Buildings and Contents Insurance

We arrange the buildings insurance cover under a blanket policy for all our leasehold properties. It is a condition of your lease that we do this therefore you are not able to arrange this using a company of your choice. The insurance runs from 1 April to 31 March and the premium is based on the cost of rebuilding your flat. This is called the sum insured and is different from the market value.

Please make sure that your mortgage lender is happy with the sum your property is insured for. We can increase it if necessary. If you let out your flat or leave it empty for more than 30 days you must let us know as this could affect your insurance cover and premium and could make your policy invalid if you were to make a claim.

If you are subletting your property there are certain things that the buildings insurance will no longer cover. This means that you will need to arrange your own insurance for the things that our policy no longer covers. Details of this are in the insurance summary booklet.

 

This isn’t possible because the property is already insured and you cannot have more than one insurance policy. We can write to your mortgage company to tell them this if required.

The policy is with Zurich Municipal; policy number 10/006460/05500396 Click here for the insurance summary booklet if you have standard insurance cover.

Click here for the insurance summary booklet if you have additional accidental damage cover.

Click here for the important notice that Zurich issued in relation to the Insurance policy

This guide provides a summary of the insurance policy only; if you wish to see what you are covered for and any exclusions please read the policy booklet.

1) Fire, lightning, explosion or earthquake

2) Smoke

3) Riot, strike, civil commotion, labour or political disturbance

4) Malicious damage

5) Collision by aircraft, other aerial devises, any vehicle (or articles dropped from them) or animal

6) Storm or flood

7) Escape of water from any fixed tank, fishtank, pipe or appliance and damage caused to such by bursting or freezing

8) Falling trees or branches (and removing any fallen trees or branches which cause damage to the Buildings) or telegraph poles or lampposts

9) Theft or attempted theft

10)  Subsidence or ground heave of the site on which the Buildings stand or landslip

11)  Leakage of oil from any fixed oil-fired installation including smoke and/or smudge damage arising from defective vaporisation

12)  Breakage or collapse of television or radio signal receiving apparatus

13)  Accidental breakage of fixed glass in doors, roofs and windows of the home, glass in solar panels, glass doors in fitted ovens and ceramic fitted cooker hobs and fixed sanitary ware. Accidental damage to fixed water or heating installations, inspection covers, cables and pipes serving the Buildings.

If you have elected to pay for FULL accidental damage cover, the following applies;

14)  Accidental damage to your buildings

Insured:	Newcastle City Council
Insurer:	Zurich Municipal
Period of insurance:	1 April 2014 – 31 March 2015 and annually thereafter
Policy number:	10/006460/05500396
Insured property:	Properties sold under lease by the Council, including leaseholders responsibilities for common parts
Noted interests:	The policy contains a general interest clause and can note interested parties, such as mortgage companies, if required
Insured Risks: (Please refer to policy summary as some exclusions may apply)
Excess:	* An excess of £100 will apply to insured risks 6, 7, 8, 9, 13 & 14 * An excess of £1,000 will apply to insured risk 10
Subletting:	If you wish to sublet your property you must inform the leasehold team, otherwise your insurance could be invalid
Making a claim:	To make a claim you will need to get a claim form from the leasehold team, complete the form and return it to:   Zurich Insurance plc Property Claims Centre PO Box 3301 Swindon SN4 8WQ  Telephone: 0800 026 1841 Email: homeclaims@uk.zurich.com  Emergency contact number: 08000 159 329. This is a dedicated 24 hour emergency line which you can ring in emergency situations.

Contact us for a claim form or download here. You will need to send your completed form to:

Zurich Insurance plc

Property Claims Centre

PO Box 3301

Swindon

SN4 8WQ.

Alternatively you can email this to homeclaims@uk.zurich.com. Please keep a copy for your records. If you have an enquiry about a claim please contact Zurich Municipal on 0800 026 1841. This is a dedicated 24 hour emergency line which you can ring in emergency situations.

