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[pscocoa]

Mother in law died this week and I started notifying various utilities and other household service providers.

Home insurance is with Post Office as agent for Legal and General. I do the right thing in notifying them fully expecting them to say we will continue to insure house until grant of probate. Not a bit of it - more or less exact words from jobsworth were - "oh sorry we do not cover unoccupied houses we will have to cancel cover immediately (i.e. there and then) - and you need to look on line for specialists in unoccupied house insurance". She even had the stupidity to ask why I wanted cover when no one was living there!!

I contacted Direct Line who said they could not cover but at least gave me a contact at British Insurance Brokers Association who were able to help - I had to fork out £500 to cover for a year with a refund of premium when we get things sorted.

Can you belive this ? Watchdog beckons when I get time.

[Kevin Wood]

There is no bounds to the "'puter says no" jobsworth mentality, it seems.  As if there's not enough to organise, amidst the emotional turmoil that accompanies a bereavement. The least you would expect is a few weeks' slack. Presumably they've been paid a premium in advance for the cover anyway.

Very sorry to hear about your loss. Our thoughts are with you.

[the alarming man]

that totally unnacceptable...shocking treatment



sorry for your loss

[jonathanh]

ok

Basically the answer here is to play by the rules.  These policies have a maxium period when the property is unoccupied.  something like 45 days.

The answer is of course to "occupy" the propery every 44 days.  I would think this means staying there overnight -effectively for a 24 hr period but you can confirm with L&G what occupy means - then play the game

I'd also ring the insurers direct = post office are only a broker and don't care about dealing with customers after the policy has been sold

[Kevin Wood]

Yes, very true. The occasional overnight stay would keep it within their terms. Usually 30-45 days, as said. Then again, if they've cancelled the policy, too late.

Certainly worth publicising it via Watchdog, etc. This is exactly the type of story they'll jump at, I reckon.

[pscocoa]

Update on this one - long long story - referred to Financial Services Ombudsman because Post Office did not revert in 8 weeks with explanation to original complaint. After digging I find everyone blaming someone else but bottom line is that people (like my deceased inlaws did ) go to Post Office for some sort of feeling of security in dealing with a brand they recognise. The Post Office are agents for Legal and General who you also recognise - but following comment from Legal and General you find the whole thing is being managed by "Budget Insurance Company Limited" - would you feel confident in buying from a company with this name - it appears no where in the documentation.

There is a heap of mismangment by the Post Office/Budget system so I wrote to all Chief Execs of all 3 organisations and their representatives have all phoned in last couple of days to apologise for the handling for which they are now holding their hands up and say they will sort it out.

I actually think they will this time.

[mantahatch]

When my grandmother died her house was burgled 3 days later, when my wifes uncle died his house was burgled 2 days later.
When our elderly neighbourdied her house was burgled 2 days later.

Are you spotting the trend here? I have for quite a while suspected that someone in the hospital,mortuary, ambulance crew or even police are tipping people off about about unoccupied houses of the recently deceased.

All burglaries took place at night when it is suspected that relatives will not be there.

I smell a rat here, the insurance companies are probably well aware of it and that is why they cancel the insurance straight away 

[Andy B]

......
Are you spotting the trend here? I have for quite a while suspected that someone in the hospital,mortuary, ambulance crew or even police are tipping people off about about unoccupied houses of the recently deceased.

......

Could just be that the local louts notice that the house is unoccupied or have seen the 'private ambulance' or black estate with blacked out back windows outside the house .......

[mantahatch]

......
Are you spotting the trend here? I have for quite a while suspected that someone in the hospital,mortuary, ambulance crew or even police are tipping people off about about unoccupied houses of the recently deceased.

......

Could just be that the local louts notice that the house is unoccupied or have seen the 'private ambulance' or black estate with blacked out back windows outside the house .......

With my grandmothers house that is a possibility. As for the other two, no chance at all I am afraid.

[Rods2]

Sorry to hear about your loss.

Burglary of a house is very common if the funeral time is put in an obituary in a local paper. So it always pays to have a house sitter.

When my ex-wife's uncle died where the funeral place (at a church just outside Reading) and time had been placed in an obituary, all the cars that were oldish with no alarms were broken in during the church service. Fortunately mine was alarmed with movement detectors, so was untouched. I can't believe how low, so low lives in this country will stoop to. 

Once it has been referred to Financial Ombudsman, it has to be resolved or go to adjudication. Insurance companies normally try and avoid things going this far as they have to pay the fees for this.