Monika Posted June 25, 2009 Share Posted June 25, 2009 Last Sunday my husband arrived at our holiday cottage to find that our Abri had been broken into (locked with a padlock) and all our gardening machinery stolen (mower, chainsaw, strimmer and hedge cutter). Our insurance refuses to pay and states the following: Le vol dans les dépendances est garanti si les mesures de sureté et moyens de protection sont mis en place(serrou ou verrou de sureté). Un cadenas n'est pas considéré comme un moyen de protection.Compte tenu de votre déclaration, nous ne pourrons pas garantir ce vol.Well this is an expensive lesson for us and I want to pass it on, although I feel quite embarrassed because we should have known better! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubbles Posted June 25, 2009 Share Posted June 25, 2009 Given that you must be feeling very bitter, it is very good of you to warn us all.Thanks.And sorry you had this horrible experience Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dog Posted June 25, 2009 Share Posted June 25, 2009 So exactly how are you meant to secure the shed?Do they expect three doberman pinchers, searchlights and an armed guard?This sucks - insurance companies just do not like paying out - at the least change companies and tell them what you think of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chancer Posted June 25, 2009 Share Posted June 25, 2009 The lesson (if there is one) is to read carefully the policy and play them at their own game before submitting a claim or making a police report, even if it means fitting and accidentally breaking a serrure.Hate them (or specifically A*A) as I do I dont think that French insurers are any worse in this respect its just that they get away with it and dont seem to mind alienating customers, there will always be new customers switching to them after an equally bad experience with their competitors.Its certainly how it seems to work in the restauration trade around where I live. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markie Posted June 26, 2009 Share Posted June 26, 2009 I too am so sorry to hear of your experience Monika. A friend of ours had a similar experience although they were only out for the day when their burglary took place. The insurance company threw out their claim stating that because the shed was made in England it was "obviously not up to the job". When my friend pointed out that not only had she bought it in France (producing the receipt) but that they had purchased a very substantial locking mechanism too. The insurance company still refused to pay!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powerdesal Posted June 26, 2009 Share Posted June 26, 2009 If a padlock on a shed is not considered to be adequate and a 'security bolt' is required, what secures the security bolt?Does anyone know just what is required to satisfy an insurance company in respect of shed locking? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Avery Posted June 26, 2009 Share Posted June 26, 2009 Yes, probably don't leave valuable tools in it, particularly if there is nobody there for weeks on end [I] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierre ZFP Posted June 26, 2009 Share Posted June 26, 2009 All very well but where are you supposed to put such items? In your lounge perhaps?I had a hedge trimmer knicked at the begining of the year from a small shed in my garden, nothing else taken and a neighbour now has a nicely trimmed hedge. Hmmmm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Avery Posted June 26, 2009 Share Posted June 26, 2009 [quote user="Pierre ZFP"] All very well but where are you supposed to put such items? In your lounge perhaps?[/quote]Well if that is the only secure place you have for stuff that is too valuable to leave in a wooden shed for weeks on end with just two screws and a padlock to protect it.......... yes.[:P] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monika Posted June 26, 2009 Author Share Posted June 26, 2009 Yes I think that's where we will leave all our gardening tools etc. in the future, in the lounge, we have now already put the bikes and ladder in there. Strangely enough, they were left! The gendarmes seemed to think that it was an English "gang", they look in telephone books for English sounding names and then survey the property and that they have a ready market. We are also going ex directory! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
just john Posted June 26, 2009 Share Posted June 26, 2009 We found ourselves in this position, when a door secured by a padlock and a second chain and padlock, had the locks removed; after the break-in, (which they refused to payout for)[+o(] we asked for the insurance agent to inspect our property and advise what we needed to do to have confirmed insurance cover. In our case we were advised that external locks do not count for security, and we should have a locksmith fit a lock with an internal lock so that only the keyhole was visible from the outside; (so that the lock could not be cut or ground off from the outside without first forcing the door. After this was done the agent would visit again and confirm cover if the lock was satisfactory. From the conversation it appeared that the company would not payout unless the access was gained from physically breaking open the door). We did this (and changed Insurance Company)[:P] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monika Posted June 26, 2009 Author Share Posted June 26, 2009 That's a good idea "Just John", I will make a "Rendez Vous" with our Insurance representative to survey our house and let us know what exactly they want! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnOther Posted June 26, 2009 Share Posted June 26, 2009 This discussion is purely hypothetical of course as we all know that there is no crime in France [6] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powerdesal Posted June 27, 2009 Share Posted June 27, 2009 And any crime that does happen is committed by Brits/Poles/Gypsies or any other group (other than French) [:(] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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