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Original poster

house insurance

32 replies

geranium · 30/03/2005 10:03

Can anyone recommend a good company for house insurance? I thought I had a good deal with Halifax but they have just increased payments enormously this year (for no reason - we haven't had any claims) so want to change company.

OP posts:
Twiglett · 30/03/2005 10:04

depends on where you live to be honest

Original poster
geranium · 30/03/2005 10:08

Well i live in a reasonable part of north london and I had a good deal last year but maybe that was just to get me sucked in and then hope I can't be bothered to shop around.

OP posts:
Twiglett · 30/03/2005 10:12

Prudential are pretty good for London I've found

LIZS · 30/03/2005 10:15

Do you mean contents or buildings ? Buildings premiums may go up if there are claims for such as subsidence or flood in same postal district, for example, or perhaps to reflect general rise in rebuidling costs. However you may find that this has also been applied to other companies' premiums. Is your mortgage tied in with the insurance as often they make money by getting you to do so to secure a rate and then raising them.

Prettybird · 30/03/2005 10:19

Liverpool and Vicotria gave us a really good deal. We now use them for both buildings and contents - and pay less for both than we were paying for just contents.

We're in Glasgow.

Original poster
geranium · 30/03/2005 10:22

Thanks, I'll check out Prudential. LIZ, in answer to your questions, it is buildings and contents and all categories seem to have been increased. As you say, it may be a general increase in all companies but that was really why I was looking for recommended names so taht I could check this out (and, if necessary, try and take advantage of good first year deals and then change company each year )

OP posts:
Original poster
geranium · 30/03/2005 10:28

Twiglett, I can't seem to find Prudential Home Insurance. I just keep getting health and life insurance options. Am I looking under the right name?

Prettybird, thanks. I'll check Liverpool Victoria. Hadn't heard of them before.

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Prettybird · 30/03/2005 11:01

Liverpool Victoria are apparently Britain's largest friendly society (and accoridng to the Guardian, their endowment policies are actaully paying surpluses, rather than warning of shortfalls!).

Their home insurance details can be found here .

We were recommended it by my dad, who was so shocked at how low their cover was going to cost, he range them up to check the details!

LIZS · 30/03/2005 11:23

btw we use CIS (Coop Insurance services) for both buildings and contents. You could also try Direct Line (may even be able to get a quotation online)

Original poster
geranium · 30/03/2005 11:53

Crumbs! Quote from Liverpool Victoria is less than half our existing quote. Prettybird, is there a catch???!

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Prettybird · 30/03/2005 12:27

I don't think there is - I went through the policy as well to see if there was a catch. And that is why Dad (very on the ball financially) rang them to check that everything he thought would be covered would indeed be covered.

I rang around as well and couldn't find anytihng cheaaer. We often have problems getting quotes, especially for Buildings, as we live in a conversion (ie the upper half of a big Victorian house) which gives lots of insurers the kittens - but LV weren't bothered.

I think it might be one of Which's Best Buy's but am not sure. I know that in previouos years I would ring around whoever they suggested (minus the many who wouldn't even quote as we lived in a conversion) and go with the cheapest - but LV were much cheaper.

It was even worth me "double" insuring for 4 months to bring my contents and building together (my Buildings were due in September and Buildings at Christmas - so I just did both in September). It's now costing me the same (or even less - can't qute remember) for both as it was for just one.

hub2dee · 30/03/2005 12:37

Similar area to you, geranium. Halifax for buildings, Frizzell for contents.

Original poster
geranium · 30/03/2005 13:07

I hadn't thought of separating out buildings from contents. Are there advantages to being with two companies? I can see it is good to spread the risk but I supppose that I would be a bit concerned that if the house did fall down somehow it would be difficult to get them both to pay up or something?!

Good idea about checking Which Best Buys

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hub2dee · 30/03/2005 13:15

Only advantage for us was a lower premium.

The two companies cover separate things. If your building crumbles / roof burns down / car crashes into wall you claim on buildings insurer.

If the furniture got damaged beyond repair when the building crumbled, or your CD collection / jewellery got melted down in the fire, or if your budgie got killed by the car on its way through your living room, you'd claim on contents.

Agree it might be more admin hassle though, dealing with two lots of loss adjusters etc.

Prettybird · 30/03/2005 13:17

I ithink it can sometimes be cheaper. However, there is often a discount if you take both together, so you need to factor that in.

In my particular case, LV was so cheap it worked out cheapast to go with them for both anyway.

We had to claim off them earlier this year when dh's bike was stolen (from our locked garage), together with ds' child seat and both dh and ds's helmets.

The claim was processed immediately - dh said they were really helpful to deal with - and we had the cheque for the full amount within a week.

It probably helped that we have never claimed on our insurance before this!

Expectantmum · 30/03/2005 13:23

G, I use Churchill Insurance for my contents (don't have buildings as I rent) but I pay £13 a month for my contents which was by far the cheapest, and it was all organised online so really easy to sort out.

lunavix · 30/03/2005 13:26

My Liverpool Victoria insurance policy (only contents as we rent, but for £250,000 worth of contents, plus some specified items) was £10.79!!!!!!!!!!!!! For a year!!!!!

Phoned them up to check (just in case the house burnt down and they laughed at our cover!) and it was correct!

Expectantmum · 30/03/2005 13:29

£10.79 - for a year!!!!! Thats bloody marvellous! I'll look into that, am thinking of changing mine now too! Thought I had such a good bargain!

Original poster
geranium · 30/03/2005 13:31

The other good thing about LV (when I phoned them - I'm waiting for the small print although it is good to hear your stories) was that they offer, I think, £500,000 for rebuilding the house and something like £125,000 for contents. That seems pretty generous compared to other companies I have checked with, apart, alas, from Halifax who offer unlimited rebuilding and unlimited contents. If only they hadn't increased yearly premium by 17%!!! I would be happy to stay with them.

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lunavix · 30/03/2005 13:33

I also have my credit card with LV, the rates pretty low and every other month they do the 0% transfer thingy too.

The other thing I like is they do points on the credit card - like others do - but you redeem them off your insurance etc.

They're well worth it

Prettybird · 30/03/2005 13:46

They must get a lot of phone calls to check out that their rates are for real - that's three out of three from the people who've got policies(Lunavix, me - to check that they covered the conversion, plus some extra stuff like dh's wine collection - and my dad!).

You can increase your contents cover beyond the £125k if you really need to as well.

milge · 30/03/2005 13:47

Blimey, just checked my b&c as its due for renewal on sat, and its less thanhalf current provider, plus a lower excess. Bargain.

Prettybird · 30/03/2005 14:07

... hey, do we get any bonuses for having recommended LV?

Twiglett · 30/03/2005 14:11

Blimey Liverpool Victoria are about £300 cheaper than current policy with Prudential

Although Prudential are not due up till August ..can I get out of an insurance policy early?

Prettybird · 30/03/2005 14:35

There wuld probably be a penalty - but it might be worth ringing them up and asking them if you can cancel and what sort of rebate you would get. It might depend also on whether you had made a claim this year.