Repeated break-ins

[Btuckey]

[quote]Hi all Good news is that since the last time our place was made secure there appear to have no more break-ins, our builder suggests putting up a fence and giving the property a fresh coat of paint wh...[/quote]

John & Sue,

I don't know if you have Broadband (ADSL) at your home but there are a number of good IP cameras if you do.  The 'French Property' magazine carried an article on this a few years ago.  They suggested a company (can't remember who) that utilised the 'AXIS' range.  Try this site for starters:

http://www.simplyautomate.co.uk/search.asp?catid=240&Cat2=240 

They don't carry the AXIS outdoor range but the illustrated VEO range looks similar.  You can use your internet browser in the UK to swivel the camera and observe what is going on.  Recording can be carried out in a number of ways according to the features of the selected unit.

Hope this helps!

Brian 11500

 

[Jc]

Our friends over there never had there house or farm machinery touched but lost their swimming pool pump and filter regularly.

[just john]

Thanks Brian for your reference on IP cameras, it gives us somewhere to start. We certainly intend to make the property a lot more secure than we had first intended, and now include something to record all vehicles approaching the property. When we have done this we will need to find reliable insurance cover for a property which is not always going to be occupied.

We don't feel as though our property will have any great valuables but the damage done and the intrusion by someone looking to 'have something away' means we will build more security into the 'resto' so that there is a chance of not just getting mad but getting even.

 

[Debra]

Did AXA say exactly why they wouldn't insure you?  Is it the isolation aspect?  They just insured us as 'owner with possible periods of inhabitation > 90 days' and the insurance includes all the cover we need, including theft cover.  However, our house is in a village.........

[just john]

We insured through an agent in the town recommended by the notaire and the insurance came through
Vous n'avez pas de garanties pour
Degats des eaus, Bris de glaces, Vol et vandalisme.
I can't see any reason stated by AXA, but having had a meeting with the agent at the house (his english was non existent and my french is poor) I believe it is because although it is secure, we only visit every five or six months and do not occupy the property while it is under renovation.

 

[Chardie]

Our AXA insurance was arranged through our estate agent with a local insurance agent Mutuelle du Poitou Assurances.  The insurance lady came to visit the house and took note of the security (shutters and multi-point locking system on door). She pointed out a couple of things that we had to do ie mend a broken shutter. As a holiday home policy it does not allow us to spend more than 90 days a year in the house. (I wish I had enough holiday to spend 90 days!) It covers theft etc. The only thing we have to do is between the months of November and March drain the water system down completely otherwise we will not be covered for burst pipes etc.  We are not isolated and there are other houses very close by.- Not had to make a claim yet so no experience of their claims service. - One thing we have done is to put solar lights outside so it doesn't look completely uninhabited at night. The only other thing we do is have someone check every couple of weeks. - 

Becky  

[Debra]

Becky, that sounds odd.  Not allowed to spend more than 90 days a year in the house?  Are you sure?  Surely its less of a risk to them if you spend more time in the house?  Our AXA holiday home policy simply specifies that we may be absent from the house for periods > 90 days - it doesn't say we have to be absent.  Our policy costs €50 more than the quote for us living there full time.

[Chardie]

I agree its odd but the insurance lady said to us  that we must not spend more than 90 days total. We did double -check this with her at the time and she did speak reasonable English. -I've just looked at what it actually says in our insurance document: "La periode d'habitation depasse 90 jours par an. " - Now I'm not sure whether this means more than 90days in one stretch! -  Lets hope I never have to claim and find out I'm not covered. - Incidentally there is an English company based in Weston-Super-Mare who cover  holiday homes abroad. Can't remember the name but can find out if anyone wants to know as just down the road from Bristol where I live.The cover actually looked quite good but they were more expensive and didn't cover our barn (which the AXA one does). 

Becky  

[Debra]

Sure it doesn't mean that you're supposed to be there for more than 90 days??  Depasser translates as 'to surpass' among other things.  This would also make more sense from an insurance point of view.  If the original poster doesn't spend more than 90 days per year in his house, that could be why AXA wouldn't insure him, and would explain the clause in yours too, if it actually means you should be there for more than 90 days a year.  I would get this checked by someone else if I was you, because you may not be insured if you're not there for at least 90 days per year.

We told them we intend to spend approximately 2 months in France and 2 months in UK, alternately, so we wouldn't have been affected by this rule for our 'holiday home policy'.  I'll have to check it out when we get the detailed policy document through.

[Teamedup]

Well I read it as you must be there 90days a year or more. Insurers are rather fond of occupied property.

[Chardie]

The more I think about it the more it looks like we are not covered. Looks like the insurance lady's english language skills has misled us. However I don't know  how an insurance company would know that you haven't been in the house for at least 90 days. -  Now I'll have to spend time looking for another insurance policy if AXA aren't willing to cover. 

Becky

[Jc]

SAGA used to offer holiday home cover.

[just john]

I wonder if SAGA write unambiguous policies which cover holiday homes no matter what the occupation?.
It looks like AXA and their agents can write a variety of different things for what might be assumed to be full cover, and I don't feel we've got good enough cover.
I'm sure there must be lots of peeps out there who have got this sorted, and it must be less confusing dealing through an english speaking agent. Any recommendations?

[Weedon]

[quote]I wonder if SAGA write unambiguous policies which cover holiday homes no matter what the occupation?. It looks like AXA and their agents can write a variety of different things for what might be assum...[/quote]

For excellent service on insurance matters contact Patrice Riegler in Ernee (53) 0243 0521 82.  He speaks almost flawless english and as a bonus for blokes, is an expert on 60s and 70s english football.

weedon

[just john]

Thanks a lot for this insurance contact, We will find out what he can offer us, hopefully positive!

John & Sue

[Athene]

[quote]For excellent service on insurance matters contact Patrice Riegler in Ernee (53) 0243 0521 82. He speaks almost flawless english and as a bonus for blokes, is an expert on 60s and 70s english footbal...[/quote]

There is an English security expert living over here who can install all the devices talked about here and more. He covers Charente Maritime and the Charente, may go even further if his expenses were met! He is fully siret registered, so no problems there. If you would like his contact details just e-mail me. Good luck with all your properties.