How is Home Insurance affected if you help home refugees?

The most important thing you can do is speak to your insurer. We have canvassed some of our top providers and there is not a single answer to the question. Therefore our team would recommend that you always check with your provider.

There are 3 main ways insurers are handling the situation:

1. They will treat them as paying guests, such as having a lodger. In these circumstances it would be essential to tell your insurer that you are doing this. There will likely be some restrictions placed on your insurance, such as the removal of theft cover for any claims which haven’t had forcible or violent entry or exit to the premises (there will need to be evidence of a break in). There would normally not be any cover for the personal belongings of your guests either. Some insurers do not allow cover for paying guests and may decline your request. If this is the case you would normally be entitled to cancel the policy at that point without any penalty.
2. Refugees in your home will be treated as non paying guests. Such as above, there may be restrictions on theft cover and there would normally not be any cover for the guests effects. However if insurers are taking this route then they would universally be able to accommodate this cover. Again you will need to tell them that you are having refugees stay in your home.
3. Finally, some insurers are treating refugees as extended family members. In these circumstances no restrictions will be made to your cover and your contents sum insured will be extended to cover their effects.

If you have any questions about how helping to home refugees can affect your insurance, please contact your Ravenhall Contact or click here to speak with our team.