Once the “real estate boom”, As a result, there is less and less new housing and our homes are progressively “ageing”. As a result, there is an increase in reforms in bathrooms, kitchens, or even buy a old house and make a complete renovation of it. When this happens, many people understand that anything that happens will be covered by home insurance or even hire the best home insurance after the reform. Let's see what can happen.
The coverage of the reform in home insurance
The main purpose of our home insurance is to repair any damage that may occur in our home or that we may cause to third parties due to the use of the same. In addition, guarantees have been progressively added, such as robbery outside the home, civil liability outside the home, etc.
As we say, by means of the household insurance damage caused by the normal use of our home is covered. In this respect,
Perform reforms in our house (which involve cutting walls, replacing pipes, replacing tiling, etc.), is not considered to be an ordinary use of it.
This is the key to everything. For this reason, many insurance companies are going to put problems in covering these reforms. In the terms and conditions of the companies, we will see exclusions of the type:
- “Breakage caused by building work, painting, decorating or repair work”.”
- “Breakage resulting from construction work, handling and/or transport”.”
This is something that we must bear in mind when we are going to carry out a major renovation of our house.
Do we take any responsibility for reform?
We are the «promoters» of the work, i.e. we bear the cost of the work. We take the initiative, even if the work is carried out by a contractor.
This means that, although the builder or operator is directly responsible for the possible damage we may cause to the neighbour, we are always responsible for the damage. we shall be vicariously liable. That is to say:
If the trade does not pay the claim (either because it has no insurance, is insolvent or its insurance does not cover), we will be involved in that claim and will have to pay for the damage.
Even if there is tension with the neighbour, it is possible that even if the reformer's insurance will cover the claim, we will be sued jointly with the guild. This, in the first instance, will already mean a financial outlay in lawyers.
Insurance as a promoter of reforms
For all these reasons, in these cases, it is more than advisable to contract what is known as a «renovation insurance».».
These are policies in which the price depends on the budget of the work. The purpose of this policy is cover fundamentally:
- Our civil liabilityThe compensation that we would have to pay in your case.
- The legal defenceThe cost of lawyers to defend us against possible claims.
If you would like to receive this advice on your policies, or if you are simply going to carry out a reform and would like us to give you a quote for your insurance, call us or consult us.
