Home Cracked Chimney

[LovelyHome]

Hi.
Our chimney seems to be cracked. A builder working on another house advised us of this one day. The only thing is that it seems that the chimney was cracked before we bought the house as it was a secondhand house. Can we claim this on our home insurance and if so, will we be penalised.

I am also missing a diamond neclace that was purchased in the State for about €800. I have the receipt and pictures of it. Someone told me that this is covered also. Is this possible.

Thanks for your advice.

 

[Ravima]

You cannot claim from your insurance policy for damaged chimney as it was damaged PRIOR to you buying the house and the insurer going on cover. if you fraudulently claim, then the penalty could be up to 2 years in prison if prosecuted in District Court or up to life imprisonment if prosecuted in Circuit Court.

If necklace is insured under your All Risks policy, then if lost, you can make a claim.

 

[LovelyHome]

Thanks for the advice. I'm not sure though if the chimney was cracked prior to the purchase or after. My husband had put a massive pizza box in the fire shortly after we purchased the house and it blazed up and actually burned the whole fireplace. We weren't too bothered afterwards as we were taking out the fireplace anyway. How do you determine this?

Also, how much are we talking for this type of claim?

Thanks again for the helpful advice.

 

[LovelyHome]

Sorry to go on....but in relation to the necklace, I thought it would show up eventually. But, we had a lot of coming and going into the house. I possibly put it in a safe place, but have searched high and low for it. What if you claim for it and then find it.

Thanks again. Any comments are appreciated.

 

[allthedoyles]

A cracked chimney is dangerous and a health hazard.

Contact your insurance and they will arrange a visit - carry our an assessment etc .

Get a quotation from a building contractor and send it to your insurance co.

Don't be silly - a burning pizza box did'nt crack your chimney.

 

[Claimsman]

A cracked chimney is dangerous and a health hazard.

Contact your insurance and they will arrange a visit - carry our an assessment etc .

Get a quotation from a building contractor and send it to your insurance co.

Don't be silly - a burning pizza box did'nt crack your chimney.[/quote]

The most common reason for cracks to chimneys is chimney fire. These occur when the products of combustion condense on the inside of the flue liners ( ie, soot). An ignition scource is applied...ie, a burning pizza box whereby flames from the burning box goes up the chimney and ignites the carbon deposits and then we have a chimney fire. The heat causes the flue liners to expand and crack. However, if there is no room for expansion of the flue liners due to a compact infill surrounding the liners, then the heat from the blaze will cause expansion and cracking of the chimney breast and/or the chimney stack. So, the OP may not be silly afterall!!!

The OP should ask a chimney specialist to look at the chimney and advise as to the cause. In addition, if the OP had the house surveyed before purchase, any competent surveyor would have noted and recorded a cracked chimney. I would suspect that if the OP can provide insurers with the pre purchase survey which doesnt record any cracking to the chimney together with a report from a competent chimney specialist, then certainly, Insurers may consider that this is a valid claim for fire damage. I would stress that further investigative works would be undertaken by insurers before they would be satisfied that a policy liability arises.