House insurance - exclusion of damage by contractors - worrying ?

[Profpointy]

My house insurance is up for renewal (via John Lewis) and there's this very worrying exclusion

"any loss, damage, or liability arising out of the activities arising out of the activities of contractors. A contractor is defined as any person, company or organisation working at or in the property, including where you are working in your capacity as a professional tradesman"

Taken literally a window cleaner dropping a
fag which burned my house down would not be covered, never mind an electrical fault by a tradesman. OK tradesmen should have PL insurance, but I've never checked. And how I know their certificate is valid if I do check?

Tried another company (Admiral) and they had the same thing

This seems a huge worry, but short of phoning round a dozen companies I don't
know how to proceed

Any advice ?

 

[vickster]

Try a broker

 

[Profpointy]

Try a broker

That sounds obvious ... now you've said it !

Another thought is my mortgage provider

 

[vickster]

That sounds obvious ... now you've said it !

Another thought is my mortgage provider

Make sure you take legal cover with the policy too.
not sure why you couldn’t check the validity of a tradespersons insurance if needed?

 

[bikingdad90]

@Profpointy, buildings insurance or contents insurance? The latter I could understand been excluded as it’s hard to imagine a contractor damaging contents in the course of their duties unless you didn’t bother to move them but the prior for me would indeed be worrying.

 

[Profpointy]

@Profpointy, buildings insurance or contents insurance? The latter I could understand been excluded as it’s hard to imagine a contractor damaging contents in the course of their duties unless you didn’t bother to move them but the prior for me would indeed be worrying.

I'm basically worried about the house burning down and it being deemed to be a tradesman's fault. It happened to the Maths department on Bristol a few years back and we saw the flames from our house. Ditto Cutty Sark

 

[vickster]

@Profpointy, buildings insurance or contents insurance? The latter I could understand been excluded as it’s hard to imagine a contractor damaging contents in the course of their duties unless you didn’t bother to move them but the prior for me would indeed be worrying.

Contents could be damaged in a fire or flood for example if caused by a Tradesperson?

 

[Profpointy]

Make sure you take legal cover with the policy too.
not sure why you couldn’t check the validity of a tradespersons insurance if needed?

Well you could, but who does? I never have, and am I even qualified to judge if the tradesman has complied with all the Ts&Cs

 

[vickster]

I'm basically worried about the house burning down and it being deemed to be a tradesman's fault. It happened to the Maths department on Bristol a few years back and we saw the flames from our house. Ditto Cutty Sark

Happened to us about 40 years ago...British Gas forgot to turn the ring off under the chip pan after doing the gas for a new extension as far as I know insurance covered, I'm presuming BGs. Luckily the builders were there and raised the alarm or it could have been far worse!! Another reason why I'll never ever give a penny to BG!

 

[Alex321]

I think most insurers for this circumstance work on the basis that the contractor will be liable, and you should sue them, with their insurance paying out (or the contractor themselves if they don't have suitable insurance).

 

[Profpointy]

I think most insurers for this circumstance work on the basis that the contractor will be liable, and you should sue them, with their insurance paying out (or the contractor themselves if they don't have suitable insurance).

Well yes, I know what they're trying to do, but I don't want to fall foul of a tradesman maybe not having quite the insurance he thinks he has, or discover he's late paying or whatever.

Fair enough if my insurers pay me, then try and recover from the other fellow.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

Probably no problem witha big company like BG

But how many people check whether or not someone working for a small - possibly sole trader - company has valid insurance

It is often very unlikely that a problem will happen but it can.
For example, we had out loft boarded a few months ago - not complicated - supposed to be low risk
But there was an unexpected pipe up there which had a junction held together by a cheap plastic device - the installer didn;t see it and knocked it - causing a flood.
Luckily we managed to shut the water off before much damage was caused - water pouring from the landing light was worrying - but the possible consequences were significant.

I suppose we should always check

 

[vickster]

Probably no problem witha big company like BG

But how many people check whether or not someone working for a small - possibly sole trader - company has valid insurance

Checkatrade profiles include insurance details as an example

 

[Debade]

My cousins house burned down due to a contractors mistake while working on the electric.

BTW, since damage to the house can happen in other ways such as flood, lightening, we purchased a small fire proof safe to protect the few thing we would really not want to lose.

 

[Fields Electric]

Hmm I am renovating my former parents house. I am letting contractors have the keys as I still have a day job. Can’t use all my holiday allowance watching them work. All I can do is check on them every now and then. Mentioned it to my insurance and they made a note of it. Went ahead anyway. They did want to know what I was up to.