Frequently Asked Questions
Car Insurance
Home Insurance
General questions
Car Insurance
I have had a claim/claims in the last 5 years. Can you insure me?
I want to use my car in relation to my business. Can you insure me?
I am currently insured through my employer to drive a company car. Do I qualify for a No Claims Discount?
What type of cover can I take out?
Will I be covered to drive other cars?
Can I pay by instalments?
Can I drive my car abroad?
How do I make a claim?
What if I change my mind about this policy?
Will I still get a certificate of insurance if I buy online?
When will my cover start?
Are there any things you can't cover?
- I have had a claim / claims in the last 5 years. Can you insure me?
As long as you have had no more than 3 claims in this period we will be able to arrange insurance for you.
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- I want to use my car in relation to my business. Can you insure me?
Yes but it will depend upon your occupation. The table in the
"Are there any things you can't cover?"
section gives details for the allowable uses by occupation.
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- I am currently insured through my employer to drive a company car. Do I qualify for a No Claims Discount?
Whilst you will not automatically qualify for a no claims discount in your own right, we may be able to offer you an introductory discount based on a safe driving history. We will normally require a letter from your company to confirm your driving history on their policy. If you would like to know whether you will receive an introductory discount please call us on the number given.
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- What type of cover can I take out?
You can take out the following types of cover:
- Comprehensive covers your car if it is damaged or stolen, injury to you or others and damage to other people's cars or property.
- Third Party Fire & Theft covers your car only for fire or theft and other people's cars or property.
- Third Party Only covers damage to other people's cars or property.
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- Will I be covered to drive other cars?
Your insurer will normally allow you to drive other cars with the owner's permission. This cover is limited to Third Party only. You should make the owner of the car aware of this fact before driving. Some occupations are not given this cover. The table in the
"Are there any things you can't cover?"
section gives details of whether this cover is available.
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- Can I pay by instalments?
Yes. Our instalment provider is Premium Credit Limited. We will send your details to Premium Credit Limited for them to set up your instalment plan and they send you the relevant documentation relating to your instalments.
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- Can I drive my car abroad?
Yes. Your insurance will cover you for a period of 60 days when you travel to a country within the European Union, Norway or Switzerland (including Liechtenstein). If you are travelling to any other country you must tell us about this and you may be asked to pay an additional premium.
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- How do I make a claim?
You can ring our 24 hour claims helpline on the telephone number in your document pack. Full details of the claims procedures are also in your policy documents. Please note that when telephoning the claims department your call may be recorded for training or quality purposes.
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- What if I change my mind about this policy?
You can cancel the policy at any time by telling us in writing and sending back your certificate of insurance and the schedule. If you have not made a claim in the current period of insurance we will work out the charge for the time you have been covered by your insurance. We will then arrange the refund of any amount the insurer owes you. If a claim has been made the insurer may not give you a refund.
If you cancel within the first 14 days of the policy, known as the "withdrawal period" we will return any premium paid less a pro-rata charge for the number of days for which cover has been given and a fee of £15 (plus IPT).
There will be no refund if a total loss claim has been made.
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- Will I still get a certificate of insurance if I buy online?
Yes. We will send your certificate to you within 5 days of confirming your payment.
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- When will my cover start?
If you want immediate cover then your policy will commence as soon as your payment has been authorised. If you select a date in the future your policy will commence at midnight on the date selected.
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- Are there any things you can't cover?
We try to arrange cover for most circumstances however there are some exclusions to the cover. These exclusions are detailed in this section. If you would like to enquire about any specific circumstances where you are unsure please call us on the number given.
The table below gives details of occupations that we cannot cover
| Occupation |
| Couriers / dispatch drivers / mobile caterers / fast food delivery |
| Entertainment |
| Fashion / modeling |
| Foreign / Diplomatic Service |
| Gambling |
| Market & street traders |
| Mobile mechanics |
| Professional sports |
| Scrap & salvage merchants |
| Taxi or mini cab drivers |
Postcodes
We can only arrange cover for mainland UK postcodes and the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. We cannot arrange cover for Northern Ireland.
Cars
We cannot offer cover on "Q" registration plate cars because often they are of indeterminable age, origin or value.
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Home Insurance
Can I have immediate cover?
How can I pay for my policy?
Can I switch from my mortgage lender?
Do I pay an excess if I make a claim?
