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Inspecting your holiday home following stormy weather

Inspecting your holiday home following stormy weather

Inspecting your holiday home following stormy weatherIt’s official; last winter was the stormiest period of weather experienced by the UK for at least 20 years. No fewer than twelve storms brought with them strong winds and heavy rainfall, battering holiday homes across England, Wales and Scotland well into February last year.

The statistics are incredible:

  • 600,000 homes were without power.
  • 7,000 properties hit by flooding.
  • 12,000 homes suffered structural damage.
  • 600km of railway line was forced to close.

So what have we learnt and are we ready to react to the potential damage they cause this time round?

Tips for inspecting your holiday home following stormy weather

  • Stay Vigilant

Whilst it is important to be proactive prior to storms, it is equally vital to stay vigilant after they have passed. Here’s our guide to the areas of your holiday home you should be keeping an eye on once the rain and winds subside.

  • Nearby Trees and Plants

The forestry commission estimates that up to 30 million trees across the UK may have been blown down during last year’s storms.

They may be sturdy; they may even have been there for years and years, but nearby trees are vulnerable and can do significant damage to your holiday home and anything that stands in their way.

After a heavy storm make visual checks of all of the trees surrounding your property. Are there any signs of defects? Are there branches that have been damaged and should be removed?

If there are structural issues with a tree near your holiday home ensure you call in a professional tree surgeon to examine the problem and never attempt to climb the tree in order to address any potential issues.

  • Slipping Slates

Aside from tree branches, falling roof tiles account for the highest number of insurance claims caused by storm damage across the UK.

If there is visible damage to the slates on your holiday home roof you should speak with a professional as soon as possible.

As with tree damage, you should never attempt to climb onto the roof of your holiday home or to make repairs yourself.

  • Checking drains, guttering and drainpipes

Last winter was the wettest since 1910, with more days of rain than any winter since 1961. The trend of wetter and warmer winters is one that is continuing to develop over recent years; despite heavy rainfall the winter of 2014 was 1.5C above average seasonal temperatures.

The biggest issue with storm water is that it has to have somewhere to go. The result when it doesn’t is flooding and damage to your holiday home.

With this in mind it is vital that drains are kept clear from debris and other blockages. Make sure that after periods of rain all guttering, downpipes and drainage is clear and in good working order.

If you notice a blockage during heavy rain ensure the issue is addressed before it becomes a potentially larger and more damaging issue.

  • Keep your garden furniture safe for the summer

Garden furniture, BBQs and trampolines certainly weren’t designed to fly but are often the first thing to take off when the storm hits.

Items such as these should either be firmly secured, or better, dismantled for winter. If yours are currently out in the garden we encourage you to take just a few minutes and stow them safely indoors, ready for your guests to enjoy in the summer.

  • Stay Safe

The repercussions of storm damage can be severe, devastating and sometimes fatal. When taking action please do always think of safety first, and where appropriate seek the advice of a professional. Report storm damage to your holiday home insurance provider as soon as it’s discovered, they’ll give you advice to help mitigate your losses and get the property up and running again for holiday letting as soon as possible.

You may also find the following posts of interest:

Boshers offer specialist holiday home insurance to owners across the UK. For more information on how a specialist insurer can help and support your holiday home business, please give us a call on 01237 429444.

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selcting a contractor for your holiday home

Your responsibilities when employing contractors to work on your holiday home

Your responsibilities when employing contractors to work on your holiday home

selecting building contractor holiday homeIf you’re having work carried out or renovations made to your holiday home that require builders to be on site, these alterations will bring with them a unique set of risks and considerations for your property and the contents within it.

Are you aware of your own obligations and your responsibilities when employing contractors to work on your holiday home property, both from a safety and an insurance perspective?

What are your responsibilities as a holiday homeowner?

As the owner of the property you have an obligation to ensure that any contractor working on your holiday home is competent, suitably trained to carry out the work they are undertaking and will work with due regard for the safety of those around them.

A key element of this process is selecting a skilled professional to undertake the work and having a process in place that ensures you end up using the most appropriate people for the job.

If you’re unsure of how to establish the credentials of a builder, or where you can find accredited tradesmen, there is more information on this and the steps you should take when selecting a building contractor to work on your holiday home in our earlier blog post here.

What do you need to do with your insurance?

If you’re undertaking building work on your holiday home you may need to alter your insurance surrounding the structure of your property, the contents within it, along with all unfixed materials and goods other than builders’ plant, tools and other equipment.

