Guide to Holiday Home Insurance UK
Introduction - AssetSure are
able to offer insurance for a UK holiday home. Our insurance policy will offer
you all the usual perils you would expect from a Buildings and Contents
Insurance, subject to policy terms & conditions). We are happy to be able to
quote for Holiday Home Insurance on a property that is used solely for your own
purposes or if you decide to rent the premises out for
commercial gain. If you
do advise us that you are letting your Holiday Home, your policy will be
extended to include Liability Insurance (Depending on which policy sections you
decide to accept cover for).
Caring for your UK Holiday Home -
one of the main reasons that UK insurance companies are not keen on Holiday
Homes is the fact that they often only used for short periods of time and the “
un-occupancy” aspect can lead to an increased likelihood of a claim. During the
winter months, especially if no one is occupation, an unheated house can result
in burst pipe problems. If the property is quite remote, often it can be a while
before anyone realizes damage is being done. A good program of maintenance is
essential for keeping your Holiday Home in good condition and thus lowering the
chance of a potential loss.
Look After Your Holiday Home -
below are a few of our recommendations.
When you visit the property
try to have a look at everything in the property that is essential, make sure
that the drains are not blocked, has any rubbish accumulated in or around the
property. Are the smoke detectors still working, test them and change the
batteries if necessary.
Make sure that all of the
devices for securing the property such as door and window locks are still in
good working order and make sure that you put them in to operation when you
leave the property.
Burst pipes in Uk Holiday
Homes produce a large number of claims. When water freezes, it increases in
size by up to 10%. This increase in size may split a pipe and damage occurs
when the water starts to melt. It is essential that pipes are lagged and when
you leave the premises for any length of time, drain down the water system and
turn the water off at the mains.
If you find any damage to
the property such as a broken pane of glass make sure that you have it fixed.
Make sure you have your
gutters checked on a regular basis, you will often find during the winter
months that there has been a build up of leaves.
Keep the garden tidy and pay
attention to any trees or shrubs that may need pruning
If you leave the property
unoccupied make sure that you switch all of the electrics unless you intend to
keep the property heated.
It may be an idea if you can
arrange for the property to be inspected on a regular basis, perhaps a local
person or letting agent could visit the premises to make sure that there is no
build up of post, local free newspapers, junk mail etc.
If you are letting your UK
holiday home, make sure that you abide by all the rules and regulations and
make your guests aware of the location of all instruction books, important
information etc.
If you know your Holiday
Home is built on clay soil, keep an eye on the appearance of any fresh cracks
that appear between your visits. The signs that you are looking for are any
stepped, diagonal cracks that are wider at one end than the other (especially
if they are over 5mm thick). Watch out for cracks that start to appear around
door and window frames and any doors that do not shut properly. Sloping floors
should also be investigated.
So if you are seeking an holiday home insurance quote for a property in cities
like Devon, Cornwall or the Cotswold why not see if we can help? In
addition, Assetsure provide overseas property insurance and holiday home
insurance for other countries including Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria,
Brazil, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark,
Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Egypt, Hungary, Iceland,
Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco,
Montenegro, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal,
Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom (UK) and Venezuela.
