Owning a property can give you a huge sense of achievement and bring you a large amount of happiness. But it’s not all sunshine and roses. As a homeowner with buildings insurance, you have quite a few responsibilities and one of these is a commitment to maintaining your property. If you neglect to do this and your claim is directly related to this negligence, your insurer may not pay you out.
Below are some maintenance things to look out for on your property as part of your buildings insurance (also known as homeowners insurance):
1. Gutters
These little guys play an important part in ensuring proper drainage during storms or floods. What can happen in winter is that leaves and other bits and pieces fall from trees into your gutters and they then become blocked. This is fine in the dry season but once the rains start and the water has nowhere to flow, you could quickly experience problems with your roof or ceilings. So get out that stepladder and get cleaning!
2. Cracks
See that hairline crack on a pillar on your stoep? Keep an eye on it. It may just be superficial but if it gets substantially worse, it’s worth getting an expert out to look at it before the pillar collapses and causes major structural damage. We call these types of things “gradual operating circumstances” and as the homeowner, you are responsible for addressing these issues before they get worse.
3. Leaks
The same applies to leaks and water damage. If you notice that your geyser is leaking continuously, we’d advise getting it serviced or checked, as there may be a valve that needs replacing. Similarly, if you notice water damage on your ceiling you need to look into the problem and fix it NOW, not wait until your ceiling collapses onto the dining room table while you’re eating dinner!
4. Swimming pools
Who doesn't love a dip in the pool on a sunny day? If you’re lucky enough to have a swimming pool though, you need to maintain it properly. Cleaning your pool, keeping it at the right water level and taking care of the filter mechanism are all things you need to do. If you neglect to look after it, your insurer may not pay out any claims relating to swimming pool damage.
As a homeowner with insurance, it’s all very well putting your feet up and enjoying your little piece of real estate − but you can’t neglect your DIY. By maintaining your property properly, you’ll be covered for any eventuality and will be able to claim from your insurer when you need to.
Looking to take out buildings insurance? Want to find out more? We can help.