Your insurer will need to be made aware of any major works carried out on your holiday home, which includes when it undergoes major structural alterations or when external scaffolding is to be used.

If you’re in doubt as to whether or not you need to inform us about your building works we suggest you give one of our specialist holiday home insurance advisers a call and we’ll be able to talk you through what we need to know.

Have you checked your builder’s insurance?

You should ensure that your contractor has Public Liability (Third Party) and Employer’s Liability insurance. The cover of both of these should be sufficient to cover the scale and scope of the work they are undertaking for you and it is reasonable to ask to see their current valid Certificate of Insurance.

Inspecting the site on a regular basis

Safety risks can quickly emerge on an active building site so it’s vital that processes are in place to regularly monitor the site and address any issues before they can cause any potential harm.

Someone competent in identifying any potential risks should inspect your site at the end of each day. These site inspections should be logged, along with any issues raised and addressed.

These daily inspections should be complimented by ad hoc inspections of works and safety conditions to ensure compliance at all times.

Have you told your neighbours?

For those living a good distance from their holiday home it can often be prudent to inform those living near the property of any impending building works and potential disruption as a result. Proactive management and communication in this area can often mitigate potential conflict or animosity down the line.

Our quick checklist for employing contractors:

  1. Put in place procedures to ensure you select skilled tradesmen capable of completing the work you need.
  1. If in doubt, contact your insurer to advise of the work you will be carrying out and any insurance alterations you need to make as a result.
  1. Check that your builder has the necessary Public Liability and Employer Liability insurances.
  1. Ensure procedures are in place to inspect the site on a regular basis.
  1. Consider informing neighbours of any works you are undertaking.

Boshers offer specialist holiday home insurance to owners across the UK. For more information on how a specialist insurer can help and support your holiday home business, please give us a call on 01237 429444.

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Legionellosis Cover now available for holiday homeowners

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New addition to our specialist holiday home insurance policy – Legionellosis Liability Cover

iStock_000026201276MediumWe are pleased to announce that when our holiday homeowners next renew their specialist holiday home insurance policy they’ll be benefiting from even more cover. We will now be providing public and products liability cover as standard, which will indemnify owners against accidental bodily injury caused by Legionellosis starting at £250,000 in any one period of insurance. Legionellosis cover is a welcome addition to our already comprehensive holiday home insurance policy.

As specialists in holiday home insurance we understand the industry and the unique insurance requirements of your business. We’re committed to providing holiday let homeowners across the country with a range of cover that meets your needs.

If you’re not familiar with Legionelllosis and how it can affect your guests here’s some more information for you… 

What is Legionellosis and how do you get it?

Legionellosis is the collective term for a group of diseases caused by legionella bacteria. The best known and most serious of these is Legionnaires’ disease, which is a potentially fatal form of pneumonia. Whilst any of your guests could contract Legionnaires’ disease, certain groups of people visiting your holiday home will have increased levels of vulnerability.

These include:

  • People over the age of 45 years.
  • Smokers, heavy drinkers or those with impaired immune systems.
  • Individuals suffering from diabetes, heart, lung disease or other respiratory issues. 

The disease can not be passed from guest to guest as it is contracted by inhaling small water droplets suspended in the air, known as aerosols.  

Where will you find Legionella? 

Legionella bacteria are commonly found at low levels in natural water sources such as rivers, ponds and reservoirs, although it is unlikely someone will contract the disease in these conditions.

The risks of contraction are increased when the water is maintained at a temperature to encourage growth in the number of bacteria and where water may remain stored for a period of time.

In holiday homes the prime areas susceptible to infection will be hot and cold water systems, along with spa and hot tubs, where water may remain at a warm level and be present for a long period of time.

How do you prevent it? 

As a holiday homeowner you have a legal duty to ensure all water systems in your premises are properly operated and maintained to prevent Legionnaires’ disease or any other type of water-borne infection.  

The two most important factors for preventing an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease are:

  • Temperature – cold water should be stored and distributed below 20ºC (68ºF) and hot water heated to above 60ºC (140ºF), distributed at 50ºC (122ºF) or higher. If there is a risk of scalding such as with bath or shower taps then a thermostatic mixer tap should be fitted.
  • Hygiene – the water should be kept free of any impurities and never allowed to stagnate (which is when water loses its freshness by lack of movement). Good housekeeping will reduce the risks, such as flushing out infrequently used shower heads and taps at least weekly and cleaning and de-scaling shower heads and hoses at least quarterly.

