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Mostrong Joined: 25th Apr 07 Posts: 3 Location:	Posted: 12:13 pm, 10th May 07 We are looking to conduct our first swap this year in France Currently our home insurance company are being less than positive. I wondered if anyone had had this challenge and how they had overcome it. also if anyone has come across a company that insurance top up for this type of arrangement Thanks Maureen
R&I Joined: 07th May 07 Posts: 4 Location:	Posted: 4:19 pm, 10th May 07 We have done a lot of exchanges in the past and insurance was not always straightforward. In the end it was a question we asked of insurers before we took out a policy and several wouldn't insure us under those circumstances. Those who did put in certain stipulations like there there had to be evidence of forced entry if we made a claim. We did around 30 exchanges and never had a problem or a claim and always felt out ouse was better for having someone in but insureres didn't believe us and always charged more.
Mostrong Joined: 25th Apr 07 Posts: 3 Location:	Posted: 8:38 am, 11th May 07 Hi R & I thanks so much for your note. In many ways very reassuring. Both in terms of convincing me that it is a safe option to home swap and that I am not being totally wrong in how I am approaching the insurance market place. Interesting with homes swapping growing (by some reports) by as much as 20% per annum that no one has come up with a particular insurance package for this yet............perhaps an opporutnity in financiel services. Thanks Maureen
R&I Joined: 07th May 07 Posts: 4 Location:	Posted: 9:10 am, 11th May 07 One of the exchange agencies we used in the past did have a partnership with an insurance company who were positive about home exchange but they were ridiculously expensive. Like many people we shop about for the best deal and it's those companies who are iffy about home exchange. When you read the blurb on Home Ex websites they say insurers are happy to have someone in the house and that makes sens but it's not borne out in reality. Perhaps genee could do something here although as they're free at the moment I imagine they don't have huge resources. We like going away for long periods when we can and most insurance companies take a wobble if you're away for more than 4 weeks without anyone in the house. One way round could be to say friends will be using your house - after all many of our exchange partners have become friends
Mostrong Joined: 25th Apr 07 Posts: 3 Location:	Posted: 9:22 am, 11th May 07 Thanks again for your thoughts. I am confident we will find a solution. For our existing insurance company which still has some time to run we have been direct and honest. We will certainly check around when the insurance is up for renewal. It will not stop us going but I do think it is interesting that the websites are so positive about insurance. Perhpas it is differnt in other parts of the world and the UK is lagging behind. thanks again Enjoy your long trips. Very envious that you can dothis. Looking forward to this in the future. I get the sense already of friendships coming out of swapping. Social network of like minded people with similar values it feels like to me so far Take Care Maureen
Cestrian Joined: 18th Dec 07 Posts: 2 Location:	Posted: 1:25 pm, 10th Apr 08 I too have had an awful job finding an insurance company to insure my house for exchange. My insurance broker found one company but they wanted 3 times the annual insurance ! I even asked if it would be cheaper if I said i had a "House-sitter" No chance. The sooner an insurance company realises there's a gap in the market the happier I'll be.

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Mostrong

Joined: 25th Apr 07
Posts: 3
Location:

Posted: 12:13 pm, 10th May 07

We are looking to conduct our first swap this year in France
Currently our home insurance company are being less than positive. I wondered if anyone had had this challenge and how they had overcome it.
also if anyone has come across a company that insurance top up for this type of arrangement

Thanks Maureen

R&I

Joined: 07th May 07
Posts: 4
Location:

Posted: 4:19 pm, 10th May 07

We have done a lot of exchanges in the past and insurance was not always straightforward. In the end it was a question we asked of insurers before we took out a policy and several wouldn't insure us under those circumstances. Those who did put in certain stipulations like there there had to be evidence of forced entry if we made a claim. We did around 30 exchanges and never had a problem or a claim and always felt out ouse was better for having someone in but insureres didn't believe us and always charged more.

Mostrong

Joined: 25th Apr 07
Posts: 3
Location:

Posted: 8:38 am, 11th May 07

Hi R & I

thanks so much for your note. In many ways very reassuring. Both in terms of convincing me that it is a safe option to home swap and that I am not being totally wrong in how I am approaching the insurance market place.
Interesting with homes swapping growing (by some reports) by as much as 20% per annum that no one has come up with a particular insurance package for this yet............perhaps an opporutnity in financiel services.
Thanks
Maureen

R&I

Joined: 07th May 07
Posts: 4
Location:

Posted: 9:10 am, 11th May 07

One of the exchange agencies we used in the past did have a partnership with an insurance company who were positive about home exchange but they were ridiculously expensive. Like many people we shop about for the best deal and it's those companies who are iffy about home exchange. When you read the blurb on Home Ex websites they say insurers are happy to have someone in the house and that makes sens but it's not borne out in reality. Perhaps genee could do something here although as they're free at the moment I imagine they don't have huge resources.
We like going away for long periods when we can and most insurance companies take a wobble if you're away for more than 4 weeks without anyone in the house. One way round could be to say friends will be using your house - after all many of our exchange partners have become friends

Mostrong

Joined: 25th Apr 07
Posts: 3
Location:

Posted: 9:22 am, 11th May 07

Thanks again for your thoughts.
I am confident we will find a solution. For our existing insurance company which still has some time to run we have been direct and honest. We will certainly check around when the insurance is up for renewal. It will not stop us going but I do think it is interesting that the websites are so positive about insurance. Perhpas it is differnt in other parts of the world and the UK is lagging behind.

thanks again
Enjoy your long trips. Very envious that you can dothis. Looking forward to this in the future.

I get the sense already of friendships coming out of swapping. Social network of like minded people with similar values it feels like to me so far

Take Care
Maureen

Cestrian

Joined: 18th Dec 07
Posts: 2
Location:

Posted: 1:25 pm, 10th Apr 08

I too have had an awful job finding an insurance company to insure my house for exchange. My insurance broker found one company but they wanted 3 times the annual insurance !
I even asked if it would be cheaper if I said i had a "House-sitter" No chance.
The sooner an insurance company realises there's a gap in the market the happier I'll be.