# House insurance



## SandraP (Apr 23, 2014)

We become the proud owners of a house in Ontinyent, Valencia next Friday. Only problem we cannot move into it just yet as a family member is terminally ill with very limited time left.
Question is, house insurance, who do you recommend as it is a permanent residence, not holiday home?


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

We insured our old house for 11 years with Allianz and had very good service from them. I always think you can only really judge an insurance company on how good they are at dealing with claims. We claimed after a burglary and they sent someone to make immediate repairs to the front door within 2 hours, the claim was paid out in full after 12 days and they paid us €60 in addition to what we had claimed, as an ex gratia payment for minor expenses. We also claimed when one of our WCs suffered a sudden large crack in the cistern for no apparent reason and was leaking water (the company said it was quite common and due to sudden changes in temperature). The WC was an expensive imported brand and I thought they might try to fob us off with a cheaper replacement, but no, they ordered a new one from the same supplier and sent someone to fit it as soon as it arrived. The final claim we made was when the ceiling of our utility room developed a leak from the bathroom above. Again they sent someone to locate where the leak was coming from and repair the pipe and ceiling just 1.5 hours after my call, and he came back to paint the ceiling once the plaster was dry.

We have our current property insured with Catalan Occidente as we took over the existing policy from the previous owners, but have not yet had occasion to test their performance at dealing with claims.


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

We've been with Linea Directa for years. You get a discount if you also insure your car with them. I like their policy because it's very flexible, you just pay for what you want to insure.

http://seguros.lineadirecta.com/seguro-hogar.html


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## Relyat (Sep 29, 2013)

Personal experience, don't use Sabadell.
No problems with the bank, but the insurance side has been appalling.


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## SandraP (Apr 23, 2014)

Thanks Lynn, Alcalaina & relyat I will pass info onto husband, he can deal with it.


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## The Skipper (Nov 26, 2014)

SandraP said:


> We become the proud owners of a house in Ontinyent, Valencia next Friday. Only problem we cannot move into it just yet as a family member is terminally ill with very limited time left.
> Question is, house insurance, who do you recommend as it is a permanent residence, not holiday home?


As with all insurance policies, make sure you read the small print! Some new neighbours insured their house with Linea Directa and six months after taking possession they were burgled during a trip back to the UK. The insurer refused the claim because the small print in the policy said all downstairs windows must have bars (rejas in Spanish) and they didn't have any. Each time I have changed insurers the initial small print has said that window bars are required but when I have challenged this they have removed the clause. I don't have barred windows and wouldn't want them ... didn't come to Spain to live in a prison! I do, however, have a monitored alarm system.


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

SandraP said:


> Thanks Lynn, Alcalaina & relyat I will pass info onto husband, he can deal with it.


We use Helvetia (town centre) - best cover and best price around.


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

The Skipper said:


> As with all insurance policies, make sure you read the small print! Some new neighbours insured their house with Linea Directa and six months after taking possession they were burgled during a trip back to the UK. The insurer refused the claim because the small print in the policy said all downstairs windows must have bars (rejas in Spanish) and they didn't have any. Each time I have changed insurers the initial small print has said that window bars are required but when I have challenged this they have removed the clause. I don't have barred windows and wouldn't want them ... didn't come to Spain to live in a prison! I do, however, have a monitored alarm system.


When I signed up with Linea Directa, you had to say whether you had rejas, deadlocks on the doors etc, and the price was higher if you didn't (we do). I always read the small print and I've never seen anything saying they were mandatory.


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## Alvarro (Dec 23, 2016)

I live in a very small village and it has an Helvetia office. They have been brilliant and my policy fee only goes up by about 2 Euros a year. Their original quote to me - 6 years ago - was half that which my bank wanted.


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## The Skipper (Nov 26, 2014)

Alcalaina said:


> When I signed up with Linea Directa, you had to say whether you had rejas, deadlocks on the doors etc, and the price was higher if you didn't (we do). I always read the small print and I've never seen anything saying they were mandatory.


I am not saying rejas are mandatory but, in my experience, insurers seem to include a default clause to say that the insured property has them. On two occasions I have objected to this before signing the contract and the clause was removed each time without question or penalty. My neighbours didn't get a centimo of their €5,000 burglary claim because the thieves entered by smashing an unbarred, double-glazed window and their Linea Directa policy stated that all downstairs windows had rejas. Why they agreed to a policy that required rejas I do not know.


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## SandraP (Apr 23, 2014)

We do have bars on downstairs windows and on the upstairs ones overlooking a single storey roof.
Snikpoh, I suppose we will have to call into the office in town or are they able to arrange cover whilst we are still in UK?
Thank you for replying, was hoping you would give a bit of advice as you do live in the town we are moving to.


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

SandraP said:


> We do have bars on downstairs windows and on the upstairs ones overlooking a single storey roof.
> Snikpoh, I suppose we will have to call into the office in town or are they able to arrange cover whilst we are still in UK?
> Thank you for replying, was hoping you would give a bit of advice as you do live in the town we are moving to.


I presume you are coming over this Friday to complete on the purchase. If so, do it then.

If not, why not ask the person who has power-of-attorney to assist? Is that still Mayte?


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## SandraP (Apr 23, 2014)

No, we are not coming over, I am staying at a hospice with my son, so can't leave the UK yet. Mayte is doing it all for us we will email her to ask.
Thanks Snikpoh.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

We have been with Vitalicio ever since we bought the house (now 10 years) but are changing to Mapfre because we can get the same cover for 100€ less.


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