Number of bedrooms in your home equals? If you’re wrong, it might invalidate your policy!
How many bedrooms do you have? If it is a tricky question to answer, then it might be a good idea to check your home insurance policy as you might have mis-informed the insurers about the number of rooms you have, inadvertently jeopardising your chances of making a successful claim.
Some people may only consider a converted attic room as storage space or an office, but in the eyes of some insurers it might be listed as a bedroom, unless there is evidence to suggest otherwise, such as building regulations from a local authority.
One of the first questions many insurers will ask is how many bedrooms the property has, including any that now have another use, such as offices. Some insurers will only insure properties which have up to 5 bedrooms, so if you are looking to make changes, ensure that you have the right cover.
Question
“I purchased a property last year and it was described as a four-bedroom house, but there are five bedrooms. The fifth room is being used as an office but could be used as a small bedroom. My home and contents insurance is due for renewal but I wanted to know if I should put four or five bedrooms.”
Answer
“If you were to sell your property, you would list it as having five bedrooms as it would add value to the asking price. Even if you don’t use the fifth room as a bedroom, insurers will see it as a bedroom rather than an office. If you have an attic which has been converted, you will need to ensure that it has the correct building regulations and is listed as a bedroom rather than storage space. Insurers aren’t there to trip you up and confuse you, so giving the correct information is essential to ensure a claim isn’t rejected in the event of incorrect details.” (General Insurance Channel Manager, Steve Rayner)
