| Those of you that have Landlords Insurance or | | | | storm is any high wind or rain that affects the |
| have ever thought about getting it will know that | | | | property and causes damage. However, insurers |
| the thing that makes it hard to understand is | | | | have put a limit on what the minimum wind speed |
| knowing just what you are covered for. The | | | | has to be before you can claim under this peril. |
| definitions are sometimes misleading and can lead | | | | Insurers tend to put the limit that the wind must |
| you to believe that certain things are covered | | | | be between 41 and 47 knots which is the |
| when in fact they are only covered as long as | | | | Beaufort scale number 9. Therefore you can only |
| their criteria are fulfilled. Therefore I'm going to | | | | claim if the wind is that speed and anything less |
| explain in this article just what they mean, and | | | | than that you will have to pay for the damage |
| hopefully allow you to understand the exact | | | | yourself; and to verify the wind speed they do |
| coverage that you are getting. Hopefully it will | | | | check the local weather reports from that time |
| prevent any instances where you wish to claim, | | | | period. |
| only to be told that the circumstances surrounding | | | | The final thing that can often be rather confusing |
| the claim do not meet their criteria | | | | for the person that is looking to get Landlords |
| The first thing that many people get confused | | | | Insurance is whether or not the property is |
| with is when they have "buildings only" coverage, | | | | defined as unoccupied or tenanted. Most people |
| and they believe that things like the kitchen and | | | | would assume that the property is unoccupied if |
| bathroom will come under the contents insurance. | | | | there is not tenant living in the property and that |
| But in reality, this is not always true. Most insurers | | | | this is quite straightforward however the |
| see that if it is a fitted kitchen or a fitted | | | | insurance companies seem to have decided that |
| bathroom then that will be under the buildings | | | | they want to confuse us as this is not the case. |
| coverage on the policy rather than the contents | | | | The insurance companies see that the property is |
| insurance. Buildings coverage does not just stop at | | | | occupied either when there is a tenant in the |
| the actual property though and will often include | | | | property or if there has been a tenancy |
| garages, patios, greenhouses, fences and gates as | | | | agreement signed. So, if you have a tenancy |
| well. | | | | agreement signed and you are looking for |
| There is also a gray area where many people are | | | | Landlords Insurance then they will usually accept |
| unsure whether or not their laminate flooring will | | | | this as an occupied property so be sure to ask |
| be covered under either the buildings cover or the | | | | them about it. |
| contents cover on the policy. In this case many | | | | These are the most common things that people |
| insurers see that if it is of the click-and-fit variety | | | | say they are unclear about when it comes to |
| then that is contents insurance as you could take | | | | Landlords Insurance and hopefully that has now |
| it away with you quite easily if you moved, but if | | | | cleared them up and will give you a better insight |
| it has been glued down then it will be under the | | | | into what you are purchasing. Remember if there |
| buildings insurance cover as you cannot remove it | | | | is anything else that you are unsure about then |
| when you leave the property without causing | | | | you can always talk to your insurance broker |
| damage. | | | | about these things but hopefully the main areas |
| One of the other main perils that are often | | | | that could leave you feeling unclear have been |
| misinterpreted are the perils of storm or wind | | | | covered. |
| damage where most people will assume that | | | | |