Insurance while building

[tiredsleepysleep]

Hi, I'm after advice please. We're starting our single story extension in the summer. I'm about to renew my building and contents insurance.. am I right in thinking it will become invalid when we start the build? Do I just contact them before we start the build and do they just amend the policy for a fee?
Any recommendations for good insurers or any to avoid?

Contact your insurer and ask them - when we had our extension built (also single storey) they changed our existing policy and sent us new paperwork. For the period of about 6 months work it was something like £30 more expensive (NB our B&C is usually over about £1500 per annum as we have a large property with separate cottage/ annexe). Don't forget to let them know when the builders have finished.

Cheers Daisy

Definitely let them know - but give plenty of warning in case of issues. Our insurer wouldn't cover us for the build duration at all - we had to arrange alternative cover.

That's what I'm worried about @Ecthelion , did they refund the months they wouldn't cover? We're with Halifax so am hoping because they are one of the more well known companies they will cover us.

Yes, was fairly amicable and they refunded me for the time left. They said they wouldn't insure me but it doesn't count as a cancellation.

This was with Admiral. They said they do cover most projects but ours was over the duration/value they were happy to cover. Most people don't tell their insurers, which is mad, and most people who do are fine and might just have to pay a slightly increased premium. Chances are you'll be fine but don't leave it too late just in case you do need to organise an alternative. I read about someone who phoned up on the morning of the build and was told it couldn't be covered and their policy was immediately void!

I assume the people who don't tell their insurance would be the first to cry when something goes wrong and they discover they're not covered!!

Make sure you ask for evidence of liability insurance from everyone who works on your property. Ask for a copy of the current certificate and make sure it covers the whole period of the build and decoration. (A decorator finishing off the decoration in our new extension splashed varnish over several areas of our Amtico floor. The entire floor had to be replaced at a cost of several £0000. We claimed on his insurance).

We just let ours know. Not sure if they charged us extra during the build. Our premiums went up slightly afterwards because we'd added a new door.

I like LV, they keep it simple and don't hammer you with exclusion clauses.

We were with John Lewis for our contents and buildings insurance and are just to about to start a 6 month build (moving out). They recommended this company and we have taken out a 6 month policy specifically for this. It was much, much cheaper than changing the policy:

www.renovationunderwriting.com/

That's interesting @lucy101 I hadn't heard of them before. So you keep your John Lewis insurance as normal and that's an additional policy that covers the bits that John Lewis don't?

Hi there, no we didn't keep our insurance (nearly everything in storage so no need of contents and rental already has buildings insurance), we cancelled our policy, took out the renovation policy just until we move back in and then will take out a new contents and buildings policy. The renovation policy if for up to 6 months, but you can extend a further 6 months to a max of 12 months.