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House insurance company?


Storrsy

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We originally took out insurance through the bank here, but weren't happy. We read here on the forum about an English-speaking company who were recommended. We moved to them, can understand all the literature, it's a bit cheaper and we're happier. It's specifically for second homes, doesn't include certain things (I seem to remember a wine cellar was one - might be my mind going though!) I can't give details just now, as OH is still asleep.Yes, I'm part of the insomniac group, but dawn will arrive soon!

GG 

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We changed this year to a UK based company, Hiscox. The policy seemed to have very few restrictions. Prior to that we were insured by a French company via a French broker.

The main reason for the change was that it was cheaper to insure in the UK, due to the exchange rate and we are still chained to our desks in the UK and hence paid in sterling (as will our pensions in the future). If it was still around 1.50 euros to the pound then it would be cheaper to insure in France.

Paul

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I would not recommend AXA but that is another long ongoing story, you could search the forum and you will find many other views of them, none positive to my memory.

I am using Intasure in the UK and very happy with them, whilst their quote for the property in France was very competitive in the end I used them to insure my UK property whilst the dispute with AXA is still ongoing.

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I got quotes from all the "easy option" english insurers as well as Britline.

Both a friend with a house locally and our estate agent recommended AGF.

The local rep came round, measured the room sizes (rooms over a certain size are counted as 2 and the quote is based on no of rooms), looked at the locks, looked at the pool and the barn, evaluated the contents and gave me a quote of about 50% of what I had been already quoted.  Paid monthly with no additional charge.

So far - all perfect - of course I have not had to claim yet!

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Hi,

Stan is right. I have all my insurances with AGF and with car, house and health have saved over 300€ over a year.   Plus I get more for less on health, and a really good deal on car insurance especially if the car is written off.

Bonne chance

tuppence

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Not only is OH up, half the day has gone by!

Our policy is with Generali, through Agence Eaton, 1 Parc Doaren Molac, 56610 ARRADON. I read about them initially on the forum.

I contacted them by phone and their English was excellent. My French isn't bad, but for things like insurance, nowhere near good enough. If needed, they were happy to contact our previous company, but it wasn't necessary, as we sent the statutary letter by registered post well within the period allowed.

Our insurance is only for contents, as we are covered by the owners' buildings insurance taken out together. It costs less than the policy offered by our bank, which we took initially, and we are more content with it. I imagine that like most companies, having more policies with one company berings better value. I realise you can only be sure of how good your insurance company is when you have to claim, but that obviously remains to be seen - or not, we hope!

GG

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[quote user="cooperlola"]Credit Agricole Pacifica seem reasonable to me.  But what they're like in the event of a claim, I do not know and that is where insurance companies are truly tested, imho.[/quote]

Well I put in a claim four years ago for a swimming pool repair, and despite monthly calls/e mails, I've still yet to see an "expert".

To add insult to injury, originally, very very reasonable, this year a reminder was sent, AFTER the deadline to stop it and go else where, with a HUGE increase (nearly double from 399 euros to 710). After a call, and a apology that I was now stuck with it because it was sent out late, but no reason why it's gone up so much. Needless to say, not best impressed.

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You could have legally cancelled 20 days after it was sent out or at any time if they did not inform you of your right to do so.

Perhaps I should have used technically instead of legally as I am still fighting AXA 9 months after cancelling all my insurances with them.

They too send out the reminders after the renewal date and it was the reason that I cancelled after threatening to the year before, the agent is in my opinion a l*ing sc***ag,  he has confirmed the resiliations in writing (which he will later claim were in error) whilst simultaneously initiating legal action.

For one of the insurances their case is that I signed the letter 3 months and a day before the renewal date and it needed to be less than 3 months [8-)]

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My house is insured through Generali. I have a claim outstanding with them since 2006 for substantial cracks in the wall of a barn due to secheresse. The expert duly passed and agreed that was the cause. Since then Generali have done nothing, apart from buck passing on the telephone. I have recently told them that I am writing to the moderateur, as I have not been able to get any answers, which provoked them to look at my file again. They are now trying to wriggle out of responsibility on a technicality. I cannot recommend them which is a shame as the local agent has always been very helpful and obliging but in this case there's nothing he can do because it is being dealt with in Paris.

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Mmm Helpfull and obliging agents up untill you come to claim!

Maybe they are not all the same but the agents around me resemble "the nice man from the co-op" from 30 years ago who would always stop for a cuppa and a chat with the easily influenced housewifes whlst flogging them more and more insurances for the kids university and life insurance for the hubby.

They were always the first to be on hand to console the greiving widow (husband worked himself to death trying to keep up with the premiums) and quickly move in with her.

They were also really quick off the mark whenever there was a storm to re-assure their customers whereas in fact they were just making sure that no false claims for damage would follow except of course from their favorite soon to be widows who they encoraged and helped to make fals claims.

Then the doorstep collection ceased and they all became financial advisors [6]

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  • 4 weeks later...

After Steve's experience with Pacifica, I thought I should post again here just for the sake of balance, as since I first mentioned Pacifica I have indeed had to make use of my house insurance policy.

Following my accident, the insurance company of the person responsible has agreed to finance a new bathroom with easier access for me.  The artisans had decided to leave my existing tiling in place and put the new tiles on top.  However, on removing the bath they noticed that the walls were damp.  Suspicious of what was going on, we also got them to take out a bit of the false ceiling to see if the damp was coming from above. What they found was that the builders who had replaced our roof dropped the expansion overflow pipe from our hot water tank on the ground (it had previously been poked out through the tiles so it went  outside) and thus for the last three years, all the resultant water has been collecting in the bathroom ceiling, thus soaking all the insualtion material and rotting the beams which prop up the concrete.  If this had not been found, the ceiling might well have fallen on one of us in years to come with goodness knows what consequence.

It is the responsibility of the roofers' insurers to pay ultimately but anyway Pacifica sent round the expert within two days and agreed on the spot to release 1000€ so we could prop up the ceiling and install a shower cubicle so we can get clean whilst waiting the statutory three weeks for the roofers' insurers to respond.  Not bad, eh?

 

As a footnote, the expert did tell us that it is in fact very dangerous for the ballon's overflow pipe to be put outside, and it's quite a common practice here, especially amongst diy-ers.  What can happen is that the pipe freezes and when the water expands it has nowhere to go and the ballon blows up!  He has seen the results of this on half a dozen occasions with disasterous results.  So do check where yours goes to if you have one.

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Glad to hear of a positive result from an insurer, I often find that they are very accomodating when they know that another insurer, be it the other drivers or the roofers will ultimately foot the bill; it is when they have to put there own hands in their pockets that you hear the other stories related here.

Re the ballon he is just scare-mongering, any water released by the group de securité drops into an open U-bend before exiting via the drain tube, if it were to be blocked it would just drip on the floor like yours is doing. It is undoubtedy better to route the overflow into an existing drain but in situations like yours where one is not available it can be released via the eaves, it is common practice to put one or two bends in the pipe so that chilly winds can not make there way through.

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  • 1 month later...
As a footnote.  We waited the statutory three weeks for the builders' insurers and Pacifica then sent another expert round.  The other insurers didn't turn up.  The guy looked at the estimates for the repair work, did some QS caluculations and, together with our builder who's doing the repairs, came up with an amount.  Today Pacifica phoned me to say that they will be transfering the money tonight.  They will then argue the t*ss with the builder's insurers.  Pretty efficient all in all, I reckon.
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