Home insurance question.

[glange]

We had slight subsidence in September 2020 and started a claim, work was slow because of Covid and it was completed in 2022. I’m looking into alternative insurance companies now and they ask have we made a claim in the last 5 years? Which date do I go off, when the claim was made or when work was completed?

What does the question ask? If it says when was the claim made - state the exact date you submitted the claim

Usually when the claim was made. You said yourself when you started it. Often they will ask about subsidence separately.

You will need to give the date that the claim was first reported, and/or when the damage was first noticed. However, the 'in the last 5 years' will be irrelevant in the case of subsidence claims ... unfortunately you will always need to declare this claim forever.

If they are interested in quoting they will ask for full details of what happened, and what has been done though, buildings reports etc...

It is quite unusual for a new insurer to take on a property with previous subsidence though, especially as it happened so recently. It's a bit of an 'unwritten rule' that once an insurer has paid for subsidence, they should also continue to insure it in future.

It’s perfectly ok to see what a new insurer says. DH is a structural engineer and his aunts house had subsidence 30 years ago. The new owners undoubtedly have different insurance as it changed hands 10 years ago. The whole point of underpinning is that the house is more structurally sound than before so the insurer’s liability is potentially less. The op is not insuring a subsidised house! It’s been rectified. As long as all the calcs and work schedule are provided, the house is insurable.