors, homeowners should inform their home insurance providers with the details, on account of increased accessibility. Plus details of the security measures in place should be provided, such as what types of locks are being employed.
Additional Cover
Where the property has been extended, for example if a conservatory has been added or an attic converted, then this should be reflected in buildings insurance cover, as the rebuild cost will have altered. The cover needs to be upgraded to ensure the extra floor space and property value are taken into account. This is required because any payout in the event of a claim will only cover what has been previously declared.
Public Liability Insurance
It isn’t only those having work done that should have adequate insurance. The workers should have adequate cover too. It’s a good idea to check that the builders have public liability insurance, which will cover any accidental damage that may be caused to the property, to neighbours’ property, or to things in and on the street outside.
About Confused.com:
Confused.com is one of the UK’s biggest and most popular price comparison services. Launched in 2002, it dominates the car insurance aggregator market and generates over one million quotes per month. It has expanded its range of comparison products over the last couple of years to include home insurance, travel insurance, pet insurance, van insurance, motorbike insurance, breakdown cover and energy, as well as financial services products including credit cards, loans, mortgages and life insurance.
Confused.com has 62 motor insurance partners, and customers can save up to on average £208. It also has a panel of 43 for home insurance, and customers who use Confused.com for home insurance can expect to save up to £193.
Confused.com is not a supplier, insurance company or broker. It provides a free, objective and unbiased comparison service. By using cutting-edge technology, it has developed a series of intelligent web-based solutions that evaluate a number of risk factors to help customers with their decision-making, subsequently finding them great deals on a wide-range of insurance products, financial services, utilities and more. Confused.com’s service is based on the most up-to-date information provided by UK suppliers and industry regulators.
Confused.com is owned by the Admiral Group plc. Admiral listed on the London Stock Exchange in September 2004. Confused.com is regulated by the FSA.
###
©Copyright 1997-
, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.