enodreven Posted October 28, 2012 Posted October 28, 2012 Hi, Just looking to renew my home and contents insurance and if I have read it correctly it seems Nationwide may have changed from the unlimited time away from home to 60 days, can anyone confirm if this is the case. ?
flicka Posted October 28, 2012 Posted October 28, 2012 Hi Brian In a word YES & not for the better as far as Policy Holders are concerned, IMO. Nationwide House Insurance was underwriiten by Churchill. Some time within the last year they dropped Churchill & moved it to UK Insurance. Unfortunately I missed the change when our policy renewal came & didn't check. (long story). UK Insurance is part of the Royal Bank of Scotland. Needless to say, we won't be renewing next time around.
Brian Kirby Posted October 28, 2012 Posted October 28, 2012 However, you may be able to get the 60 days unoccupancy period relaxed or extended, albeit possibly for an additional premium. Why not ask them? If you need longer and will then have to insure elsewhere, they will lose your business. Minds sometimes change when that is in the offing! :-)
HymerVan Posted October 29, 2012 Posted October 29, 2012 UK Insurance are effectively part of Churchill as they are the underwriters for Churchill and Direct Line (both RBS companies) . They have both been sold (as part of the government bailout deal). Doubt if you will get much change out of them (pun intended) but as Brian says worth a try.
Frank McAuley Posted October 29, 2012 Posted October 29, 2012 We have had the imposition of "60 days away" for some time with NFU and with regard to Brian's suggestion they have refused to extend the limit- even with the house being visited once per day by a friend! I'm told CCC might offer in excess of 60 days?
Homenaway Posted October 30, 2012 Posted October 30, 2012 Hi,I think I paid £40 to extend the limit to 60 days when I renewed our "free" Nationwide travel insurance in April this year, and also £20 for worldwide cover as we recently went to the USA. I will check the policy before I renew it next time Steve
Iain Strachan Posted November 1, 2012 Posted November 1, 2012 Who is going to know how long you have been gone? like us I think that you will have good friends or family who will be checking the house moving the mail etc. Its only when you need to claim that there might be a problem!
fairweather camper Posted November 1, 2012 Posted November 1, 2012 My friend who goes away for about 3 months just gets one of her children (married) to come and stay at her house for the weekend about halfway through, problem solved.
starvin marvin Posted November 1, 2012 Posted November 1, 2012 fairweather camper - 2012-11-01 9:22 AM My friend who goes away for about 3 months just gets one of her children (married) to come and stay at her house for the weekend about halfway through, problem solved. This wheeze won't work unless the person actually lives at the address insured and is not just a visitor. At the time of taking out cover the proposer would have been asked who lives at the address, if you lie then your property is at risk. Check it out. I've called Natinwide today for the low down on the length of time the house can be empty. I'm awaiting a call back, we shall see. In previous years I've extended the "usual" length of cover up to 120 days, this required a visit weekly from someone to check the house and if over the winter period iand a wet C/H system was left undrained then it had to be maintained at 15C. I await my call back with interest.
Brian Kirby Posted November 1, 2012 Posted November 1, 2012 If they won't budge, consider Comfort for your house/contents. The unoccupancy period can be extended for additional premium, with discounts for locks etc. Health insurance can be added to this at a quite reasonable premium, depending on age. But, if you have any declarable medical issues, and a Nationwide Flex Account, you may find extending the health insurance offered free via Nationwide gives more flexible, and economical, cover than a lot of the others, including Comfort.
starvin marvin Posted November 3, 2012 Posted November 3, 2012 starvin marvin - 2012-11-01 9:25 PM fairweather camper - 2012-11-01 9:22 AM My friend who goes away for about 3 months just gets one of her children (married) to come and stay at her house for the weekend about halfway through, problem solved. This wheeze won't work unless the person actually lives at the address insured and is not just a visitor. At the time of taking out cover the proposer would have been asked who lives at the address, if you lie then your property is at risk. Check it out. I've called Natinwide today for the low down on the length of time the house can be empty. I'm awaiting a call back, we shall see. In previous years I've extended the "usual" length of cover up to 120 days, this required a visit weekly from someone to check the house and if over the winter period and a wet C/H system was left undrained then it had to be maintained at 15C. I await my call back with interest. It appears that "new" customers from Sept '12 are on new conditions. Existing customers or "new" customers prior to Sept '12 continue with their existing conditions until their renewal date when the conditions will change. Simples. As mentioned earlier the underwriter for Nationwide policies has moved from Churchill to UK Insurance and that is where the change of conditions comes from. Its some time before I need to check for my own use and length away, so I will be asking some careful questions when the time comes. I'll then see how this effects us.
Bulletguy Posted November 3, 2012 Posted November 3, 2012 Iain Strachan - 2012-11-01 12:18 AM Who is going to know how long you have been gone? like us I think that you will have good friends or family who will be checking the house moving the mail etc. Its only when you need to claim that there might be a problem! Iain If you are unfortunate enough to have to file a claim as I did over a recent theft, believe me they go into everything and want every single mortal detail proving when you left the country and when you returned. They won't accept photocopies either. All receipts etc have to be originals. Mine took four months before they offered me a settlement figure and three months into it they claimed i'd never sent them my Ferry tickets (which I had), so it was left to me to contact the Ferry operator and Border Agency (as i'd returned with no Passport) to provide the necessary evidence. Insurance companies are quick to grab your renewal premium......but very reluctant when it comes to paying out.
Iain Strachan Posted November 4, 2012 Posted November 4, 2012 Bulletguy, I take it that you were, claiming on your house insurance for a theft that happened whilst abroad, which involved, also the loss of your passport? Should that not come under travel insurance? But I am easily confused! And yes agree you only find out how good or otherwise, insurance is when you have to use it. Iain
Bulletguy Posted November 4, 2012 Posted November 4, 2012 Iain Strachan - 2012-11-04 4:40 PM Bulletguy, I take it that you were, claiming on your house insurance for a theft that happened whilst abroad, which involved, also the loss of your passport? Should that not come under travel insurance? But I am easily confused! And yes agree you only find out how good or otherwise, insurance is when you have to use it. Iain You are not the only one confused Iain! I had travel insurance with Nationwide so put the claim through them. The settlement btw was paltry and I was told 'this 'n that' etc wouldn't be covered so couldn't claim for some items. (The only told me this after they had received all receipts and documentation). Some months later in conversation with my Home Insurance (also Nationwide), I told them I was unable to claim for certain items on the Travel insurance and they told me I should have put it through my Home ins. as I could claim via that! It meant contacting the Travel ins to get certain receipts returned. In the end I gave up!! *-)
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