Home Insurance for Attic Conversion

[JML123]

Seen this posted in the past but not recently.

We have an attic comversion that is not compliant with buildings regs but is used as a bedroom and an office. Does anyone know of any insurer that that has given them conforimation that this is covered under their insurance.
I spoke to one leading insurer earlier this week who explicitly said that this is not covered by them and if a fire originated in this area it would void our insurance.

 

[DannyBoyD]

What building regs did you expect to be compliant with when the conversion was done?

 

[Des Pondent]

Seen this posted in the past but not recently.

We have an attic comversion that is not compliant with buildings regs but is used as a bedroom and an office. Does anyone know of any insurer that that has given them conforimation that this is covered under their insurance.
I spoke to one leading insurer earlier this week who explicitly said that this is not covered by them and if a fire originated in this area it would void our insurance.

My attic is converted and certified as complying with all building regulations etc for a non habitable attic conversion.

I have had cover with a few of the main insurers over the years, none have ever asked if the attic is converted. I have asked them and was always told if the attic is converted you count it as another bedroom, and increase your rebuild and contents cover accordingly.

That has been my experience.

 

[peteb]

Seen this posted in the past but not recently.

We have an attic comversion that is not compliant with buildings regs but is used as a bedroom and an office. Does anyone know of any insurer that that has given them conforimation that this is covered under their insurance.
I spoke to one leading insurer earlier this week who explicitly said that this is not covered by them and if a fire originated in this area it would void our insurance.

Why are you looking for explicit confirmation? An insurer doesn't care if the attic is being used a bedroom - once you aren't renting it out. They don't ask about it on their proposal forms so there is no obligation under the Consumer Insurance Contract Act to provide them with anything the don't ask about.

Once your building sum insured is correct thats all that matters.

 

[Des Pondent]

I agree with peteb that insurers usually don't care what you use your non habitable attic conversion for once the rebuild cost is correct.

Purlins, collar beams etc usually have to be removed and repositioned to facilitate an attic conversion, if this is not done or not done properly the roof is no longer sound. The attic floor needs to to be properly supported, usually with steel RSJ’s, so the ceilings below remain sound. There are other requirements. An architect would usually inspect the conversion when completed and if happy would give all the necessary certs.

Insurers could have a ‘’get out’’ clause if the roof is no longer sound after a handyman or cowboy builder did not do the job properly.

Aviva’s first assumption is the property will be kept in a good state of repair at all times, all other insurers have similar. Could it be considered in a good state of repair if the roof is no longer sound ?

https://www.aviva.ie/insurance/home-insurance/our-assumptions/

 

[JML123]

I mentioned to one of the insurers that we had attic space that was not a "conversion" that we had a bedroom and office in, and their response was that if anything, like a fire, originated there that it would void our insurance. I checked their T&Cs and there was nothing like this in there.

There has been posts in the past that people have gotten it confirmed in writing that this specific scenario would be covered.

The house is in good state of repair, recently renovated including rooof, but we did very little with the attic, bar insulate it and put a new set of stairs leading to it.

 

[JML123]

My attic is converted and certified as complying with all building regulations etc for a non habitable attic conversion.

I have had cover with a few of the main insurers over the years, none have ever asked if the attic is converted. I have asked them and was always told if the attic is converted you count it as another bedroom, and increase your rebuild and contents cover accordingly.

That has been my experience.

do you mind letting me know which ones, via PM if you prefer. Thanks

 

[Monbretia]

I have a converted attic but would describe it differently to how you describe yours, maybe that is the difference.

As far as I am concerned I now have a dormer bungalow after conversion with velux windows back and front, separate rooms up there and a stairs and landing and that is the box I tick on insurance or when on the phone. You describe yours more like it is still an attic basically but just has a stairs access. Mine was like that for a few years in that I won't go up a ladder so had a proper stairs fitted to access the attic which just had a door at the top of the stairs and was fully open internally but was floored. Mine would not meet today's regs I would imagine but it probably did when it was done nearly 25 yrs ago, I also had planning permission for it.

Maybe that is the difference here? Mind you if you give an insurer anything out of the ordinary then their standard response is no!

 

[Des Pondent]

do you mind letting me know which ones, via PM if you prefer. Thanks

The online proposal forms only asks how many bedrooms and bathrooms, there is no converted attic box to tick so I phoned Zurich and Allianz and asked how to insure my attic conversion, they said add a bedroom and up your rebuild and contents cover accordingly.

From what you have posted your home is very different to mine, so you might not get the same response as I did. You have an attic space that you say is not a conversion but has a bedroom and office in it and you did very little with the attic, bar insulate it and put a new set of stairs leading to it.

 

[JML123]

The online proposal forms only asks how many bedrooms and bathrooms, there is no converted attic box to tick so I phoned Zurich and Allianz and asked how to insure my attic conversion, they said add a bedroom and up your rebuild and contents cover accordingly.

From what you have posted your home is very different to mine, so you might not get the same response as I did. You have an attic space that you say is not a conversion but has a bedroom and office in it and you did very little with the attic, bar insulate it and put a new set of stairs leading to it.

it actually sounds like yours, it has velux windows and is fully carpeted, painted etc just doesnt have the headspace to be considered compliant.

 

[JML123]

I have a converted attic but would describe it differently to how you describe yours, maybe that is the difference.

As far as I am concerned I now have a dormer bungalow after conversion with velux windows back and front, separate rooms up there and a stairs and landing and that is the box I tick on insurance or when on the phone. You describe yours more like it is still an attic basically but just has a stairs access. Mine was like that for a few years in that I won't go up a ladder so had a proper stairs fitted to access the attic which just had a door at the top of the stairs and was fully open internally but was floored. Mine would not meet today's regs I would imagine but it probably did when it was done nearly 25 yrs ago, I also had planning permission for it.

Maybe that is the difference here? Mind you if you give an insurer anything out of the ordinary then their standard response is no!

mine is exactly the same.

 

[Monbretia]

Well then you have a dormer bungalow surely, is there any question on any of the forms that ask is it compliant with building regs either now or when built? Realistically of all things an insurance company could be interested in as extra risk a lack of head space must be low down the list as that in itself is never going to cause a fire/flood, bad wiring/plumbing etc be more of an issue. I have plenty of head space in mine but the velux would not be the required height for today's regs, I have mitigated that for my own peace of mind by installing stepped shelving in front of the largest one that opens to just above the porch's lower sloping roof so that is a fire escape with easy access.

 

[Leo]

Well then you have a dormer bungalow surely

Depends, you sought planning and so what you built would have been required to be built in accordance with the building regs as they stood at the time. Anyone who has converted an attic that doesn't meet the requirements for habitable space does not have a dormer bungalow.

I wonder if some of the insurance issues might be with conversions of two-story properties. Having a habitable room on a third floor brings in a new set of fire safety requirements. Perhaps insurers may have issues if a fire originates in an attic space on a third floor where the required fire safety measures aren't in place.