FAQ's > House
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» Thieves tried to get into our property while we were away. A bedroom window and its grilles were damaged, but the alarm went off, so nothing was stolen. Can we claim?
» My husband and I were out last week when I noticed my purse was gone. Am I covered on my contents policy?
» How much do I need to insure my home for?
» We had an important water leak. We had our damage repaired on our building insurance but our neighbour's wall is also affected. Are we liable?
» I was mugged outside my home and my bag with my credit cards, passport and driving licence were stolen. How can I go about claiming for this
» How do I make a claim?
» We bought a property and did a mortgage. Are we obliged to insure our house?
» We are going away for 8 weeks and during this period of time our house will be unoccupied. Do we need to notify our Insurance Company?
» How can I make my home secure?
» Our jewellery was stolen from our house but the thieves did not break into our property. Can we claim?
» I own a holiday apartment and only need contents cover; what should I do?
» Question nº 12?
» Question nº 13?
» Question nº 14?
» Question nº 15?
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Thieves tried to get into our property while we were away. A bedroom window and its grilles were damaged, but the alarm went off, so nothing was stolen. Can we claim?
You can claim for the repair of the damage if the building is insured either fully or at first risk. You have to make sure your alarm is connected every time you leave because if it isn't and a break-in occurred, the Insurance Company may say theft of contents is not covered because the alarm did not go off. If you haven't got a maintenance contract with an alarm company, check the battery regularly and make sure the device stays fully operable.
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My husband and I were out last week when I noticed my purse was gone. Am I covered on my contents policy?
What happened to you is pick-pocket; this is not covered by most of the standard policies, whereas mugging outside the home usually is.
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How much do I need to insure my home for?
Your buildings should be insured for reconstruction value, without the land, which means how much it would cost to rebuild if it was totally destroyed. This is usually different from your property's market value. If you have a swimming pool, boundary wall or a tennis court for example, add their value to the reconstruction cost.
Your contents should be insured for how much it would cost to replace everything new today. It helps to do an inventory list, it may seem tedious, but it is worth taking the time to do it. You may be surprised of how much the total can be! It is also important to check the sums each year to make sure you are not under insured.
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We had an important water leak. We had our damage repaired on our building insurance but our neighbour's wall is also affected. Are we liable?
Your Insurance policy should hold a Public Liability clause, also covering this sort of damage to third parties. Your Insurance Company should assess your neighbour's damage and repair it.
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I was mugged outside my home and my bag with my credit cards, passport and driving licence were stolen. How can I go about claiming for this?
Make sure the police report is made within 24 Hours.
Check your policy conditions: if “misuse of credit cards” is covered outside the home, the Insurance Company will reimburse, up to the stated limit, the money that was spent or stolen from your account if your bank denies responsibility, which they have to certify in writing. Note that this cover is subject to time limits outside which it is not operable. If “re-issue of documents” is covered outside the home, the Insurance Company will reimburse the cost of replacing those, up to the stated limit and on presentation of the original receipts of re-issue.
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How do I make a claim?
If you have been burgled, secure your property to avoid further damage: either phone the 24 hour emergency repair service that you may have within you Insurance Policy or have your locks replaced/your door or grilles repaired and keep the receipts of payment as they may form part of your claim.
Notify the Police and bring the original report into your insurance agent's. If necessary a Loss Adjuster will be sent to your property to value the amount of the damage. Keep bills and valuations: this will help the assessor. If you haven't got any bills of your jewellery, TV, DVD player..., take photos: this is useful in case they are stolen.
Important: jewellery and valuables are not always covered if you haven't requested it or if they are not kept in a safe. Check your policy conditions.
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We bought a property and did a mortgage. Are we obliged to insure our house?
You are obliged to insure the building. You must tell your Insurance Company about it so they include a clause making the Bank as first beneficiary. Once you get your policy documents, there should be an extra copy of the Particular Conditions which you must sign and give to your bank. You can also organise mortgage insurance. This type of policy covers the pay off of the mortgage by the Insurance Company to the Bank in case of decease, or permanent invalidity.
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We are going away for 8 weeks and during this period of time our house will be unoccupied. Do we need to notify our Insurance Company?
When taking out your policy, unoccupancy of the property should be discussed. If you ignore the limit, it is important you find out. Should you stay away for longer, do notify your Insurance Company. There may be an extra premium to be paid, but you would be fully covered in case a break-in occurred during your absence.
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How can I make my home secure?
You may be busy tanning on the sun-drenched beach or by the communal pool, or have just nipped out, to the local shops or for a coffee, but if you're not careful you could be setting yourself up for a very unpleasant homecoming - a burglar can be in and out of your home in two minutes. And whilst crime is not yet so prevalent here on the Mediterranean, it is on the increase.
The feeling that someone else has been in your home can live with you for a long time. The key to real peace of mind is prevention in the form of security.
Depending on the total and individual value of your contents we may have recommended minimum security requirements for your property, but your circumstances can quickly change and it is important that you keep us informed of such changes. For example, you may have had a minimal amount of valuables at the start of your insurance and we may not have insisted on the installation of a safe, but since then you may have purchased various items of jewellery. This has obviously changed the nature of the risk and it is unlikely that we will insure these higher valued items unless you install a suitable safe or alarm system.
The following is the minimum standard of security we expect for standard properties:
Doors
Outside doors should be solid timber and be secured with 5 lever mortice deadlocks or their equivalent. These locks can only be opened by key. A burglar cannot just use a plastic card to push back the tongue of the lock or break a glass panel and reach in to open it. Doors that you usually lock from the inside - for example the back door should also be fitted with bolts.
Patio doors or other glass door should be fitted with key operated bolts to the top and bottom opening sections in addition to a central locking device - this stops the sliding frame being lifted off the tracks. In addition sliding grilles should be fitted internally and secured with clasp locks.
Windows
Most burglaries are through windows. Where grilles or rejas have not been fitted, key operated locks must be fitted to all accessible windows - those on the ground floor and those near drainpipes and flat roofs.
If you own valuable property we may insist that a safe or burglar alarm be installed before you buy one Please consult us as to which type is best suited to your needs.
When your property is left unoccupied for any length of time you must lock all doors and windows and activate the alarm system if you have one.
And when your home is left unoccupied for more than 14 consecutive days then the water must be drained and switched off - and if friends or family visit the property or you rent the property you must remember to tell them (not only to turn the water on when they arrive but to ensure they turn it off when they leave!)
For more details on how to make your home secure, please see the page titled ".
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Our jewellery was stolen from our house but the thieves did not break into our property. Can we claim??
First, check if you have jewellery cover. In general you are only able to claim if there are signs of physical break in i.e. violent entry by breaking a window, a door or if you were threatened. In general contents policies in Spain have limited cover or none at all when there is no break in, especially for money and jewellery.
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I own a holiday apartment and only need contents cover; what should I do?
We offer you a policy to cover your contents as well as fixtures and fittings.
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Please note that these answers are for general information only, each insurance policy has its own limits and covers.
If you have any doubt don't hesitate to contact us on info@saltsbay.com or phone 965 706 394.
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