insurance andliabilities

[evamat]

hello.I have a gorgeous familly house in normandy and have just decided to rent it out and so far its 50 percent full for the summer-hurrah!However,a friend just told me a horror story about someone dying on their friends property(I dont know from what but certainly not from something that would have happened wherever else they had been)and as a result,the once very wealthy owners are now penniless as they were sued.I can make everything in my house as safe as possible but I have a lake whiich is always asked about and I am very honest in as much as I say there's a lot of water and that in itself is dangerous for kids and babies but now Im terrified of anything going wrong and being sued.help!!what can i do.
Thanks

[Ju]

You need to talk to your house insurance company. Tell them that you intend to rent your house as a gite, and that you wish to increase your insurance to cover this, and that you want third party liability as well. It doesn't increase the premiums too much. We also have an option which covers all the legal fees should we be sued in congunction with the gites.

Even if you weren't worried about getting sued it is important to let the insurance company know that the house is rented.

Ju

[PeeJay]

check this out

http://www.intasure.com/#more

[Normandy Cow]

Thanks for that tip Peejay, I have requested a quote.

We do have specialist rental property insurance with Aviva Assurances. However, one thing that it is important to point out, is that as far as I am aware, in France the owner's property insurance does not usually cover damages done by renters. Therefore, if one of your renters leaves a cigarette burning and burns down your house, it is not your insurance that will pay out - it is theirs. In the case of French nationals, they will be able to claim against their own home insurance. in the case of for example British people on holiday, it is their travel insurance. For this reason, in my rental contract I get renters to sign to confirm that they have taken out adequate travel insurance which includes personal liability insurance. However, I am aware that just because they have signed to say they have, I do not check to verify this, and if the worst came to the worst and they caused damage and did not have adequate insurance, I am sure it would be difficult to sue them for damages.

Therefore, I will be interested to see the quote and Ts & Cs from Intasure - if they include damage done by the guests, then I will seriously consider changing over to them.

[PeeJay]

My understanding is that for an additional premium (which we have taken) they do include accidental damage to furnishings etc caused by renters and they also include £2 MILLION third party liability cover.

[Ju]

You are right Catherine, accidental damage by the renters isn't covered in the insurance. But I was under the impression that Fire was, as long as it isn't arson. I must check this out with my insurers, you've got me worried now!!

Ju