Insurance Articles

Listed Buildings

There are around 500,000 listed buildings in the UK of which approximately 90% are allocated the Grade II listing by English Heritage. The Grade II listing is normally allocated because the building is in some way of architectural or cultural interest. Sometimes the whole building is listed but often in it is just a particular feature or even an outbuilding such as a barn.

As the owner of a listed building you will be expected to re-instate the property to its pre damage condition following a full or partial loss, which can have significant financial implications so it is important to be confident that you have suitable insurance to cope with such an eventuality. There are two very important things for you to do in order to minimise the risk of a protracted re-instatement process.

Most important of all is to ensure that the buildings cover you have arranged is sufficient to cover the costs of a worst case scenario (a total loss). The buildings sum insured should be the full re building cost, including demolition, removal of debris and architects fee. Be wary of simply using the market value or a mortgage valuation as they rarely a true representation of the re building cost. There is no real substitution for a professional valuation carried out by a suitably qualified surveyor.

Once this has been done your next decision should be select an appropriate insurer of your home.The so called High Net Worth Insurers are often better placed to assist with such re-instatement than the standard home insurance providers you might see advertised on the internet or the television for a number of reasons.

Firstly, the majority of their clients will live in a distinctive home, even if it is not a listed building, and so they are sympathetic to the particular needs of a non standard home owner. For standard insurers this type of loss is an unusual occurrence and their call centre staff do not necessarily understand the need for such a claim to be treaty differently.

Secondly, specialist listed building insurance on a high value home policy will mean that you will be able to utilise the necessary specialist building skills labour, normally of your choice, rather than the contractor a standard home insurer would want to use, usually because they have negotiated a special rate on a volume basis.

Finally, the chances are that you have also furnished your home with contents that are unique and distinct to you, including high value items of furniture, pictures, etc, and these generally need specialist insurance as well.

This is, of course, just a brief overview of what should be a thoughtful and bespoke insurance decision by you. I would be delighted to discuss the specific desires and needs for your particular circumstances and provide, without obligation, home insurance quotations for you to consider.

Geoff Moss - Tel: 01242 699113

Insurance for a collection

Note: Dovetail Insurance Services Ltd are unable to obtain a quotation for a specific collection or single item as a "stand alone" policy but can usually accommodate such request as an extension to home contents cover.

One only has to watch an episode of the BBC's Antique Roadshow to learn that the British are a nation of collectors and that we are fascinated by unusual artefacts as well as the more traditional art and antique furniture.

The most enjoyable part of my job is speaking with potential clients and learning what their particular passion is. I do not always have an in depth knowledge about their particular penchant but their enthusiasm is often infectious and I invariable learn something new.

It is very evident from my discussions that whatever you collect, whether it be stamps, coins, memorabilia of a particular bent, ceramics, clocks (in fact the list is endless) finding the right insurance cover for your treasures, collected over many years, is not easy to find.

The standard home insurance policy advertised on the internet and television by the well known names are designed and marketed to the general public nationwide with a "one size fits all" approach. As soon as you ask them to cover a collection or something unusual you are usually met with a deathly silence on the end of the phone or even worse a non negotiable "no". In many ways it is understandable. Your possessions are unique and these insurers are not targeting you for your business.

Fortunately, the home insurance insurers with whom I have arrangements to obtain quotations, offer bespoke insurance solutions to suit your needs. They understand that rather than being a high risk you are probably the opposite. A collector takes great care of their possessions, it is often catalogued in great detail, and frequent small claims are rare occurrence.

Moreover, the High Net Worth Insurers do not impose restrictive conditions preventing you from enjoying your collection. They generally accept that you may have items on display, stored in unusual circumstances or at a different location or bought and sold on a regular basis.

Should you have a collection requiring insurance with a degree of flexibility or simply a single item that your current home insurance policy will not accommodate I would be delighted to discuss your needs with you. If nothing else I would enjoy learning about your particular passion.

Geoff Moss - Tel: 01242 699113

Dovetail Insurance Services Ltd
Maple House, Bayshill Road,
Cheltenham, Glos, GL50 3AW. UK