Extended absences from the UK

[Bazle]

Having retired, I was hoping to spend an extended period in Patts over the English winter - maybe about 5 months. However, there are some practical problems with this, the main ones being connected with insurances.

 

As background, I live in a leasehold apartment in outer London.

 

Contents insurance and buildings insurance

Both these policies become invalid if I am absent for more than 30 days. I have heard from the contents insurance company that I can get this extended to 90 days provided that I have someone enter the property and inspect it every week. I am told unofficially that the buildings insurance company is going to say more or less the same.

 

Firstly, 90 days is not long enough - although I guess I could live with it.

 

Secondly, I have a big problem having someone come and inspect the place. London is a huge city and often friends live a long way away; you usually meet up with them in the centre. I have no friends who I would want to bother to come all the way to where I live every week. They don't come when I'm here - why should they do so when I'm not!!

 

Travel insurance

My travel insurance limits trips to 30 days. I have done some research and find that I can get a policy that will allow 90 days away, but it will cost over £200 and will just cover that one absence.

 

The main item of cover in a travel policy is medical. I thought about not taking travel insurance but instead buying medical cover in Patts. However, the problem with that is that it is unlikely to cover me if I travel outside of Thailand, which I want to do.

 

 

Has anyone had to deal with these issues and found solutions to them, please?

 

Thanks.

[ThaiLearner]

Having retired, I was hoping to spend an extended period in Patts over the English winter - maybe about 5 months. However, there are some practical problems with this, the main ones being connected with insurances.

 

As background, I live in a leasehold apartment in outer London.

 

Contents insurance and buildings insurance

Both these policies become invalid if I am absent for more than 30 days. I have heard from the contents insurance company that I can get this extended to 90 days provided that I have someone enter the property and inspect it every week. I am told unofficially that the buildings insurance company is going to say more or less the same.

 

Firstly, 90 days is not long enough - although I guess I could live with it.

 

Secondly, I have a big problem having someone come and inspect the place. London is a huge city and often friends live a long way away; you usually meet up with them in the centre. I have no friends who I would want to bother to come all the way to where I live every week. They don't come when I'm here - why should they do so when I'm not!!

 

Travel insurance

My travel insurance limits trips to 30 days. I have done some research and find that I can get a policy that will allow 90 days away, but it will cost over £200 and will just cover that one absence.

 

The main item of cover in a travel policy is medical. I thought about not taking travel insurance but instead buying medical cover in Patts. However, the problem with that is that it is unlikely to cover me if I travel outside of Thailand, which I want to do.

 

 

Has anyone had to deal with these issues and found solutions to them, please?

 

Thanks.

 

Try www.travelsupermarket.com for your travel insurance you can get 6 months cover no problem infact longer as well. It sounds as you are extending your multi-trip policy .

 

On the home insurance front you need to find a specialist broker try google unoccupied property insurance and see what they can help you with it comes up with a few alternatives.

[buriramboy]

Solution - lie, or rather don't volunteer the truth.

[Bazle]

Try www.travelsupermarket.com for your travel insurance you can get 6 months cover no problem infact longer as well. It sounds as you are extending your multi-trip policy .

 

On the home insurance front you need to find a specialist broker try google unoccupied property insurance and see what they can help you with it comes up with a few alternatives.

Thanks. That's very helpful - I'll follow it up.

[Bazle]

Solution - lie, or rather don't volunteer the truth.

That can be a big problem if you have to make a claim.

[BBB]

If you get it outside the UK it probably will not cover you for repatriation if you have a serious problem. I always use Direct Travel Insurance, minimum is £127 but depends on what level of cover you think you'll need

[ThaiLearner]

That can be a big problem if you have to make a claim.

 

You could also get a fraud conviction as well

[nus01]

The reason the 30 day unoccupied exclusion on their is to protect the insurer.

 

Houses that are unoccupied for long periods increase the Insurers risk of , squatters, vandalsm , break, and entry as well as any minor problems escalating into major ones. eg leaking pipe that goes unchecked for sixty days.

 

What you need to do is convince the Insurer their is not that greater risk by extending your cover for 90 plus days.

 

You need to let them know that

1) The mail is being collected regulary

2) lawns are being mowed

3) next door neighbor is a trustworthy sod, or even better, Miss Busybody lives next door and wil be keeping a constant eye on the premises for you. Their is a police Station around the corner and you have told your freindly local officer youre away and hes happy to keep an eye on the place etc etc.

