Home insurance problem

[Jules111]

Any recommendations for home insurance for home/contents for a place with 5 acres and a stable block. It seems we're too big for traditional insurance company because we have livestock (horses and geese). I've tried small holding insurance but that covers far more than we'd ever need - upto 50 acres, liveries, staff etc - not to mention it's about 4 times the cost of usual house insurance. We just have a small house with land and some non-traditional pets!

 

[Art Nouveau]

We're with County Insurance for our buildings and contents insurance. (We run a business here, but the business is insured separately)

Are you sure you're comparing like-with-like? Ie do you know the rebuild cost of your property? (A lot of people are vastly underinsured) and do you have expensive contents/more contents than the average person? I'd assume so, given you'll have all your livestock paraphernalia.

Our insurance is 2k pa but we have a 5 bed house, 2 bed apartment, 4 barns and 4 wooden stables

 

[ycbm]

Any recommendations for home insurance for home/contents for a place with 5 acres and a stable block. It seems we're too big for traditional insurance company because we have livestock (horses and geese). I've tried small holding insurance but that covers far more than we'd ever need - upto 50 acres, liveries, staff etc - not to mention it's about 4 times the cost of usual house insurance. We just have a small house with land and some non-traditional pets!

Our house insurance for a 140 year old farmhouse with multiple outbuildings and horses and 10 acres was a few hundred pounds from a bog standard comparison website. We can't remember who the actual insurer was but it was easy to get.

 

[Jules111]

Our house insurance for a 140 year old farmhouse with multiple outbuildings and horses and 10 acres was a few hundred pounds from a bog standard comparison website. We can't remember who the actual insurer was but it was easy to get.

We have previously used a comparison website and never really thought about it. I spoke to my current insurance company about a renewal to ask if I could include the new stable block within my policy. She told me that it's unlikely i'd be sufficiently insured with a standard policy - especially with livestock on the property. She advised I look for specialist small holding insurance, looking at it the insurance would really be wasted on our little place.

 

[Goldenstar]

I get mine from the NFU
It’s specialty cover for a house horses dogs and staff and workers who you might need to care for the place
It does cover any form of commercial use

 

[Jules111]

We're with County Insurance for our buildings and contents insurance. (We run a business here, but the business is insured separately)

Are you sure you're comparing like-with-like? Ie do you know the rebuild cost of your property? (A lot of people are vastly underinsured) and do you have expensive contents/more contents than the average person? I'd assume so, given you'll have all your livestock paraphernalia.

Our insurance is 2k pa but we have a 5 bed house, 2 bed apartment, 4 barns and 4 wooden stables

£2k is eye wateringly expensive. Your place sounds amazing though.

We really don't have much paraphernalia that we'd expect to be covered by the insurance. I'm a bit spooked that the insurance company we are currently with have suggested a regular policy would not be suitable, we could be classed as running a business even though it's private use only. She did say that people regularly under estimate the cost of replacing everything if the worst were to happen and can be left very vulnerable. If we were to take a risk on a standard policy and had to claim I'd be worried we wouldn't be covered or insurance could be refused.

 

[Art Nouveau]

Yes the rebuild value of all our buildings is way over £1m, which is the maximum for a standard policy on comparison sites (note that's the rebuild value, not the sale value). Prices are high at the moment due to soaring construction costs as well

 

[Errin Paddywack]

NFU here. Try talking to them.

 

[cauda equina]

NFU here too

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

NFU are horrendously expensive (notoriously so) sadly. I asked them to quote for my Grade II dwelling-house and adjacent DIY yard and they declined to quote.

I'm with Towergate. This year's premium (due next week) is around £900.

You may encounter problems getting quotes if your house and yard are adjacent. It is a nightmare.

 

[Muddy unicorn]

We are (grabs every bit of wood within reach) finally supposed to be exchanging and completing on our new house in a few days so I need to get insurance sorted. It’s a 4 bed house with 16 acres, 5 stables, tack room, hay barn etc. We don’t have any equipment yet and won’t be moving horses onto the land for a couple of months while we get sorted.
I’m not a huge fan of NFU as they declined even to quote for my daughter’s mare after I’d had two claims the year before for a different horse and with a different company! Any other recommendations? I’ve made a note of Towergate

 

[thefarsideofthefield]

Our house and buildings insurance is with LV which covers the house , stable block and multiple brick and wooden outbuildings . We were already insured with them for the 3 bed house and origional outbuildings ( workshop and brick piggeries ) . When we put up the timber hay barn and 4 stables we enquired about insuring those and they told us that it would be included in the current policy as they are considered domestic buildings . I was a little suprised ( and somewhat concerned ! ) that they didn't understand what I was talking about so I asked for conformation , in writing , that we were covered and they were happy to provide it . It now says on the policy ' House , stables and ancillary buildings . We payed £158.87 this year .

Nb This is for private use only , not business .

 

[Muddy unicorn]

Our house and buildings insurance is with LV which covers the house , stable block and multiple brick and wooden outbuildings . We were already insured with them for the 3 bed house and origional outbuildings ( workshop and brick piggeries ) . When we put up the timber hay barn and 4 stables we enquired about insuring those and they told us that it would be included in the current policy as they are considered domestic buildings . I was a little suprised ( and somewhat concerned ! ) that they didn't understand what I was talking about so I asked for conformation , in writing , that we were covered and they were happy to provide it . It now says on the policy ' House , stables and ancillary buildings . We payed £158.87 this year .

Nb This is for private use only , not business .

That’s very helpful , thank you - we have car insurance with LV already so that could be handy!

 

[NSD]

We are with Direct Line and have been for years, 3 acres, 3 stables, tackroom and arena

 

[thefarsideofthefield]

That’s very helpful , thank you - we have car insurance with LV already so that could be handy!

Just for further information - I remember asking if they needed to see the plans etc for details for the ' new ' buildings ( this was 25 years ago ! ) , but they said they didn't , and just now had a look at the policy and it doesn 't actually specify how many stables or other ancillary buildings there are - just that they're all included and covered !

 

[Spottyappy]

Try Lycetts, they are rural insurers, my yard is with them.
https://www.lycetts.co.uk/