A qualified and competent professional should carry out all water works within your holiday home. You should keep documentation of when your system was last checked, along with schedules for regular maintenance and review. 

If your holiday home includes a swimming pool, spa pool or hot tub system we’ve written these more in-depth post on controlling risks such as Legionellosis:

The Health and Safety Executive have produced useful guidance on Legionella and Legionnaires’ disease.   

  • To read the Health and Safety Executives best practice advice on Legionella and Legionnaires’ disease click here

If you have any questions or queries regarding the insurance cover you have in place or if you require a quotation from a specialist for your holiday home insurance please give one of our experienced team a call on 01237 429444.

This article has been created as generic guidance for holiday home, cottage and holiday cottage complex owners and does not constitute legal or insurance advice. If you have any questions relating to health and safety management and the prevention of legionellosis at your holiday cottages you should take advice. 

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Impact of second homes on rural and coastal communities

Many people dream of owning a second home in the countryside or by the sea. But are these holiday retreats causing more harm than good?

Countryfile second homes featureIn Sunday’s episode of Countryfile, presenter Charlotte Smith explored the impact of second homes on rural and coastal communities. The reporting was well researched and balanced in our opinion. Have a look for yourself on BBC iPlayer here, the coverage starts at 8 minutes 10 seconds into the programme. This link is only available until September 28th 2014, further to which we have summarised some of the areas covered below.

The impact of second homes

An Englishman’s home is his castle, or so the saying goes and for some, investing in a second home gives you the best of both worlds. Whether a house in the country or a bolthole by the sea, the appeal can be better quality of life, a second income or both. For that reason it’s an idea that many Britons have bought into; 1.5 million people now own a second home in the UK with the number one choice of location, you guessed it, Cornwall with its stunning coastline and picture postcard fishing villages.

In some of the most sort after areas two in five properties are now holiday homes.

While their owners have clearly fallen in love with Cornwall the feeling of the local residents is not always mutual.

Do second homes play a vital role in supporting the local economy?

This episode of Countryfile considers two points of view:

The first takes into account the views of a local family, who cannot see their way back onto the housing market as second homeowners send valuations  skyward.

The second focuses on a Padstow based fisherman, who sees strong demand for his catch and directly attributes this success to local restaurants increasingly filled by the owners of holiday homes and their guests.

This isn’t just about Cornwall either; from Yorkshire to the South Coast, and the Cotswold’s to the Western Isles, there are serious concerns about second homes, despite playing a vital role for some businesses and the local economy.

Communities need tourism to survive.

In Cornwall alone it’s an industry worth £1.8 billion. Expand that across the UK and tourism brings in well over £100 billion a year.

Despite the obvious benefits to businesses, many feel the advantages of second homes are simply not worth the sacrifices they create. Some believe second homes cast a shadow over some of the most beautiful areas of the UK. Demand raises house prices and many who live and work in these areas can no longer afford to stay. On the flip side of the coin others will say that without the money second homes bring them, local economies wouldn’t survive.

Holiday homes employ an army of people, plumbers, housekeepers, gardeners, decorators, holiday letting agents, all these people rely on the work that second homes bring their way!

As an insurance intermediary based in beautiful North Devon, we have driven the growth of our own business by meeting the insurance needs of second home owners who holiday let their rural and coastal properties to paying guests. Whilst we developed our holiday home insurance offering in Devon and Cornwall we now service the holiday home insurance needs of owners who both live and own second homes across the whole of the UK.

A typical second home for which we provide insurance will be let to paying guest for in excess of 30 weeks of the year and also used by their owners for 4 to 6 weeks, sometimes more. No one, least ourselves like to see rural and coastal homes empty for long periods of time, if you own a second home that is not already holiday let, speak to your local holiday letting agent to see if your property is suitable.

For more information on how a specialist insurer can help and support your holiday home business or if you recommendations of holiday letting agents in your area, please give us a call on 01237 429444.

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Marketing your coastal holiday home as surfing friendly

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Making small changes to your coastal holiday home will appeal to guests looking for surfing friendly holidays

iStock_000000176183MediumWith more than 7,000 miles between Britain and Hawaii it may seem the two are quite literally poles apart, if not only in terms of geography but also meteorologically given the potential inclemency of a British summer.

There is however one unifying factor; our continued and growing love for surfing.  Whilst the sport was first introduced to the world by Polynesians from Tahiti and Hawaii more than five centuries ago, the United Kingdom has now become something of a spiritual home to surfing, offering some of the best breaks in the world with large appeal for those seeking a surfing friendly holiday..