4) someone will be making intermittent checks on the place. (you say someone can't however this is important)

 

If its a block of flats and has a body corporate manger or super etc even better

 

As long as you can demonstrate to the insurer you will be doing everything to make sure the premises will appear as it is lived in and their is very little risk they may be willing to extend the cover without any increases or at worst apply a (higher excess ,deductible) eg you wear the first $1,000 worth of damge as opposed to $100 for any claim arising or in connection with the property being unoccupied for more than 30 days (as opposed to a total exclusion)

 

As far as the travel Insurance goes shouldnt be a problem finding a policy for 5 months or more but not at the price of a 14 day holiday policy

[Bazle]

Try www.travelsupermarket.com for your travel insurance you can get 6 months cover no problem infact longer as well. It sounds as you are extending your multi-trip policy .

 

On the home insurance front you need to find a specialist broker try google unoccupied property insurance and see what they can help you with it comes up with a few alternatives.

I have now spoken to several specialist unoccupied property insurance brokers. Some deal with cover only for landlords, some other only for probate scenarios. The remaining ones all require the property to be inspected regularly - usually every 7 days (max length quoted was 14 days). It is this requirement for inspection that I'm trying to work around.

[ThaiLearner]

I have now spoken to several specialist unoccupied property insurance brokers. Some deal with cover only for landlords, some other only for probate scenarios. The remaining ones all require the property to be inspected regularly - usually every 7 days (max length quoted was 14 days). It is this requirement for inspection that I'm trying to work around.

 

 

You could always rent it out as a short term let ?

[Bazle]

You could always rent it out as a short term let ?

Yes, I considered that a while ago - for about a millisecond.

 

Thanks for the thought, though.

 

I've just been around the local estate agents which do property management to ask how much they would charge to come and inspect the property regularly. The only one which was interested quoted £96 for 2 visits!

[rogero]

Try www.travelsupermarket.com for your travel insurance you can get 6 months cover no problem infact longer as well. It sounds as you are extending your multi-trip policy .

 

On the home insurance front you need to find a specialist broker try google unoccupied property insurance and see what they can help you with it comes up with a few alternatives.

 

This is a timely OP & response for me as I was currently researching both topics,

www.travelsupermarket.com looks ideal & I've bookmarked it for perusal tomorrow (when sober!)

 

The home insurance issue shouldn't be much of a problem as I have a great neighbour & we cover for each other regards holidays.

We have each others keys, collecting mail daily & generally checking out things,

I love emailing/texting him from Paps especially during the UK winter months to tell him about the Weather.

I get grilled by him on each return home (out of earshot of his wife) :

 

Some good replies & info on this thread.

 

cheers rogero :beer

[ThaiLearner]

You may have to think about not having insurance for your home.

 

How about putting all of your expensive things may be in a bank safety deposit box and the larger items in a storage place

[Bazle]

You may have to think about not having insurance for your home.

 

How about putting all of your expensive things may be in a bank safety deposit box and the larger items in a storage place

Yes, I'd be willing to go without contents insurance (don't have any expensive things - it's just for carpets, curtains, kitchen goods etc.).

 

However, the buildings insurance is a different matter. It's not just the amount at risk, it is the fact that it is a term of my lease that I have valid insurance, so I would be breaking the lease terms. Can't risk it!

[jasonbalmer]

I don't know about the UK, but here in the US there are property management firms that will look after a place. They're frequently engaged by people who have temporarily relocated for a work assignment. Maybe someone in the UK offers similar services?

[Bazle]

I don't know about the UK, but here in the US there are property management firms that will look after a place. They're frequently engaged by people who have temporarily relocated for a work assignment. Maybe someone in the UK offers similar services?

Thanks. As I mentioned above, I've been around the local estate agents which do property management to ask how much they would charge to come and inspect the property regularly. The only one which was interested quoted £96 for 2 visits!

[Lucifer007]

Thanks. As I mentioned above, I've been around the local estate agents which do property management to ask how much they would charge to come and inspect the property regularly. The only one which was interested quoted £96 for 2 visits!

 

 

Don't you have any friends nearby?

 

My parents go away every year for about 4-5 months in the winter. I go to their house two or three times a month, use their phone a few times, use the electricity and gas. In general make it look as if its being used.

 

Had to make one claim, when someone attempted to break in. No problem with insurance.