You need to submit your claim form as soon as possible after the incident has occurred and if the damage was caused by theft or attemped theft, or from malicious damage, tell the police immediately and get a crime reference number.

To help the insurers deal with your claim you must provide them with the additional information they require including proof of ownership photographs, purchase receipts, or instructional leaflets, details of the make and model of items.

The buildings insurance policy covers many properties and therefore due to the size of the policy document copies cannot be provided. Please refer to the Summary Documents for details of your policy.

Your premium is included on your annual service charge invoice.

The cost is based on the amount that the property is insured for which is known as the sum insured.

There are a number of reasons why it may differ. It could be because there is a slight difference in the size of the property (square footage), or because a mortgage provider has requested that the property is insured for a specific amount.

It is increased by a percentage each year to reflect changes in building and labour costs.

You can request for the sum insured to be increased but there is no benefit in over insuring your property. Any increases in the sum insured will increase the premium you pay.

It covers damage or loss caused to the building by the insured risks as set out in the policy summary document. There are a number of additional benefits to the policy which may be useful to you:

•Cover whilst selling your home

•Loss of rent and alternative accommodation

•Emergency entry to your home

•Legal fees following occupation by squatters

•Replacement locks

If damage occurs which is not caused by an insured hazard then the insurers would not make a payment, even if it is not specifically excluded. Below are some examples of events not covered by the policy:

•Wear and tear

•Parts of the building reaching the end of their useful life (for example, a flat roof)

•Routine repairs and maintenance (for example, clearing drains and gutters, external decorations)

•Loss or damage to your contents and personal belongings

Decoration is not included so if there is any damage to this you would need to claim for it on your contents insurance, or you would need to pay for it yourself.

If the flood is caused by something like a burst pipe in the property above you can make a claim for any structural damage and damage to decorations.

To make a claim for decoration in this situation you would need to show that we have been negligent. If the damage is caused by negligence from the resident living above leaving a tap on for example, you would have to claim against them direct or make a claim on their buildings insurance if they have property owners liability. If the claim is for damage to your contents you will need to claim on your own insurance.

You must tell us and give us your new correspondence address.

Your premium will be increased if you sublet and there are certain items that you will no longer be covered for which are detailed in the policy booklet.

Zurich Municipal will deal with your claim. You will need to keep any damaged items in case they want to inspect them. If the damage caused is to something that you are responsible for repairing they will tell you how many estimates you need to get for the work and which one you can then use.

Zurich Municipal will then arrange to pay you. If the damage caused is to something that we are responsible for repairing we will carry out the repair and invoice you for the work. You would then need to send a copy of the invoice to Zurich Municipal and they will arrange to pay you.

The excess is how much you have to pay towards each claim. The excesses that apply to this policy are set out on page 1.

You can only claim for damage to your property.

If you damage the exterior of their property they should make a claim on their buildings insurance. If you damage their contents, they should claim on their contents insurance. If they want to sue you for damage to their property they will have to prove that you have been negligent and responsible for the damage. This is something for you and the other leaseholder to resolve. In cases like this you would need to tell your contents insurers.

If you damage the exterior of their property it is our responsibility to repair it. If we wish to charge you for the cost of doing this we need to prove that you have been negligent. If you damage their contents they should claim on their contents insurance. If they want to sue you for damage they will have to prove that you have been negligent and responsible for the damage. This is something for you and the tenant to resolve.

If you are unhappy with the settlement you need to write to Zurich Municipal explaining why and include any evidence you feel could help your dispute.

Fraudulent claims are a criminal offence Claims are taken very seriously and action may be taken against people making fraudulent claims. A claim that is considered fraudulent is one that is inflated (values falsely enhanced) or bogus and will result in the claim being denied. Reasonable care Insurance is not a maintenance contract and is not a substitute for keeping the property in a reasonable state of repair.

Many leaseholders believe that the council automatically insures their furniture, belongings and decorations against fire, theft, vandalism or water damage such as burst pipes - this is not the case. You are responsible for insuring the contents of your home.

