I'm having the dickens of a job finding a company who'll insure my house! As soon as I say that the flat roof areas are done in EPDM the robots on the phone start wittering on that "it has to be asphalt" otherwise they can't cover it. Has anyone with a rubber roof got around this? (Apart from saying EPDM is a type of asphalt of course?
- Thread starter Alex.
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Kent
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The issue is you need to speak to the one with the brain, of course it can be insured (so don't fret) its used widely now domestic and commercially has BBA / building regs approval etc. Can I suggest calling in at an old time broker rather than dealing with kids and such on the end of the phone. I had the same problem with my company insurance at one time someone tried to insure me as a welding and Fab company (provided I didn't use heat and welding). Seriously if I hadn't read through the proposal fully I should have had no insurance just a bill for it!
It appals me that some do a job they actually know very little about or can be bothered to even find out the pertinent facts.
Don't say anything false to get insurance ever, even on the phone and they really do swap info given. If you ever face a big claim you can bet they will look at a carpet fleas butt to weedle out of a full payout
cumbriasteve
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My insurance is with Rias, they ask what percentage of the property is flat roof but that's all they ask and there is definitely no questions relating to the type of covering, we have about 10% on the rear of the house.
It was done online but that should make no difference really.
It was done online but that should make no difference really.
Kent
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I have the same here but if this is a full roof I think they view it in a different catagory
CompoSimmonite
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I've lived in a house with flat roofed dormers for 30+ years. My insurance has never covered the actual roof against leaking. At best you get cover for damage such as tile coming off and puncturing the surface or internal damage due to a leak. I now have a fibreglass roof and can recommend. Neighbour has EPDM and cowboys who fitted it simply draped the sheet over the boards and attached at edges. Wind manages to get underneath and it billows up like a balloon. Only way to fit EPDM properly is to either attach with adhesive or have concealed flaps on the underside to allow nailing every few feet. If you can prove either of these methods were used then insurers might look at it more favourably however if just draped and attached at edges then I can fully see why they could be reluctant to cover as it's not an approved method of roofing.
clift_d
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You could perhaps try describing it as a single ply membrane roofing system - it's a more generic term which covers a lot of roofing systems, including EPDM roofing, and is something they are more likely to be familiar with.
Also if you know what EPDM roofing system you've got you could check out whether it has a BBA Certificate - this is a type of third party test certificate for building products that is seen as a benchmark standard in this country. Go to www.bbacerts.co.uk and do a search for the manufacturer and system - if your roofing system has a BBA Certificate, then that will carry some weight with any insurer.
Also if you know what EPDM roofing system you've got you could check out whether it has a BBA Certificate - this is a type of third party test certificate for building products that is seen as a benchmark standard in this country. Go to www.bbacerts.co.uk and do a search for the manufacturer and system - if your roofing system has a BBA Certificate, then that will carry some weight with any insurer.
shed or dead
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Of course, that's how a cartel works.
brightspark
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reason being that many people tell lies on there forms all the time and its all recorded on the national insurance database . liars have to have a good memory .there still robbing b,,,tards but u can see the reason behind it
I stopped using my local broker after they said they'd be charging me a £10 annual fee for their service. I always thought brokers were paid commission by the insurers......
Anyhoo I ended up going to the local office of NFUmutual (although I'm not a farmer!) and spoke to a very helpful woman who contacted their underwriters and confirmed that they're happy to insure EPDM roofs. I'll be checking the policy docs to see if it's actually in there.
Anyhoo I ended up going to the local office of NFUmutual (although I'm not a farmer!) and spoke to a very helpful woman who contacted their underwriters and confirmed that they're happy to insure EPDM roofs. I'll be checking the policy docs to see if it's actually in there.
