Tips for Buying Building Insurance
Thursday, August 13th, 2009Tips To Having Adequate Buildings Insurance
By: Tom Jones
It is very important that your building or for that matter, any property is adequately insured.
The sum insured is the maximum amount that an insurer will pay the policyholder in the event of any loss. But a common mistake people make is that they believe that the sum insured must be the present market value of the property which is actually not the case.
In fact it should be the rebuilding cost that will be required if any loss occurs to the property. This cost can be higher or lower than the market value. The rebuilding cost of properties built years ago in the less popular areas of UK will be much more than their market price.
Around 40% of the properties in UK are not insured adequately. This means that in the event of any loss, the insurance companies will not pay the entire amount of the claim. To ensure that your risk is fully covered, the rebuilding cost must be calculated by a professional surveyor.
However, some insurance companies calculate the sum insured based on some decided factors such as age, condition, type, style, improvements done or the area. The rebuilding costs will increase annually based on the index value of that year, the basic requirement is that the cost for the first year is calculated correctly.
You must always remember that there are certain terms and conditions or clauses attached to every buildings insurance policy. Your claim may not be considered if these conditions are violated. Some of these conditions are stated below:
Tenants not permitted by the Insurer:
There are certain categories of tenants who are not permitted by the general insurers and mortgage lenders. Many tenants such as students, tenants on benefits and multiple sharers violate the rules of the buildings insurance policy.
Injury, death to any outsider such as postman, council employee or meter reader etc. are not included in the policy. Damage to the adjacent property is also not covered. But some insurers include these risks with some additional premiums.
Liability Cover:
Generally, the policy does not cover the persons you employ at your property like a painter, a gardener etc. If you want to cover these risks, then some additional premium will have to be paid.
Insured Events:
The main and foremost common factors which cause damage to the property should always be included in the policy terms. Following are the main perils that can cause damage to the property.
- Smoke
- Theft
- Aircraft
- Explosion
- Fire
- Malicious damage
- Subsidence
- Storm or flood
- Impact
- Burst pipes or leakage of oil
- Lightening
Some of the insurers also cover a loss caused by the tenants which is a very good option for property owners who have let their properties.
Rent Loss:
You will incur a loss of rent along with losses of the property should some damage happen to the building. Some buildings insurance policies also include the option of covering the loss of rent in case the damage renders the property inhabitable. It is generally 20% of the sum insured but some insurers also offer up to 30%.
Author Resource: If you’re looking for a quote on building insurance visit Swinton.
Article From RealEstateArticles4U.com