Insurance and Claims

1. HSRAL insure the structure and the common parts of the estate by operating a residential commercial landlord’s policy, recommended by an independent broker. The responsibility for insuring the contents of individual properties lies solely with the lessee, and tenants must ensure they have adequate personal contents insurance to cover personal belongings which will not be recoverable against the block policy.  
2. When damage is occasioned by an insured risk (e.g. fire, or water damage from storm, flood or burst pipe) the lessee should:
   1. Inform the Estate Manager or the duty Concierge so that the cause of the damage can be rectified if it is outside the flat.
   2. Provide the Estate Manager with three estimates for the repair of the damage together with a note of the date, cause of the damage and any other relevant information. The manager will then submit a claim on the lessee’s behalf.
3. When reviewing your contents insurance, please bear in mind that the Hooper Square building insurance policy does not cover personal belongings or flat contents.
4. The insurers may not settle each and every claim in full. There will be an excess applicable under the policy, and in addition there may be considered to be an element of improvement in the estimated works; for example when a whole room is being redecorated and it is some time since it had last been done. In such cases the lessee will be responsible for the balance of the cost. The policy excess in effect at the time of individual claims will be payable by the lessee in all cases and will not be settled from service charge accounts.
5. Please be advised that the insurers demand inspection of all damaged properties as a result of a request to settle, and if there is evidence of neglect or lack of maintenance, claims may be reduced. 
6. If any individual property is vacated for periods in excess of 30-days there are specific insurance requirements to be met in order to validate ongoing cover. If properties are to be vacated for this long, lessees are advised to consult with the Estate Manager in order to obtain up to date instruction on the requirements in force at the time. 
7. The insurers may not indemnify damages occasioned by poor or faulty workmanship, works completed by unqualified persons, or by failure due to lack of maintenance and due diligence. Lessees are responsible for ensuring works are only undertaken by qualified contractors, and that certificates are obtained wherever appropriate.