Insurance claim for property let in the UK

[NewToRenting]

Already posted under Property, posting here as well for advice.

We live outside the UK but have a small flat let out in the UK, fully managed by an estate agent.

There was minor damage to the kitchen floor reported last yr in July, which we assumed was aging lino and put off repairing.
By Nov it had got much worse and an independent tradesman had a look and told us there's extensive water damage. Aside from the underfloor damage that needs to be fixed, the entire kitchen floor and maybe the cabinets too will need replacing.

Unfortunately we changed insurance agents in September, so the new ones (AXA) are saying the damage started before we started insuring you. The previous ones (Allianz) are no longer the insurers so won't entertain the claim either.

Does this mean basically we're stuffed, despite paying for insurance cover throughout?

I'm not sure I can be of much help but to bump this - when the damage was reported, did anyone go and have a look then? Were your agents supposed to do regular inspections? Did they do them?

if not, you may indeed have a problem as insurance policies are contingent on maintaining a place.

It was in the regular inspection that the problem was reported. They said 'slight dip in the floor'. The tenant did not have any problem with it. We assumed the lino will have to be replaced at some point, not realizing it was a maintenance issue.

It was unwise to change insurer with a problem you had noticed but not claimed for. Do you have legal cover with the home insurance? that might be able to advise.

When you took the new insurance (Axa) you would have advised the property was in a good state of repair. Is this contents or building cover.

Some underwriters only deal with a claim at the date it was reported rather than the date of loss.

But you were covered by Alliance at the time, but the fact you left it will not go in your favour. Sometimes the new underwriter will liaise with the old underwriter for part payment. Go back to Alliance again and ask them to reconsider.

We didn't take out the insurance ourselves. The property management company who manages the entire block of flats obtains the insurance for the entire block. They just bill us for our part of the premium. I'm assuming they moved insurers to get a better price.
We have gone back to the current insurers (AXA) asking them to reconsider - with the holiday season, things will probably take a while.
Thanks for the replies.

The management will insure the building on your behalf . Your tenant will insure their contents - this is a battle that the management need to deal with. I am sure you will be ok.

Afraid already tried the management company. They say this is inside the property, so not their problem.

so if the insurance that they buy and you pay for doesn't cover the interior of the property - did you know that? What does the policy say?

On a standard building policy kitchen units are covered under the building cover. A rule is if u pick up your property and tip it upside down what falls out is contents. Your problem with be the length of time from knowing there was an issue to sorting it. Email the same letter to both u/w and re explain advise you will go to the FOS if they one of them doesn't cover you. Also most water claims have a 350.00 excess. Also re explain to management co that kitchen is covered under building cover.

The management company is saying it's not their problem to get it sorted, their exact words are "unfortunately this would be the responsibility of the leaseholder not the block management, as the pipes are serving into your property, this would be classified as demise."

AXA are the current insurers, they are not saying they don't have coverage, they are saying they began insuring the problem AFTER the damage began so it's not their problem.

I am concerned that this is turning into a Health and Safety issue for my tenants. If I get the repair works done by an independent tradesman, can I still claim from insurance afterwards?