On this day in 1927 The Hobbit was published. In case you have managed to avoid this book (not advisable) or indeed disregarded the recent films you will know that the main protagonist decides (is coerced) into an extended holiday / adventure. One glaring omission from the books author – JRR Tolkein stands out. At no point is there any mention of Bilbo organising his insurance affairs. Perhaps he left a memo for his PA. It may well have been mentioned in the appendices which I must admit I have not read. At the very least a nod to some basic travel insurance requirements could have been made. Perhaps what I am most concerned about is Bilbo’s lack of notice to his insurers that the property will be unoccupied for a period of time. A lack of such notification is likely to have prejudiced his position in the event of a claim.

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So what is there to learn? Well… If in doubt, tell them. If you are not sure about whether a change in your circumstances will have an effect on your insurance then it is probably best to get in touch with your providers. Depending on what the change is it may well generate some specific condition or an additional / return premium but it is always best to be up front about these things so that if a claim does occur you know where you stand. Unoccupancy is a big issue and most property insurance wordings will carry conditions surrounding this. You may find that depending on your circumstances your ‘risk’ may fit better under a different kind of policy. In addition to standard policies there are also a number of ‘supporting’ policies which might also give you the peace of mind and the cover you require. Here are just some of the categories and products available to us within the sphere of ‘property’ –

  • Residential Property (Homeowner or Landlord)
  • Commercial Property (Occupant or Landlord)
  • Blocks of Flats
  • Individual Flats / Apartments
  • Landowners Liability (vacant / communal land or land awaiting building)
  • Self-Build
  • Unoccupied Property
  • Property Undergoing Renovation
  • Insurance for ‘unusual professions’ (Sports People, Media / Actor / Broadcasters etc…)
  • Otherwise difficult to find Insurance (flood area, adverse claims history etc..)

Supporting Policies

  • Building Contingency Insurance (individual flats)
  • Japanese Knotweed Indemnity
  • Directors and Officers / Management Liability (Residents Associations etc…)
  • Engineering cover (inspection and damage for lifts and plant)
  • Home Emergency Cover (boiler failure etc…)

These lists are not exhaustive but give a good idea of the wide variety of covers available. If anything peaks your interest or if you are planning on a change or purchase then please have a little more foresight than Bilbo and give us a call (or at least maybe reconsider a trip to go and fight trolls and dragons).

01753 882222.