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As a result of the fire,
my house has been filled with smoke. Does the policy cover the
cost of cleaning throughout the property? |
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Providing that the smoke does emanate
from a fire, the policy will cover the cost of cleaning that
is necessary to remove both the actual smoke staining and the
odour. It may be necessary to separate the cost between buildings
and contents depending upon what is covered by your policy.
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What is the difference between buildings
and contents? |
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Simply put, the buildings comprise
the bricks and mortar together with any permanent installations
that could not be removed without defacing the actual structure,
e.g. fitted kitchens, including split level appliances for which
purpose built holes may have been created in worktops, or purpose
built housing cabinets that may have been installed. Contents
are those household possessions which you could take with you,
even if you might not choose to do so, when moving house. This
would include, for example, fitted carpets, light fittings and
curtains. |
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There has been a fire in my kitchen but
only one cabinet has been burnt. Will the policy pay for a new
range of kitchen units? |
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There is no common rule applicable
to all policies with the result that each wording must be examined
carefully. Some policies will only pay for the cost of replacing
the damaged item and specifically exclude cover for matching
units. Other policies will pay for the cost of the destroyed
cabinet and contribute up to 50% towards the cost of replacing
the matching units. The Insurance Ombudsman Bureau (now the
Financial Ombudsman Service) have indicated that, where an item
is not actually destroyed or damaged, the maximum amount that
insurers should pay is 50% towards the undamaged item(s). |
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When electrical items have been enveloped
by smoke, what action should I take? |
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Do not attempt to clean these items
yourself. Arrange for the equipment to be tested by a professional
who should prepare a detailed report on their condition, including
an estimate of repair cost. After consultation with your insurers
or their representatives, a decision can then be made as to
whether items should be repaired, economically, or replaced. |
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An electrical contractor has advised
me that damage has been caused to the main wiring in my home.
Because of the age of the wiring, it needs to be upgraded to
comply with current IEE Regulations. Will my insurers meet the
additional cost of upgrading the wiring? |
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Generally, insurance policies do
not pay for improvement or betterment. They are intended to
put you back in the position that you were in immediately prior
to the fire, insofar as is practicable. Most policies contain
a clause, often referred to as a "Local Authorities Clause"
which states that your insurers will pay for the cost of additional
works that are necessary in order to comply with Local Building
Regulations. However, this clause will only allow for insurers
to pay for the actual damaged areas of wiring and not for replacing
the rest of the wiring in undamaged areas. |
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If I am unsure about the extent of the
damage to my home, will the policy pay for appointing a specialist
such as a surveyor, to prepare a specification and schedule
of works? |
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If your policy provides cover for
buildings, it will also cover the reasonable cost of surveyors'
or architects' fees necessarily and reasonably incurred for
the purpose of reinstating your home. There may well be a limit
which is a percentage of the total sum insured on buildings
applicable in respect of the cost of fees and you should check,
carefully, your policy wording. |
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Most of the contents of my home have
been affected, to varying degrees, by fire and smoke. Who is
responsible for compiling a list? |
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If a loss adjuster is appointed
to deal with your claim, their representative will discuss with
you which items should be included in the claim. It will be
necessary for you, as the policy holder, to compile the final
detailed list and the loss adjusters' representative will assist
you in ensuring that this is accurate and fair. You will also
have to provide prices for the replacement cost of each affected
item and, again, these will be verified and checked for accuracy
by the loss adjusters' representative. If a loss adjuster is
not appointed, you will have to present the detailed listing
direct to your insurance company. |
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During the course of putting out the
fire, the Fire Brigade have caused damage to my house and contents
with their extinguishment water and also as a result of forcing
entry. Will my policy pay for this damage? |
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Yes. Even though the damage may
have been caused by the Fire Brigade, it all occurred directly
as a result of the need to extinguish the fire. |
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The extent of the damage to my home is
so great that I cannot live there anymore. Will my insurance
company pay for me to live somewhere else? |
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Both buildings and contents sections
of your insurance policies will provide cover for the cost of
reasonable alternative accommodation expenses, providing that
your property is rendered uninhabitable as a result of the fire.
In order to be uninhabitable, the damage must be such that you
and your family cannot continue to live safely in your home.
Sometimes, you can continue to occupy, albeit at a slightly
reduced level of comfort. |
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Who arranges for alternative accommodation
and will it be the same as my home? |
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Where the scale of damage is so
great that alternative accommodation is necessary, a loss adjuster
will normally have been appointed. The loss adjuster will be
able to discuss with you whether short or long term alternative
arrangements are necessary. Sometimes, for a short period, it
may prove convenient for you to reside with relatives or friends,
in which case, a cash allowance will be agreed. Alternatively,
you may need to move into a hotel and, again, insurers will
meet the cost of the alternative accommodation. They will usually
contribute something towards the cost of eating meals, although
taking into account normal everyday costs that you would incur
in feeding yourself and your family. For longer periods of alternative
accommodation, the insurer will normally have specialist contacts
who can arrange for a three or six month rental of a property
which is fairly similar in size and style to your own home.
Insurers try to be as even handed as is possible but, often,
the nature of the longer term alternative accommodation is dictated
by the availability of homes on the rental market. |
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There was no fire in my home but it was
the neighbouring house which caught fire. Do I make a claim
under my own policy or do I take matters up with my neighbour? |
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You must report the incident to your own insurers
who will deal with any valid claim irrespective of the fact
that the fire may have started next door. If there are proper
grounds for holding your neighbour liable, your insurers will
then deal with matters on a direct basis with the neighbour
or with the insurers of the neighbour. In this way, you and
your possessions are fully protected irrespective of whether
the monies can be recovered from your neighbour and/or their
insurers. |