[Bazle]

Don't you have any friends nearby?

 

My parents go away every year for about 4-5 months in the winter. I go to their house two or three times a month, use their phone a few times, use the electricity and gas. In general make it look as if its being used.

 

Had to make one claim, when someone attempted to break in. No problem with insurance.

As I said above - "London is a huge city and often friends live a long way away; you usually meet up with them in the centre. I have no friends who I would want to bother to come all the way to where I live every week. They don't come when I'm here - why should they do so when I'm not!!"

 

If you haven't done so, you might like to take a look at the small print in your parents' insurance policies. You might not be doing enough to satisfy the terms.

[Lucifer007]

As I said above - "London is a huge city and often friends live a long way away; you usually meet up with them in the centre. I have no friends who I would want to bother to come all the way to where I live every week. They don't come when I'm here - why should they do so when I'm not!!"

 

If you haven't done so, you might like to take a look at the small print in your parents' insurance policies. You might not be doing enough to satisfy the terms.

 

 

I have, and we do.

[rogero]

Try www.travelsupermarket.com for your travel insurance you can get 6 months cover no problem infact longer as well. It sounds as you are extending your multi-trip policy .

 

On the home insurance front you need to find a specialist broker try google unoccupied property insurance and see what they can help you with it comes up with a few alternatives.

 

Sorry for again quoting your excellent post on travel Ins but I am amazed at the range of policies available at travelsupermarket and the range of prices,

the vast majority being for trips of 30 or 31 days but for longer trips (for me 90 days) single trip ins could go as high £200+.

I'm also researching multi-trip as an annual premium may be cheaper but the norm trip duration is typically only up to 60 days.

 

Didn't realise the maze of choices in this issue but having never indulged in Ins of any kind before & read the posts of fellow BMs I think its crazy

not to anymore.

 

Is this quote too good to be true or typical ?

 

http://www.moneysupermarket.com/travel-ins...productId=71830

 

cheers rogero

Edited July 31, 2010 by rogero

[Feileacan]

Travel insurance

My travel insurance limits trips to 30 days. I have done some research and find that I can get a policy that will allow 90 days away, but it will cost over £200 and will just cover that one absence.

 

The main item of cover in a travel policy is medical. I thought about not taking travel insurance but instead buying medical cover in Patts. However, the problem with that is that it is unlikely to cover me if I travel outside of Thailand, which I want to do.

 

 

Has anyone had to deal with these issues and found solutions to them, please?

 

Thanks.

 

Travel Insurance Direct : I got a years travel Insurance from this crowd. It's called Backpackers Insurance. I found them through the Insurance option in travelsupermarket.com. It cost €135.15 for the year

[Bazle]

Travel Insurance Direct : I got a years travel Insurance from this crowd. It's called Backpackers Insurance. I found them through the Insurance option in travelsupermarket.com. It cost €135.15 for the year

Thanks for that. Unfortunately, travel insurance is a bit of an academic issue unless I can overcome the problems with buildings and contents insurance.

[ThaiLearner]

Yes, I'd be willing to go without contents insurance (don't have any expensive things - it's just for carpets, curtains, kitchen goods etc.).

 

However, the buildings insurance is a different matter. It's not just the amount at risk, it is the fact that it is a term of my lease that I have valid insurance, so I would be breaking the lease terms. Can't risk it!

 

 

It may be worth speaking to the people who hold the lease to see if they can help in anyway.

[ThaiLearner]

Sorry for again quoting your excellent post on travel Ins but I am amazed at the range of policies available at travelsupermarket and the range of prices,

the vast majority being for trips of 30 or 31 days but for longer trips (for me 90 days) single trip ins could go as high £200+.

I'm also researching multi-trip as an annual premium may be cheaper but the norm trip duration is typically only up to 60 days.

 

Didn't realise the maze of choices in this issue but having never indulged in Ins of any kind before & read the posts of fellow BMs I think its crazy

not to anymore.

 

Is this quote too good to be true or typical ?

 

http://www.moneysupermarket.com/travel-ins...productId=71830

 

cheers rogero :crying:

 

 

Yes they are good gives you plenty of options

 

www.getmy.com do annual multi trip policies up to 90 days per trip

[Bazle]

It may be worth speaking to the people who hold the lease to see if they can help in anyway.

Thanks for the suggestion. Have done so already to no avail.