Your Homes Newcastle strongly advises all leaseholders to take out household contents insurance. If you do not take out a contents insurance policy please consider if you would be able to replace your possessions if they were stolen in a burglary or damaged by a fire, flood or accident.

You can insure the contents of your home with any insurance company. But, to make it easier and more affordable for you, YHN and Newcastle City Council have worked with Royal & Sun Alliance to design a scheme just for YHN leaseholders. It’s a simple and affordable scheme which covers your furniture, belongings and decorations. Prices start from as little as £2.90 per month. Leaseholders who sub-let their property are not eligible to join the scheme.

•New for old cover (except clothing and household linen where an allowance for wear and tear is deducted)

•You don’t have to pay any excess if you make a claim

•You can insure a low minimum sum

•You don’t need to add any additional security to your home to be covered

•You can make easy weekly payments You can also choose optional extras to cover accidental damage, personal belongings, wheelchairs and hearing aids.

You can download an application form below. This contains full details about the scheme:

•Home Contents Insurance Application Form

For more information please contact Royal and Sun Alliance on 0845 671 8172. When joining any insurance scheme, make sure you know exactly what you’re covered for by reading your policy carefully. Send your completed application form to:

RSA Direct Group Property Services 4 Sidings Court Doncaster DN4 5NU

You will receive a letter and policy booklet through the post to confirm your acceptance onto the scheme. If you do not receive these details, please contact the Income Section to enquire about your application.

If you have arranged insurance cover under this scheme and need to make a claim please contact the loss adjuster on 08456 718171 to request a claim form.

The ‘What will it cost’ table in the application form to help you calculate how much you should insure your contents for. Once you have calculated the total, this will give you a better idea of the sum insured you will require.

There is no excess on the policy.

This is a new for old cover (except clothing and household linen where an allowance for wear and tear is deducted).

Under the simple policy, you are covered for accidental breakage of mirrors, ceramic hobs in cookers and fixed glass in furniture in your home.

However, should you wish to extend this to accidental damage cover to other items in your home, you will need to take the Simple + option. If you require this option, please ensure you tick the box on the application form. (Please note that accidental damage to your contents in your home excludes damage to contact lenses, food, drink, plants, clothing, sporting equipment whilst in use and damage as a result of household removals).

Your personal belongings will NOT be covered outside of the home unless you have taken the extension for Personal Belongings. Should you require this extension, please tick the box on the application and refer to relevant cost table. If the Personal Belongings extension is taken, the insurer will pay for loss or damage to Personal Belongings (defined as ‘Property normally worn, used or carried about the person in everyday life’), pedal cycles (including accessories) and sports equipment which are owned by any member of your household or for which they are responsible. They are insured against loss or damage in the British Isles and temporarily elsewhere within the European Union while in the possession of any member of your household.

PCs are covered for accidental damage if you select the Simple + option.

Yes, the policy covers loss or damage to food in a domestic deep freezer in your home caused by a rise or fall in temperature or contamination from refrigerant or refrigerant fumes.

No, the policy does not cover your items for wear and tear, mechanical faults, or break-downs. However, should your freezer break-down, you can claim for the contents of your freezer.

Premiums are paid by Direct Debit. The insurer will contact you to set up payments once they receive your application.

In the event of a claim, a loss adjuster will review the circumstances. Depending on the type of claim and the value involved the Loss Adjuster may:

•Contact you by telephone or letter to progress your claim.

•Require you to produce reasonable evidence to support your claim such as proof of purchase for example, receipts or operating manuals of electrical appliances

•Some items such as carpets, soft furnishings etc may often be capable of cleaning or repair

•Contact the Loss Adjuster who will make the necessary arrangements for specialist attention

•If an item is lost or damaged beyond repair, the Loss Adjuster has a nationwide network of suppliers who can provide a fast and efficient replacement service and the Loss Adjuster will make the necessary arrangements.

You can contact the insurer on the following numbers:
•For enquiries: 0845 671 8172
•To make a claim: 0845 671 8171

For more information you can speak to the insurer on 0845 671 8172.