Home insurance

[Ann Stuart]

I am just waiting on council coming round to check over house and to issue our competition certificate 

we have lived in our house for over a year now on normal house insurance but I read somewhere that I need an interim insurance not regular insurance , looking for advice please 

[Bozza]

Yes self build insurance is a different thing to regular home insurance.  Unsurprisingly, it’s more expensive.

 

I think it’s unlikely a regular home insurance policy eg bought online would cover your circumstances unless your insurer was fully aware that you were living in an ongoing self build.   That said though you’ll have a temporary occupation certificate, so whether that’s good enough for them.

 

You 100% need to speak with your insurer asap to confirm coverage.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 6, 2023 by Bozza

[Ann Stuart]

Our building work is complete just waiting on council coming to sign off and issue completion certificate which should be in the next week or so 

[MikeGrahamT21]

30 minutes ago, Ann Stuart said:

Our building work is complete just waiting on council coming to sign off and issue completion certificate which should be in the next week or so 

 

Ring your insurer, its the only way to know for sure

[Bozza]

2 hours ago, Ann Stuart said:

Our building work is complete just waiting on council coming to sign off and issue completion certificate which should be in the next week or 

 

Nobody in the forum will be able to provide you with the reassurance that your policy will provide you with coverage currently, and indeed even after the completion certificate has been issued.
 

Some insurers provide self build policies that can then be converted into normal house insurance policies when the house is complete.  But many insurers simply don’t offer self build policies.  
 

Normal house insurance policies usually don’t cover self builds.  
 

The problem you may have is that even though the building is now complete and you have been signed off, is that your policy was taken out presumably whilst you were still building.  If you need to make a claim thereafter, especially a big one,  you’ll likely find the insurer will argue that your policy is invalid due to misrepresentation at time of issue. 

 

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

[Ann Stuart]

Thank you 

[Blooda]

Maybe cheaper and less hassle, once you have you Building Control Sign off, starting a new policy and cancelling the old one, taking the hit financially.  Making sure you answer all questions honestly.  

 

Probably not insured at the moment, but depending on what you were asked when you took it out, and what the policy is Buildings or Contents.

 

 

 

[Chanmenie]

I am in the same boat so contacted my current home insurer Aviva, I told them i did not have final sign off from BC. 

They were happy to provide cover on the proviso that they would not pay a claim that was a result of poor workmanship, quite what difference to that final sign off would make Im not sure, as BC don't see everything.

Premium was the same or cheaper as i went from a 4 bed to a 3 bed, the.y have actually covered both properties for 30 days as my site cover expired before the completion date for the sale of my old property.