Building and Contents Insurance

Can anyone help with regard to building insurance? We would like to know how to go about insuring our apartment as it is part of a development  .... we have a penthouse in block three.

I have looked on the Message Board and taken down the name of an Insurance Company that has been highly recommended but before I contact them I was wondering if anyone knows how it is done in Spain. Am I right in thinking that over here it is usually covered in the Community Charges but is it different in Spain. Do we have community charges and if so how much or do we sort that out once a Committee has been set up.

Help, I hope I am not asking dumb blonde questions!!!!

Tina, do you have any answers to the above?

Gill

Hi Gill,

We took possession of our quad a couple of weeks ago, and were advised to take out buildings and contents insurance, which we did, via our solicitors. Off hand I can't give you the name of the insurance company, but the quote was for 225 euros p.a. (up to 15000 euros contents), with all the boxes ticked (i.e. the most comprehensive).

I think you are correct - in the UK the buildings insurance for apartments is usually included in the community service charge. Maybe it will be the same for San Cayetano once the Community is set up, in which case we can insure contents only. In the meantime, I guess we should take responsibility ourselves.

I think I will email our solicitor for confirmation.

Kevin

The most common insurance company here is LINEA DIRECT, the Spanish equivalent of Direct Line, who cover everything from cars through to houses comp, and all the staff speak English.   Hope this is of some help.

Thank you Kevin and Volfen for your replies. I shall speak to our Solicitor and also contact Linea Direct and see what happens.

Congratulations Kevin. I hope all goes well for you and your new home in Spain.

Gill

strewth, apartment owners do not need buildings insurance as this is covered by the community insurance policy.  You only need contents insurance.

Justin

Hi Gill

Glad you have had lots of replys as I didnt hava a clue on that front. Thats good that the building insurance is covered in the community charge, one less thing to worry about. I think we will look at Linea direct for our contents insurance as well. Thanks everyone!!

Tina xx

Justin,

Many thanks for your reply. That is good news  but how do we go about getting the community insurance policy? Do we have to wait until a Committee has been set up to organise it, or is it something that has already been set up? If it is something that will happen at a later date, due to the site not being completed until August 2008, should we do something to insure our property just in case!!?? I worry that something might happen and we end up having to pay a lot to get it fixed. Not sure what might happen, but you never know.

Gill (Worry, worry, worry).

Gill,

For what it's worth, here is the reply from our solicitor about building insurance:

Hi Kevin,

Thanks for the information from your Solicitor. We are going to Spain next month and will speak to our Solicitor regarding the insurances. I wonder if  it is down to all the residents in the individual blocks  of penthouses and bungalows to organise the insurance because if I was a quad owner I would not want to pay extra for the insurance of a property that was not mine. I think I am right in saying that Antonio told us that we only have Service Charges to pay and no Community Charges. May be wrong in saying that though.

Signing off, worry, worry, worry!!

Gill,

It wil be interesting to have further input from your solicitor on this. As you point out, it's difficult to see how quads and apartments can be treated the same way.

Kevin

Hi Gill, kevin

According to our owners club there is no community building insurance and you have to take it out seperately yourselves, even the bungalows and penthouses!!

Justin where did you find out about the community insurance? A community insurance would be better. What happens if  for example a penthouse has a leak and comes through to damage the below bunglaow, how would that work?

Tina x

Hi Tina

Thanks for the useful information. We guessed that that was the case. Our Solicitor said that it was covered by the Builders 10 year Guarantee but I think she is confused. It was probably me confusing her. I seem to be able to do that quite easily. Anyway, we are now sorting it out so if and when it happens I will let you all know. The only thing we need is our full postal address which should be on our title deeds but as we have not received them it is back to the Solicitor.

Regards Gill x

P.S. For Kevin

Didn't get much back from our Solicitor because I think I was asking too many questions at once. I have taken Tina's and your advice and we are now checking out Insurance Companies for the building insurance. We are still waiting for our title deeds.

Regards Gill.

Gill,

Our buildings and contents insurance is with a company called Vitalicio Hogar (www.vitalicio.es), recommended by our solicitors. It seems very comprehensive for 225 euros per annum. You may want to check it out.

Regards,

Kevin

Hi Kevin

We have had a copy of Land Registry but do not understand a word. I must practise my Spanish! We have also been sent from Taray our address as it is completely different to the original information so I am now on the case for insuring the building and contents, although we have no contents at the moment.

Regards

Gill

Hi Gill

We have buildings and contents insurance through our bank which works out about the same as other quotes for the same square footage with other companies. Our solicitor signed all the paperwork for us when she went to pick up the bankers draft as she had power of attorney.

We thought we would just get it in place for the first year & then really shop around next year when we are hopefully more coherent with the Spanish language!!!!! Any volunteeers to teach us??????

Kind Regards Sue & David

Hi Sue and David

thanks for your message. We also have power of attorney and did not think to contact our bank for insurances. Worth trying. I am afraid Colin and I need lots of practise with the Spanish. I think we should get Tina and her family setting up Spanish classes for us all. How about it Tina? 

                                     "S.S.S."   

                          "SOLERA SPANISH SCHOOL"

Best regards

Gill

I like it, Its gonna go global !! i can see it now... our name in lights, pictures of us on billboards, does it matter that i cant speak hardly a word yet? Ja can do all the work and I will supervise from the pool and shout across the occasional HOLA LA HEFFA (hello im the boss)

Thanks Gill x

Yes, I can picture the scene now. Tina, the Boss, floating on her back, saying, "repeat after me, un, dos, tres,cuatro, cinco, seis,siete, ocho, nueve, diez"

Must stop this as it is on the wrong thread. Back to general chit chat.

xx