No longer the fraternity of a bleach blonde elite, the sport is now attracting an increased and broadening demographic; whether it be families, children or grandparents, they’re all grabbing the board and learning the skills.

We take a look at how holiday homes can cater for those enjoying the waves on their surf, boogie or body boards when they get back from a day at the beach.

Providing your guests with information

You’ll want to make your guest’s lives as easy as possible.Ensure you have information in your cottage on tide times, the best local beaches and breaks to surf, along with relevant safety information and contact details for surf schools or services.

This information should also be incorporated into your website.  Feeds from places such as Magic Seaweed will be able to provide your visitors with up to date information without you having to provide it yourself.

Remember your website should be a content hub for your visitors, with all of the information they require to help them make their booking decision.

Storage and washing 

Enjoying the British sea for any great length of time will usually incorporate a wetsuit. Having somewhere for your visitors to wash down and hang their suits when they return from the beach is a low cost and great addition to your holiday home.

Outside Showers

With the beach comes the sand and unfortunately not all of it will be left at the beach!

Having an outdoor shower is an effective way of keeping the sand outside of your coastal holiday home.  If you have one of these showers ensure the plumbing allows for the water connection to be terminated from the inside.  Many holiday home insurance claims come from frozen pipes in the colder months and an outdoor shower is a prime target for this. Ensure that if your holiday home is unoccupied during the winter, the water to the shower is turned off to limit the chances of any potential damage.

You’ll also need to limit the risks of slips and trips by installing items such as anti-slip mats.

Storage areas

If your holiday home is of a size where you are able to designate an area for the storage of gear and boards then this is also a very good idea.  Look to utilise any outbuildings or storage facilities that you have to minimise the wear and tear on the interior of your holiday home.

Hire or bring Surf Boards

Encourage your guests to bring their own surfboards or provide information on where they can hire wetsuits and surfboards and book surfing tuition.  Guests should have their own liability insurance, which extends to surfing, either via their own home insurance policy or through membership of an association such as Surfing GB.

We recommend that holiday home owners don’t supply their guests with their own boards as the liability implications for the property owner are very high.

Boshers are specialist providers of insurance to holiday homes and cottages. For more information on how a specialist insurer can help and support your holiday home please give us a call on 01237 429444.

 

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Loss of income cover -holiday home insurance

Loss of Income Insurance

Are you covered for loss of income?

Loss of income cover -holiday home insurance This can be an exciting time of the year for holiday homeowners. We know it can also be a busy time; taking bookings, preparing properties and making sure you are fully prepared for the first influx of visitors to your holiday home.

So think for a moment.

What would you do if something happened to your property that meant it were out of action for the busiest time of the year?

Would your insurance cover you?

Would you be able to stomach the financial implications of the potential loss of income during those summer months?

It can often be difficult to think about the worst-case scenario, particularly at a time of such optimism, but if you do need to face it then you’ll want to know that you’re holiday home insurance policy includes of loss of income cover.

What is Loss of Income Insurance?

If your holiday home becomes uninhabitable as the result of something outside your control such as flood or fire it can have serious financial consequences.  With the seasonal trends of tourism these consequences can be exacerbated even further should the event happen in the peak or even shoulder months.

At Boshers we want to support you in getting back to your feet as quickly as possible.  As specialists we understand the price you’ll have to pay should you lose trade during the upcoming months and for this reason we include Loss of Income insurance as standard with our Holiday Home Insurance Policy.

This insurance covers you for the potential loss of income you may suffer as a result of disruption or interruption caused by an insured event.

This means that should you lose trade then you’ll not have to pay the price of the loss of trade you suffer through cancellations and periods of not being able to accept bookings.

We also understand that repairs and maintenance after such an event won’t be immediate; that’s why our indemnity period extends to two years.

Check your holiday home insurance policy document

Insurance should be there to support you as and when you need it but it’s vital to ensure you fully understand the cover you have in place and that it’s adequate for your business needs.

The cover provided by insurers varies and you should always read through your policy document and summary of insurance, checking that you have the right cover for your business.

At Boshers we’re specialists at understanding holiday home businesses; our team has in excess of 350 years experience in dealing with them.  It’s this knowledge that makes sure we understand your holiday home inside out, and allows us to be able to identify the cover you need before you need it.

For more information on how a specialist insurer for your holiday home can help please give us a call on 01237 429444.