When can I report a claim?
What does Buildings Insurance cover?
Do I need to know my buildings re-build cost?
What does Contents Insurance cover?
How much should I insure my contents for?
Are the contents of my garage or outbuilding covered?
Do I need to specify all my valuable items such as furniture?
Am I covered if I work from Home?
Are Pedal Cycles covered under Contents?
Are my contents covered outside of my home or if I take them on holiday with me?
What is Personal Items cover?
What levels of Personal Items cover do you provide?
What is Accidental Damage cover?
Do I get Accidental Damage cover automatically?
What is Family Legal Protection?
What is Home Emergency cover?
- Can I have immediate cover?
Yes. Cover is provided once payment details have been taken and processed and starts from the start date you have entered.
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- How can I pay for my policy?
You can pay using your credit, debit or switch card or you may prefer to pay using our flexible direct debit plan.
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- Can I switch from my mortgage lender?
Yes you can. If you are already insured with another company, you'll find it easy to switch to us. And, if your current mortgage lender charges you for switching your buildings insurance, you can claim up to £25 back from us.
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- Do I pay an excess if I make a claim?
Yes, the excess on a standard claim is £50, or £75 if the claim relates to accidental damage. Claims for subsidence, landslip and heave carry an excess of £1,000. This standard excess is in addition to any voluntary excess requested or any excess imposed due to claims experience or property construction.
There is no excess for Family Legal Protection claims.
There is no excess for Home Emergency Cover claims.
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- When can I report a claim?
You can rest assured that if the worst does happen, you will have immediate access to our claims service. All our claims lines, including Family Legal Protection and Home Emergency Cover are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Please note that when telephoning the claims department your call may be recorded for training or quality purposes.
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- What does Buildings Insurance cover?
This is the cover you need to protect the physical structure of your home, and permanent fixtures such as kitchen units and bathroom suites, against fire, lightning, explosions, earthquakes, smoke, riots, theft, subsidence, storms and floods.
Our insurers have also included a number of extras, so if your home is damaged by something covered by your policy, we'll cover you for additional expenses like alternative accommodation for you and your family while your home is repaired.
Limits and restrictions apply, please refer to the policy wording for full details.
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- Do I need to know my buildings re-build cost?
No, the buildings section of your policy automatically provides cover up to £500,000 for the cost of rebuilding your home and any outbuildings so you'll never have to worry about being underinsured.
Please note that in some circumstances our insurers are not able to provide the £500,000 automatic cover and we will require you to advise us of the re-build value of your property and this will then be the amount of cover provided.
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- What does Contents Insurance cover?
Generally, moveable furniture and fittings - like sofas, curtains, beds, rugs and also aerials and satellite dishes.
They are all covered for loss or damage from fire, lightning, explosions, earthquakes, smoke, riots, theft, subsidence, storms and floods.
Plus our insurers cover some extras - accidental damage to home entertainment goods like your television and computer, cover for freezer contents, replacement locks if your keys are lost or stolen, cover for contents in your garden, and extra cover for wedding gifts if you or someone in your family get married. You'll even get extra cover over the festive season.
It's all covered on a new-for-old basis with the exception of your clothes and linen.
Limits and restrictions apply, please refer to the policy wording for full details.
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- How much should I insure my contents for?
You should insure your contents for the amount it would cost you to replace them as new.
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- Are the contents of my garage or outbuilding covered?
Yes, providing the building is locked we provide automatic cover up to £2,500.
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- Do I need to specify all my valuable items such as furniture?
No, you only need to specify items that are worth more than the amounts that are detailed below and fall under our definition of a "valuable".
Up to £5,000 for any one Plasma, Liquid Crystal Display, Digital Light Projection, Front Projection or CRT Front Projection television, free-standing hot tub, free-standing jacuzzi or free-standing spa.
Up to £2,500 for any other item, pair or set that is defined as a "valuable"
When we refer to "Valuables" we mean
- Coin, stamp or medal collections valued over £1,000
- Articles of gold, silver, other precious metals
- Jewellery, gemstones, pearls
- Furs, watches
- Audio, video and computer equipment
- Telescopes, binoculars, photographic equipment
- Musical instruments and guns
Valuables are included in our standard policy cover providing the total value is not more than 35% of the contents sum insured and is subject to the single item limits shown above. If you need to increase the standard valuable limit or need to specify any items please call us.
