Archive for the ‘FAQ’ Category

Material Facts

Thursday, December 17th, 2009

Just a quick thought I would like to share with you all.  Have you noticed the ever increasing number of ways you can get insurance these days?  Internet sites, mobile phone text quotes, massive call centres or just your local Broker are to name but a few.  All have different questions to ask in different orders and formats and it can all get a bit confusing.  Have you ever got a quote and thought maybe there is something you should have said but didn’t because you were never asked.

Let me give you an example the question is asked “Is it in an area that has flooded or is likely to flood?”  Now, there is no history of it ever flooding despite the stream, at the bottom of the garden so the question is answered “no” in all honesty.  There are subsequently heavy rain storms, the fields all get saturated and the excess water runs into the already over burdened stream which then bursts its banks and floods the property.  There is every chance the insurer may not pay the claim due to a non-disclosed material fact.  This is an easily avoided problem.  If you are ever unsure about whether the insurer needs to know something, tell them.  I for one would prefer to be given too much information than not enough.  If the information truly doesn’t affect the policy then it will also not affect the price.  If it does turn out to be relevant, you may have to pay a bit more, have a higher excess or other terms applied but at least you will have the right cover when you actually need it should a claim occur.

There is no better expression for this than it’s better to be safe than sorry.