Site insurance sorted

[Weebles]

In case this is helpful to anyone we have just sorted out our site insurance.  We got quotes from (with the actual insurance company in brackets):

Buildstore (Catlin Insurance company)

Buildzone (EC Insurance)

Protek (QBE Europe)

Self Build Insurance (Zurich)

 

Self Build Insurance (Zurich) were almost 30% cheaper than the other 3 so definitely worth a call.  

 

We have gone for 24 months as it seems that lots of people on here end up having to renew half way through and premiums can be hiked at that point.

Hope we don't need to use it.  And hope we get it finished within 24 months.....we are starting tomorrow with knocking down our garage and will attempt to finally locate our water supply (where Thames Water, a diviner and alot of hand digging has failed hopefully a digger bucket will do the job ) .

[TerryE]

One think that I would caution when it comes to renewal time is that you are totally honest with yourself on timescales.  The cheapest way to get 2yrs cover for example is to get a quote before for you take out the insurance. The most expensive way is to take out a 1yr cover and then extend it in 3 month chunks.

[Russell griffiths]

8 hours ago, Weebles said:

In case this is helpful to anyone we have just sorted out our site insurance.  We got quotes from (with the actual insurance company in brackets):

Buildstore (Catlin Insurance company)

Buildzone (EC Insurance)

Protek (QBE Europe)

Self Build Insurance (Zurich)

 

Self Build Insurance (Zurich) were almost 30% cheaper than the other 3 so definitely worth a call.  

 

We have gone for 24 months as it seems that lots of people on here end up having to renew half way through and premiums can be hiked at that point.

Hope we don't need to use it.  And hope we get it finished within 24 months.....we are starting tomorrow with knocking down our garage and will attempt to finally locate our water supply (where Thames Water, a diviner and alot of hand digging has failed hopefully a digger bucket will do the job ) .

If I was there with my digger I could find that pipe in two minutes flat????

[lizzie]

22 hours ago, TerryE said:

One think that I would caution when it comes to renewal time is that you are totally honest with yourself on timescales.  The cheapest way to get 2yrs cover for example is to get a quote before for you take out the insurance. The most expensive way is to take out a 1yr cover and then extend it in 3 month chunks.

Just about to extend for a 3 month chunk......no premium quote yet?

[Hecateh]

On 05/11/2017 at 22:44, Weebles said:

 

Self Build Insurance (Zurich)

 

Self Build Insurance (Zurich) were almost 30% cheaper than the other 3 so definitely worth a call.  

Please could you give me the site address for Self Build Insurance as searching that brings up lots of companies but I can't find one with that name

 

Thanks

 

Oops - No worries - just found it - thanks anyway

Edited November 25, 2017 by Hecateh
found what I was looking for

[Triassic]

So what is the optimium time for site insurance? I’m thinking that two years should be long enough! What would experience  suggest?

[Gone West]

1 hour ago, Triassic said:

So what is the optimium time for site insurance? I’m thinking that two years should be long enough! What would experience  suggest?

Yes that's what I thought, two years will be plenty long enough. We ended up having it for seven years, mind you no one's as slow as me.

[Weebles]

We have gone for a 2 year policy and started it already (we demolished a garage and dug through a BT cable ) though we are so far away from starting anything else I am wondering whether 2 years will be enough.  We will see.....

[Onoff]

On 25/11/2017 at 16:29, PeterStarck said:

mind you no one's as slow as me.

 

?

[ProDave]

We started with 2 years. Have renewed for a third and will probably renew for a 4th.

[Gone West]

5 hours ago, Onoff said:

 

?

I'll let you have that accolade if you want.

[Onoff]

29 minutes ago, PeterStarck said:

I'll let you have that accolade if you want.

 

Several people have built several houses in the time I'm taking to do one room...

[CC45]

We did 2yrs and have renewed our 2nd annual extension.  Total insurance spend soon adds up.

[jpinthehouse]

Thanks for the advice, found the same almost 35 percent cheaper by shopping around 

[Ed_MK]

Blimey!

I am thinking "it's a Timber Frame Self Build" 

will i REALLY more need more than 1 yr??

[TerryE]

On 19/12/2017 at 16:49, Ed_MK said:

will i REALLY more need more than 1 yr

 

 

That's what we thought.  We ended up with 2½ years.  Self build takes a long time.  You have little leverage over your subs unless you are willing have lots of ££ sweeteners, and most of us end up doing a lot of work ourselves at the tail because we care about quality and controlling it and doing so all within a budget.

[Guest Alphonsox]

We've got a Timber Frame self build and are just starting on year 4,  although admittedly we haven't been in a particular rush to complete. It largely comes down to how much time and/or money you are willing to throw at the problem. If you are limited in either then timescales tend to slip.

[Gone West]

We're just finishing and in February it will be eight years since we started the ground works.

[CC45]

We started 3 years ago - another year and poss a bit more to go.  Self build is very different to custom build.  

[Triassic]

Well we’ve demolished the old house and just finished digging the basement, I must get the self Build insurance sorted!

[dpmiller]

Land liability only for us, just yet.

[Oz07]

7 minutes ago, dpmiller said:

Land liability only for us, just yet.

Land liability, the world truly has gone mad!

 

enjoying watching vikings and observing a more survival of the fittest approach to civilisation!

[Ed_MK]

Well, I am a little surprised ...I hope ours doesnt take that long

as we need somewhere to live

 

I was taking advice from Potton etc and seem to be under the impression that from breaking ground

to move in could be as little as 6-9 months ...its nothing fancy mind.

 

That being said.

 

When SHOULD i take out the insurance?
When do i CANCEL the insurance (at what stage)

 

Are we talking Building Site Insurance and Liabilty etc or are we talking the insurance to get
your 10 year warranty hmmm or do both companies do the same

 

..I think i need to keep reading LOL

 

 

 

 

[Ed_MK]

I know its an old-ish thread.

 

But ..I was wondering does anyone have any recommendation for good value Site Insurance.

To avoid doubt i DO NOT mean the Insurance for the 10yr Guarantee thing ....as all the websites seem to think I want

 

I mean the statutory liability for HSE compliance , tools theft and damage and injury whilst construction is taking place.

That type of thing 

 

Anyone bought that separately ?

[lizzie]

I got mine from Buildzone it was the quickest and easiest for site insurance much more straightforward than via my usual broker where it is not their every day policy.  We have a build warranty completely separate via Premier Guarantee the two are not connected in any way. My site insurance was about £650 for a year but premium depends on your plot etc

 

One thing I would say is take longer than you think you need on the policy, renewals for part of a year are expensive.  I took a year as we were programmed to take 9 months with the build, I had to take another 3 months at the end of last year and that short extension cost me half of the full year premium, we are still over running so I need to take another extension, hopefully I wont need the full 3 months but I have to take that, , expensive to keep renewing in chunks and 3 months is the shortest renewal they will do. I should have taken 2 years at the start it would have been cheaper I just could not imagine we would take longer than a year but patience is something I have had to learn...18 months for water!

 

www.selfbuildzone.com