*For full information on your insurance always check your policy document or speak with your insurance provider.

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holiday home trampoline

Top Trampoline Tips

Top Trampoline Tips for Holiday Home Owners

For families on holiday a trampoline can be a desirable addition to your holiday home’s garden. Whilst bouncing up and down feet in the air will provide plenty of fun you’ll want to ensure you have the mechanisms in place to manage and minimize the risk of injuries to your visitors. One hospital recently reported that more than 100 children were admitted to their A&E during the summer months as a result of trampoline related injuries, many of which were sustained on trampolines without any netting or adult supervision. Our top trampoline tip is to seek the opinion of your holiday home insurance provider to ensure that they will extend liability cover for your paying guests to include the provision of a trampoline. holiday home trampoline

Top Trampoline Tips – Key Facts

  • There are more than 10,000 trampoline related injuries every year.
  • 75% of injuries happen when more than one person is on the trampoline, with the person lightest in weight 500% more likely to be injured.
  • Children under the age of six are most likely to be injured on a trampoline.

When buying your trampoline what do you need to look for?

No matter where you buy your trampoline, ensure it carries the CE or GS safety mark and that all of the springs are clearly covered by safety pads. The padding should be a different colour to the mat to make it clearly visible and if possible, look to invest in a design that includes netting so as to minimise the threat of visitors falling from the trampoline and sustaining injury.

Where to put your new trampoline

Early thought should be given as to where in your garden your trampoline should go and what size you’re able to fit in to this area. The trampoline when erected should have a safe and clear zone of at least 2.5 meters on all sides. This space should be free from trees, branches, fences, overhead cables or anything that could cause a hazard, including bicycles or other toys. Don’t be tempted to buy a trampoline larger than the size you can safely fit in your garden and ensure the manufacturers instructions are followed when you put it up and also when you take it down.

Finding the right ground

Your trampoline should ideally be placed on ‘soft energy-absorbing ground’ such as wood chip or soft grass.  Make sure you’re trampoline doesn’t span different types of ground and if you do have to place your trampoline on harder ground such as concrete or tarmac ensure there is always crash matting placed on the surrounding area to reduce the potential of injury from falling.

The importance of supervision

Whilst adult supervision is no guarantee of injury free play a spotter will often be able to greatly reduce the risk by picking up on potential issues before they arise. We recommend that our holiday home owners don’t have a trampoline in their garden unless they live adjacent to the property, such as would be the case for a holiday cottage complex, in order to not only manage risks during the summer months but also maintenance issues during the winter.

Maintaining your trampoline all year round

Whilst the number of bouncing children will increase greatly during the summer your trampoline will be with you all year and should be taken down during the winter and when not being used. This will avoid potential rusting and degrading of the quality of your trampoline, along with preventing it being blown away with the wind. There have been reported incidents of trampolines being blown in excess of 50 meters, causing large amounts of damage to properties and cars on the way. Ensure that your trampoline is dismantled and stored in line with the instructions provided by your manufacturer.

ROSPA Trampoline Guidance

For more information and guidance on trampoline safety please visit:

For more information on your holiday home insurance please get in touch with our dedicated team on 01237 429444. 

This article has been created as generic guidance for holiday home, cottage and holiday cottage complex owners and does not constitute legal or insurance advice. If you have any questions relating to health and safety management and the provision of a trampoline for use by holiday letting guests you should discuss them with your broker or insurer. 

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Checking your holiday home

Holiday home owners encouraged to make regular checks during severe weather

Holiday home insurance specialists Boshers are highlighting the importance of property owners making regular checks on their homes.

The advice comes with more severe weather forecast and with the first school half term of the year bringing visitors in to those areas already affected by extreme wind and flooding.

Checking your holiday home

The firm has issued guidance including checking roofs, guttering and downpipes along with ensuring surrounding trees are monitored for potential damage. Mark Lavington, Director at Boshers Ltd explained; “With many holiday home owners living away from their properties it is vital that they are regularly checked in order to proactively deal with any potential damage from the weather. Identifying issues and damage to property early can make a massive difference in the cost and speed of repair.”

Mark added “The February half term has always been the first major tourism window in the calendar and we are very keen to support the message that the country is open for business.  We want to ensure that holiday home owners are fully prepared to give their guests the warm welcome they always do.”

