Renovation Insurance
Renovation insurance is an important factor to consider if you are planning to carry out a renovation to your home. Self-Build Zone works with ‘A’ Rated insurers who can cover you during your home renovation. Having the right home renovation insurance policy in place will give you peace of mind throughout your project, knowing that your home is fully covered during your renovation.
A home renovation project is an exciting time. Renovating your home improves its look and often adds value, however it doesn’t come without its risks. You need to protect your materials, any damages that could be incurred during the renovation or even injury with the right home renovation insurance policy.
What is Renovation Insurance?
Self-Build Zone's Home Renovation Insurance is a site insurance policy that is specially designed to cover you throughout the entire build process of your project, including existing structures even if it's unoccupied.
What does Renovation Insurance cover?
The Self-Build Zone renovation insurance policy covers the property whilst being renovated, even if you aren’t initially living in it. In addition, it covers all the new works and materials, right up to the completion of the project, however, additional contents cover may be needed.
Our property renovation insurance policy includes your Employers’ and Public Liability insurance as standard as we know that other people, including family and friends, could be working on-site and they may get injured, or someone may cause damage to a third party or their property. It is important that they are adequately protected and that also includes the cost of defending and/or pursuing a claim. More than likely you will have the site, plus tools and equipment on-site which will need to be covered.
Home Renovation Insurance is available in a range of different policy durations which can be extended as required. Using Site Insurance for a renovation project will provide cover in all the places Home Insurance does not, including providing cover when the property is unoccupied during and prior to the renovation works. Most people do not realise that standard Home Insurance will not cover you adequately and carries many exclusions. Relying on your builders' Public Liability is a very risky approach and will not cover you unless you can demonstrate that they were negligent. Home Renovation Insurance is the most practical and efficient way of covering your renovation project.
Why you need renovation insurance
Property renovation insurance is essential if you’re carrying out renovations to your home. Your standard home insurance policy is likely not to cover your home whilst it is undergoing renovations, as there is a lot more risk involved to your home and the contents within it. Your builder’s Public Liability policy will also not cover everything you need to protect your home and its belongings during a renovation.
Party Wall Agreement
If you have a party wall agreement in place with one or more neighbours, you will probably be responsible for rectifying any damage caused to their property (however serious), so you should seek professional party wall advice in this respect and make sure you have adequate cover in place. We can also provide JCT 6.5.1 Insurance. For more information on other insurance packages we offer, visit our Site Insurance page.
Legal Expenses Insurance Cover
Renovation projects can be complex affairs due to the diversity of trades working on-site and the associated risks and exposures that come with that. We have years worth of knowledge on what goes wrong, what the major issues have been and what causes clients the most stress. Not using properly written contracts probably causes more problems and upset than anything else. Without a contract, you cannot prove the terms of engagement with professionals, contractors or suppliers.
We have known people lose large amounts of money because they failed to use properly written contracts. When it comes to trying to make claims without this, it is very difficult as the burden of proof is on you. With a contract, there is little escape. That is why with our contract package, we give you unlimited use of the contract wordings.
We back this up with the addition of Legal Expenses Cover, which is provided as standard with all of our Site Insurance policies (excluding Developers Insurance).
If a dispute arises, the legal team will provide you with essential legal advice to enable you to pursue a contractual dispute claim where there is a good prospect of success (terms and conditions apply).
By correctly using our contract templates you will have the necessary proof of the basis of the contract and hopefully enable a swift conclusion of any dispute.
What if your Builder or Contractor is Insured?
Relying on your contractor's or tradesman's insurance may not always be the correct course of action. Many contractors only have Public Liability cover which is not sufficient as no one is taking full responsibility for the works in progress. Public Liability Insurance only covers negligent acts and it is sometimes a very lengthy and costly process to prove this.
A nearly completed building that is seriously damaged by fire, flood or storm could result in a serious loss which could be life-changing and really does not bear thinking about, so minimise your exposure to risk by protecting yourself with renovation insurance from Self-Build Zone.
Need a Structural Warranty?
A Self-Build Zone 10 Year Structural Warranty is one of the best ways to protect your project against the effect a major structural defect could have. Should you wish to sell the property at some point in the future, a Self-Build Zone 10 Year Structural Warranty will give you the peace of mind that the building was completed professionally and that it is covered by a lender-approved warranty.
