Getting your insurance organised often gets pushed into the too hard basket as it can be difficult to see the benefit when things are going well.
Often homeowners aren’t aware of the potential extra costs until something goes wrong.
Kennedy Beaumont is a Lifestyle Insurance Consultant with FMG and says having your house and contents with the same insurer has many benefits, first and foremost being one point of contact.
She says having two insurers can also create unnecessary issues. “Some insurance companies cover things such as carpet under the house policy, whereas others cover this under their contents policy. If this is the case, there may be gaps in your cover.”
Kennedy says if you end up stuck in this situation, you could end up paying for the carpet in full, out of your own pocket as you would not be covered.
“You can also have the opposite, where you are covered for the same thing with both insurers, which can also become a difficult situation, figuring out which company will pay out!”
Kennedy says there’s not a lot of awareness aboutthe extra cost and hassle involved. “No one realises until it comes to claim time and then you have to deal with the issue first-hand, and sometimes during some of the most vulnerable times of your life, which can be very stressful.”
“At FMG we offer one event, one excess at claims time. If your house was to burn down with your contents inside, you are only required to pay the higher excess of the two policies for both losses,” says Kennedy.
“We advise clients of the benefits of having their contents and house with us, as it is in their best interest, and we are always trying to do what’s best by the client.”
“Prior to working in an insurance role, I didn’t know about the pitfalls either as I had never been made aware – that’s why we ensure our clients are, as insurance can be a confusing topic for some,” says Kennedy.
She says it’s very satisfying to see FMG’s client first approach recognised with the Consumer 5 Years award for House, Car and Contents.
“Having won the People’s Choice award solidifies what we aim to do for our clients and communities. We constantly strive for client satisfaction and doing the best by our clients every step of the way.”
“We have a great team of people who are committed to providing outstanding service and advice and take a great deal of pride in that,” says Kennedy.