For more information on Boshers Guidance on holiday home property checks during extreme weather please visit www.boshers.co.uk/blog

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Home with holiday let annexe

Holiday Let Insurance for your annexe

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Holiday Let Insurance for your annexe

In this post we explore the subject of holiday let insurance for your annexe. It is becoming more and more common in popular rural and coastal self-catering holiday areas for owners of larger properties and empty nester’s to sub-divide their homes and let an annexe to guests holidaying in the area. In doing so, due consideration should be paid to the relevant planning and building regulations as well as the laws applicable to you as a landlord. Letting your annexe to guests can be financially rewarding although as with running any business it does have it’s risks. For your peace of mind you’ll want appropriate holiday let insurance for your annexe.

Holiday Let Insurance for your annexe

By taking advice on holiday let insurance for your annexe from a qualified adviser such as those in the Boshers holiday home insurance team, you will end up with building and contents cover without compromise and tailored to your individual needs. For a home owner with a self-contained holiday letting annexe or self contained detached holiday cottage in the grounds Boshers would look to provide you with comprehensive home insurance cover to meet your personal needs and running alongside a holiday home insurance policy to cover the contents of your holiday let together with cover for your liabilities as a holiday let owner and protection for loss of rental income in the event that you were to suffer an insured peril. Placing insurance for both your home and holiday let with the same insurer will save potential conflicts in the event of a claim. Should your home and annexe have an interconnecting door, you will be required to ensure that the door is fitted with a 5 lever mortice deadlock and kept locked so that guests do not have access to your home. For advice on holiday let Insurance for your annexe call our friendly team of holiday home insurance advisers on 01237 429444.

Holiday home annexe owners will also find the links below of interest:

For Self-Catering holiday cottage owners in Scotland, the Scottish Government has produced the following:

You may also find the following posts for holiday home owners of interest:

Follow this link for posts similar to Holiday Let Insurance for your annexe other useful resources for holiday home owners

For further information on UK holiday home insurance visit the website page most relevant to you:

 

 

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red wine stained carpet in holiday home

Damage by holiday let guests – who pays?

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red wine stained carpet in holiday home

Damage by holiday let guests – who pays?

Whilst letting your holiday home you expect an amount of general wear and tear such as scuffs on walls and the odd broken piece of crockery which you no doubt absorb into your general running costs. Occasionally your holiday home guests may cause more serious damage either accidentally or with malicious intent.

Damage by holiday let guests – who pays?

You’ll be wondering the best course of action to return your holiday home to its previous condition, to cause as little disruption as possible to forthcoming lettings and limiting your losses. In this article we delve deeper into the holiday home insurance frequently asked question, “Damage by holiday let guests – who pays?“. This may mean a holiday home insurance claim, although there are other options you may wish to explore first.

Holiday home booking conditions

An essential measure is to have in place holiday home booking conditions which hold the person(s) booking the holiday home responsible for the costs of any breakage or damage in or to the property. Communicating these terms clearly will focus your guests to treat your holiday home with the respect it deserves whilst enjoying their stay.

Security or damage deposits

There has been a move away from security or damage deposits in the holiday letting industry, although where used these can allow small sums to be recouped easily by withholding that proportion of the deposit. However if the loss or damage is greater than the security deposit the difference must still be sought from the guests who sometimes are confused, thinking the deposit in some way limits or waivers further liability.

Guests may have liability cover under their own travel or home insurance

For low value losses or damage you may well take the stance that you would rather absorb the cost than upset the relationship with your guest. For higher value losses where your guest has admitted liability, you may well wish to settle with them direct for replacement or repairs. Indeed the guests themselves may well be insured for such damage under the liability section of their own travel or home insurance policy on which they may choose to claim.

Holiday home insurance including accidental damage caused by paying guests

vase damaged by holiday home guests

Damage by holiday let guests – who pays?

Accidental damage rendering your holiday home unavailable to let, where the guest is not cooperative, or instances of malicious damage you would be best to put the matter in the hands of your holiday home insurer so that damage may be put right as quickly as possible with least disruption to future lets. This highlights the importance of having a policy which includes cover for accidental damage to your holiday home buildings and contents by paying guest and does not exclude malicious damage by them: You will be liable for the holiday home insurance policy excess and your insurers will recompense you the difference. Your insurer will not only work with you to minimise disruption, under subrogation they assume the right to recover the damages reimbursed from the party responsible, where financially viable to do so.

Additional guidance on damage by holiday let guests – who pays? and holiday home insurance advice and quotations are available from the Boshers Holiday Home Insurance Team on 01237 429444 or for further information visit holiday home insurance.

You may find the following holiday home insurance articles of interest:

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