Buildings insurance query..

[Jensieboy]

I'm due to take possesion of a barn I've just bought ( in France ) in a month or two's time. I will therefore need to arrange a basic buildings insurance cover from the moment I take over.

Here in the UK I own a flat. There are 3 conversion flats in one Victorian house and I and the other 2 owners have a combined buildings insurance with all 3 names on the policy. It is classed as a "block of flats" policy and seems to come under "commercial" insurance.

I have been letting the flat for 6 months and we have had a washing machine leak from my top floor flat into the flat below causing perhaps £200 - £300 worth or re-decorating costs. The lady in the flat below is in the process of filling in claim forms and getting quotes. I beleive she will be doing all the form filling. ( 'her' making the claim ? )

My question is - will making this claim affect any new policy I may wish to arrange in France ? The barn will be "privately" owned by myself and initially for me to live in. I feel ifthis will become awkward or start heavily affecting any new premium it might be worth coughing up the re-decorating costs from my own pocket...

Or is this not something to worry about or need to declare on any new French application ? I remember when I had a claim here in the UK for lost cameras on a "business" insurance policy I was told upon taking out a new "home contents" residential policy that the "business" claim would NOT need to be declared..

Am I being paranoid ? I do resent paying £1000's over many years and not 'using' the product when genuine need arises.

Thanks for any insights

[Alexis]

I don't think I have ever been asked about previous insurance claims.  Perhaps they asked if I had any no claims for the car but they most certainly would have disallowed any

Anyway, should cost you practically nothing to insure your barn if it has to be completly renovated.  Especially if there is no water....therefore no floods.

Not daft these Froggies.

As I always say, someone will undoubtably know more than me...

[Dave&Olive]

hi we have just bought in 79 last month . It seems that under French law all properties must have insurance ( min allowed is fire ), so the same as you refused to claim for something on our house insurance in case it affected the french one.

         Our french estate agent arranged this for us and we paid him the cash on the day we signed the acte de-vente.

     the full cost was €235 but a discount for the first year so we paid €112 but there are quite a few clauses for theft i.e. metal bars door bolts if the property is left empty. note a prior claim was never mentioned    .

           this is for  http://uk.geocities.com/david.2000@btinternet.com/earlydays.html

             yes I know it`s work but

                            Dave 

[Dave&Olive]

p.s. sorry must inform them when we have finished renovations ..

              prob put up premiums

                    dave

[Jensieboy]

Thanks - did I get you right that you also did NOT claim in the UK because you did not want to affect the French application ? Was this based on any hard infromation or just a gut feeling ?

I would be curious if there was any specific question on a French insurance application for relating to previous claims ( however small ) , whether a UK claim is relevant, and also whether the policy I described above would count as a 'personal' policy or something different  .. ( ie a 'business' policy )

Thanks

[Dave&Olive]

[quote]Thanks - did I get you right that you also did NOT claim in the UK because you did not want to affect the French application ? Was this based on any hard infromation or just a gut feeling ? I would...[/quote]

no had not so long ago changed our house insurance in the uk and they asked if I had made a claim in the last 3 years just thought the same would happen in france.

      also when you come to insure your car in france they want proof of no claims bonus ie. your last renewal notice.

     thought they might be the same but like I said we were never asked for anything about last claims for the house so I could have prob claimed but .....well the house in the uk is sold now ....well we hope so.....

               dave

[PaulC<P><IMG src="http:forums.livingfrance.comimagesline.gif"><BR>Paul, Debbie and Josh, <BR>London & Dept 24<BR><a target=_blank href="http:www.les-brandes.net" target=_blank>http:www.les-brandes.net<A><BR><P>]

When we took our policy there was no questions about any claims let alone claims on France or UK or any other property, they just wanted the address and some details about the house (and some money !)

Paul