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- Am I covered if I work from Home?
When you take out contents cover with us, your policy automatically covers business equipment in the home up to £5,000. This includes items such as computers, printers, fax machines providing they are not owned by your employer.
A full definition of business equipment can be found within the policy wording, which is available to download.
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- Are Pedal Cycles covered under Contents?
If the bicycle is stolen from your home, (including its garages and outbuilding) this is covered under standard contents insurance. However, if the bicycle is stolen while away from the home, it will only be covered if you have selected the Personal Items section.
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- Are my contents covered outside of my home or if I take them on holiday with me?
Your Contents Insurance covers items that are temporarily away from home but in another building, like your office. You'll need to take out Personal Items cover for items such as your mobile phone, pedal cycles, glasses, jewellery and camera to make sure they're protected while you're carrying them around with you.
Limits and restrictions apply, please refer to the policy wording for full details.
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- What is Personal Items cover?
If you add this to your contents cover, it gives you extra protection for your portable possessions, such as pedal cycles, jewellery, glasses, cameras and mobile phones, when they are outside of your home both in Britain and abroad for the limit shown in your policy documents.
If you have a new camera it's covered by your contents policy while it's in the house. But take it out for the day to take pictures of your family at a wedding and you'll need Personal Items cover.
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- What levels of Personal Items cover do you provide?
You can select any amount between £2,500 and £10,000 and there is a single item limit of £2,500(£500 for Pedal Cycles). The Personal Items section also includes some additional benefits as standard
| Money Cover | up to £500 |
| |
| Credit Cards | up to £1,000 |
| |
| Pedal Cycles | up to £1,000 |
If you wish to increase these limits then please call us.
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- What is Accidental Damage cover?
If you put your foot through the ceiling while you're up in the loft, the Accidental Damage part of your buildings policy would cover this. And if you accidentally dropped a tin of paint onto your sofa while decorating, the Accidental Damage part of your contents policy would ensure this was resolved.
Please note that Accidental Damage on buildings or contents is not available if your property is let or unoccupied.
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- Do I get Accidental Damage cover automatically?
Buildings
The buildings insurance we offer automatically provides restricted Accidental Damage for the following :-
- Accidental breakage of fixed glass forming part of your buildings (including the cost of necessary boarding up before replacing broken glass)
- Accidental breakage of fixed sanitary fittings
- Accidental breakage of ceramic glass in cooker hobs of built-in units
- Accidental breakage of fixed solar panels forming part of your buildings
Contents
The contents insurance we offer automatically provides restricted Accidental Damage for the following :-
- Glass tops and fixed glass in furniture
- Ceramic glass in cooker hobs
- Mirrors
- Television sets, video, audio and computer equipment
- Radio and television aerials or satellite dishes
For payment of an additional premium you can you can enhance your policy to include Extended Accidental Damage.
Please note that Accidental Damage on buildings or contents is not available if your property is let or unoccupied.
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- What is Family Legal Protection?
If you need legal advice you'll have 24 hour access to our team of experts. You can talk through any private legal issues with them in confidence and, if you have a case for claiming for something like faulty goods or employment disputes, the policy will pay up to £50,000 of your legal costs.
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- What is Home Emergency cover?
If you need emergency property assistance you'll have 24 hour access to our team who can appoint a qualified tradesman 365 days a year. The policy will provide emergency cover in situations such as your primary heating system has failed, failure of the electricity supply or infestation of pests. The policy will help with emergency fees up to £300 per event.
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General questions
If I don't want to enter my credit card details over the internet will my quote still be valid?
How secure is your website?
- If I don't want to enter my credit card details over the internet will my quote still be valid?
You can call us on the number provided or ask us to call you in order to make your payment. We may charge you an arrangement fee which is not payable for online transactions.
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- How secure is your website?
Our site uses Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) Encryption to ensure that your personal and sensitive data -- credit card number, name, address, etc -- is transmitted securely, every time. In addition, we use internal security measures to further increase your data security.
When we ask for your credit card number or other personal information, we transfer that information from your computer to ours via SSL. SSL encrypts your data before it is transmitted. If someone "listens in" on the wire, they will only get encrypted information.
The best encryption available requires that your browser uses a 128-bit key or better. Use Verisign's free Browser Check to ensure you've got the latest, most secure Web browser.
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