Homeowner buildings insurance
Published on 06 May 2021
Essential buildings insurance information for our homeowners.
If you own a home with us, we may provide your buildings insurance through our insurer Zurich Municipal. You can find out if you're insured by looking at your lease or contract.
Insurance features and benefits
Our buildings insurance protects your home against events such as:
- fire
- storm
- flooding and escape of water
- falling trees
- malicious damage
- riot
- theft
- subsidence
- accidental damage
How to make a claim
Download and print the 'buildings insurance claim form' from this page. Alternatively, you can call us on 01772 897292 or 01772 897298 to request a claim form. You can either email your form to us at insurance.claims@placesforpeople.co.uk or post your completed form to:
The Insurance Team
Places for People
4 The Pavilions
Port Way
Preston
PR2 2YB
Send your form within 30 days of the date of the incident to comply with the policy condition. Always remember to report a theft or malicious damage to the police, taking a note of the crime reference number. The insurance company will need this to process your claim.
What does your buildings insurance cover?
Your policy covers your main residence including conservatories, outbuildings, yards and forecourts, fixtures and fittings, garages, walls, gates, fences, piping, ducting, cables, wires and public mains for which you’re responsible. Remember, this isn’t a contents policy, so you’re responsible for arranging your own contents cover for such items as kitchen appliances, carpets and personal belongings.
When can I claim?
Your policy covers you for a range of events or perils. Please see your Summary of Cover for full details.
What isn't covered?
Most claims are subject to a policy excess. You can find details of this in your Summary of Cover. The main exclusions are noted in the Summary of Cover, but bear in mind that the policy doesn’t cover wear and tear, general maintenance matters, poor workmanship, and storm damage to fences and gates. Like all other insurance, the policy is subject to general conditions and exclusions. Again, please see your Summary of Cover.
What can I do to avoid claiming?
You need to take reasonable precautions to prevent or minimize any damage or liability which might result in a claim. This includes maintaining your property, ensuring you’ve lagged pipes and tanks to prevent freezing, if you’re responsible for this, and that you’ve locked doors and windows when you’re property is empty. You should also ensure work undertaken in the property is of an acceptable standard. To prevent serious fire claims, and for your own safety, consider installing a smoke detector. To minimize damage by water escape, identify where your stopcock is and make sure you can operate it easily.
How do I claim?
Step 1 Download and print the claim form or contact Places for People Insurance Team on 01772 897292 or 01772 897298 to request a copy.
Step 2 Return the form to the Insurance Team, 4 The Pavilions, Port Way, Preston, PR2 2YB or email it to us at insurance.claims@placesforpeople.co.uk. If your property is uninhabitable following a serious loss such as fire, insurers will consider the costs of reasonable alternative accommodation, if you own and occupy the property.
What if there's an emergency in out of office hours?
Just call Zurich Insurance emergency helpline on 0800 028 0336. You can use this if you’ve suffered significant damage, for example, from a storm, flood or fire. You will, however, still be required to complete a claim form in accordance with the procedures above, at the first opportunity. If you have any questions, please contact the insurance team via email insurance.help@placesforpeople.co.uk. In some cases, we’ll need to inspect the damage. We will let you know if this is this case.
Any questions?
If you have any questions, please contact the insurance team within office hours on 01772 897292 or 01772 897298 or email insurance.help@placesforpeople.co.uk.
If you need assistance out of office hours or if you are unable to contact the insurance team, you can contact Zurich directly on 0800 0280336 or 0800 0280338