Trace and access cover in home insurance

[Yoffel]

Could you tell me if you have this and have to see visible damage to your property before claiming on it? ie can you claim if the damage is under the floorboards somewhere meaning you can’t see it until the trace and access work has been carried out?

Hi most standard policies from a major insurer will include this cover but there are a lot of policies that don't offer it or it is an additional extra. Your policy schedule will tell you that or a quick call to the insurer. If you know what type of policy you have will probably get the policy booklet online which will tell you.

Yes there has to be resulting water damage for you to claim on this section of the policy. Your escape of water excess will apply, worth a call to insurer to ask, to be honest they will probably say get a plumber out to have a look if there is damage come back to us to make the claim for the water damage and get a good invoice for the T&A and they will refund it. That's what we would do anyway

Your escape of water excess will apply

Thanks. Could you tell me what you mean by this Hope?

Sorry yeah just that if you can claim, so if there is water damage but maybe minimal and so the trace and access was the bulk of the cost, the excess still applies. It may sound obvious but believe me a lot of people don't get excesses

I specified escape of water excess just in case as some polices have a higher excess for escape of water claims than the standard policy excess

@HopeOverFear
"Hi most standard policies from a major insurer will include this cover"

Actually, DH reviewed our renewal this year and noticed it wasn't in there. When we started looking around, we found it was missing from a lot of policies as standard and is one of those provisions you definitely need as it can cost a fortune

So from what you are saying, you have to be able to see damage before you can claim. Ie, if the damage is hidden (eg under the floorboards) then trace and access cover cannot be claimed on?

[quote Sunflowergirl1]@HopeOverFear
"Hi most standard policies from a major insurer will include this cover"

Actually, DH reviewed our renewal this year and noticed it wasn't in there. When we started looking around, we found it was missing from a lot of policies as standard and is one of those provisions you definitely need as it can cost a fortune[/quote]
Hi, I know there are a few out there that don't include it. From my experience though, I work for a major insurer who also underwrite a lot of the major banks home policies and on our and their standard policies T&A is included.

@Yoffel

So from what you are saying, you have to be able to see damage before you can claim. Ie, if the damage is hidden (eg under the floorboards) then trace and access cover cannot be claimed on?

It's a bit of a gray area as most wording does not say "visible" damage there just has to be water damage but of course you don't know that until T&A is done. It's prob best phoning insurer and asking question as they will prob have a way they deal with these. As said we would probably say get someone out and if want to/need to claim come back to us with the report confirming the damage that was found and two cost if it's a big claim it will be set up and someone sent out and if reasonable it will probably be cash settled.

What's under flooring? If you know for sure there is a good chance joists etc are going to effected then they might just set one up then and send someone out.