Renovation, or even expansion, work, as you probably know, is an initiative whose risks are not to be underestimated. Among all the little details that you need to consider before getting started, there is of course theHome Insurance. Its role would be in particular to cover the damage produced in the event of a claim related to the works. Good idea, since the reconstruction and redevelopment of a home are linked to several risks and damages of various kinds. Zoom in on the guarantees to be taken out during and after work… Break up your house without breaking your head!
How can home insurance cover construction damage?
Home insurance during construction – what you need to do …
Before even starting the work, we advise you to first talk to your insurer. If the choice to subscribe or not to a Home Insurance does not arise in front of tenants, it is strongly recommended that owners, free from this obligation, also subscribe to it. And not only since you will be insured against a number of claims, in this case quite frequent (3.5 million damage declared in 2019), but also for many subsequent reasons, including renovation work. If you plan to undertake these on your own and without having recourse to the help of a professional, the civil liability guarantee of your home insurance will compensate you in the event of any damage affecting your property. If you are in the process of taking your first steps towards insurance, you should know that there are even “home insurance comparators” online. These are developed just to help you identify the best deal for your needs and budget.
However, as we have already suggested, it is essential to inform your insurer of the planned work, so that he can check whether your home is indeed subject to compensation in the event of work. If your contract has gaps and therefore does not cover all the risks that a renovation may entail (theft, fire, explosion, broken glass), you can consider taking out an extended warranty.
First, it’s up to you to talk to your insurer
The service provider’s commitment – what the project manager must do …
If you turn to a professional to do the work for you, it will be up to him to present the associated guarantees. You can choose from these 3 main types of guarantees for a shorter or longer period.
- The guarantee of perfect completion legally commits the professional who carried out the work to indemnify his client in the event of damage observed within one year of the end of his work on the site.
- The ten-year guarantee is an insurance that the project manager is obliged to subscribe and respect for a period of 10 years following the work. In particular, it concerns all construction defects and resulting damage. Do not forget to ask for proof of this guarantee even before the work is started.
- The biennial guarantee – on the other hand, affects the proper functioning of certain equipment which is not subject to interest in the ten-year guarantee. It protects for a period of two years all that is plumbing, interior doors, electrical appliances supplied on delivery, etc.
- Structural damage insurance would be necessary in the event that we are talking about more important work than the expansion of a house by extension for example. It allows you to be insured in the event of serious defects affecting the stability of the construction.
And the project manager must also present guarantees
Finally, what about home insurance after the work …
And since renovation work only increases the value of the property, there would finally be a need to insure this value in order to protect it. To do this, it is necessary to update your insurance contract once the work has been completed, so that any newly acquired installation, equipment or extension is listed. Otherwise, you risk that the product of your work will not be the subject of the right to compensation in the event of a claim. Do not hesitate once again to inform your insurer about the changes made, regardless of whether it is real estate or movable property, a veranda or an additional floor.
Remember to insure what’s new
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