Insurance and windows

[Timtims]

Does anyone know if it effects your house insurance if you leave downstairs windows locked on the catch. We have newish upvc windows, which have the ability to be locked whilst slightly open. I have been on holiday and left some of the small upstairs windows like this, but now I want to leave one big (1mx0.5m) ground floor window locked on catch.

Wouldn't want it to invalidate insurance, but I'm pretty sure the window company said it was fully locked with the while mechanism whilst on catch/slightly open.

Bumping

I don’t know about the insurance aspect of leaving them on the latch, but I’m always really wary of doing it in case it encourages someone to try and prise it open. I know they’re unlikely to get in, but it would damage the frame and I think a slightly open window it more tempting to an opportunistic burglar then a fully closed one.

Not sure but when I lived with a family member they were insistent that the windows had to be shut tight or it would invalidate insurance? Not sure if it's an urban legend though...

Thanks. I could ask the insurance, but I wouldn't be able to unask them iyswim!

Its because I want some air ventilation for a pet, who is staying in the house whilst we are away.

This is a very strange question. Wouldn't you be worried about someone breaking in at all? Only if the insurance was invalid?

Anyway, read your policy document, the info will be in it somewhere.

I think its very unlikely that someone would break in, we are in a low crime area and rural. Also windows are newish with state of the art lockingsystem, and I think it would be very hard to pry them open. But I wouldn't want insurance to use this as an excuse to not cover us for anything whilst we are away.