House Insurance

[Gabe]

Any advice welcome... Due to renew our house insurance shortly on our house in the Gers. We are presently not living there, but will be permanently from January 2007. Our insurance for last year arranged through Credit Agricole was 690 euros for the year, which seemed high to me but was the cheapest we could arrange at relatively short notice. Obviously the cost depends on the house etc, but does anybody have any views/recommendations as to who we should look at for comparisons, especially if they can recommend somebody local.

Thanks....Gabe

[tj]

Macif are very reasonable...

[toni]

Our house is a holday house also and we have our insurance with Groupama- I think they have offices all over France, but you could check their website- circumstances differ of course but you premium does seem pretty steep!

[Smiley]

Gabe, unless you live in a mansion your insurance is very steep. As always it goes on value. I paid 120 euros last year for mine. Have just got a new quote for the house this year and it's £220.00 for use as letting accomodation with swimming pool cover. I'll dig out the companies and post later.

[mark24]

I would make shore you let the existing insurers know well in time

 

Our insurance was due for renewal mid April we were in the Uk and had been there  for 2.5 months .

We tried to contact the local office in France to find out how much it would be but could not get hold of them ,so we arranged it through a UK company  and got a fantastic policy for the money .

When we returned to our home in France end of April there was nothing from the French insurance company  so we were glad that we had got cover sorted out when we were away. Even though we could not believe that we had not received any thing from the French insurers .

But last week we got a recorded letter from the French insurers witch was a default of payment .

They had not sent any thing to let us know how much the renewal would be just a default of payment some seven weeks after the renewal date.

We thought that they had to let you know what your renewal was going to be so you had the choice to look around for a better quote.

 

Well one more thing that we will have to sort out .the joys of French  life wouldn’t be with out it !

 

 

[southwestgersdee]

Hi Gabe

We have just insured ours through Generali Insurance via Phillips Schreinmachers office in Eauze. Ours was 255 Euro's, so yours does seems steep. Also they have English speaking staff at the branch, and your policy documents can be printed in English if you request it.....So much easier to understand if you need to make a claim. If you want tele numbers etc, pm me. Thanks Dee

[Cerise]

You must advice French insurers IN WRITING BY RECORDED DELIVERY that you wish to terminate a policy.  Make sure you give sufficient notice - exactly how much depends on the company.  If you don't do this you are liable for the following year's payment.  In my experience they never let you know next year's premium in time to cancel, so you need to ask.

 

Maggi

[Ron Avery]

It is utterly pointless to compare insurance premiums unless they are like for like.  They  are calculated on the  size and number of rooms, so that two room 25m2 gite  is not going to cost as much as a 8 room house is it?  With insurance like anything else you get what you pay for.  Anybody tried to claim on a 200€ per annum policy? Told them its a holiday home have you? Empty for more than 30 days a year? You are covered for theft aren't you? (many policies exclude this).

 I would read very carefully any policy that costs just 200€,  what are you covered for just building insurance?  CA and others are "dear" but you get what you pay for.  You get new for old replacement with CA  but only a written down value with others, so if your 10 year old washing machine blows up you get a new one with CA and nothing with other companies, the value limits are also very different between companies. Of course you can save money with premiums, but I know a couple who had a "cheap policy" and three years on are stil trying to claim back the expenses they incurred when their house burnt down while their insurer tries to sue the electrician.

If you do change policy, as Maggi says make sure you or your new insurer cancel the old plicy, CA do all this for you if you change to them.

CA are going into the insurance market in a big way which

[Gabe]

Thanks to all for the info. It may be that under the circumstances that CA are o.k., but I would like reassurance (sorry) from other comparable quotes. Dee I have left a message for you, thanks.

Gabe

[Athene]

I think with our insurance, we have to give 2 months notice in writing of our intention to change companies. This is built into the policy and, as someone else said, if you contravene this, you will have to pay the premium again.

[derf]

[quote user="Cerise"]

You must advice French insurers IN WRITING BY RECORDED DELIVERY that you wish to terminate a policy.  Make sure you give sufficient notice - exactly how much depends on the company.  If you don't do this you are liable for the following year's payment.  In my experience they never let you know next year's premium in time to cancel, so you need to ask.

Maggi

[/quote]

The law was changed recently and now the company must send you a renewal notice, giving you 21 days from the postmark on the envelope to cancel the policy if you wish.

 

 

[mark24]

Can any one else enlighten me as to the Law change on this issue

When did the law change ?

Is there any more info on this

Many thanks for any replies

 

[Frank]

Hi Mark

I 'ditto'Les, Our insurance was due for renewal and the existing policy was quite expensive, anyway, long story short, the new insurance company completed said letter for existing insurance, posted and sent me the recorded delivery slip, My existing insurers renewal notice had the clause written in for cancellation for 20 days from postmark, which I am glad to say we met because the price diff between the new and existing insurer was over one hundred euro less!!!! and like the other posters, included pool cover and gite cover, so yes, I am a happy bunny it pays to shop around!!!!

If memory serves, written on the letters was the phrase 'loi chatel' for reason for termination, it was also on the confirmation letters form the old insurers.

Hope this helps

Kimberley