The Polish construction law does not include the explicit definition of a holiday home. In the article available at https://rankomat.pl/nieruchomosci/ubbezpieczenie-domku-letniskowy, we can find out that a summer house is a property permanently attached to the land and intended for temporary residence. Buildings of this type are classified as individual recreation buildings.
In the context of insurance contracts, the definitions of a holiday home may differ depending on the insurer - before concluding the contract, you should read the General Terms and Conditions of Insurance (GTC), where the meanings of individual insurance terms are given.
Holiday home insurance - how to do it?
For insurers, a summer house is usually a building erected in accordance with the construction law, which is permanently attached to the ground and is used seasonally and for recreational and leisure purposes.
The insurance of a holiday home depends on the fulfillment of several important conditions. Each insurer follows its own criteria, but most often the building must meet the following requirements:
● one level,
● maximum total usable area not exceeding 35 sq m,
● no attic.
The location of the plot and its size are also important. There may be only one holiday home on a plot of 500 square meters.
Holiday home insurance does not exist as a standalone insurance product, but as an add-on to your home policy.Therefore, if you want to protect this type of real estate, you should first look for an appropriate housing policy. Note: The holiday home is not available in extensions from all insurers. In such an arrangement, this property should not be reported for insurance as, for example, a garden gazebo, as it will entail the consequences in the form of a refusal to pay compensation.
Cottage - what protection does the policy provide?
The housing policy protects the holiday home on the same terms as a residential property (house or apartment). Therefore, it all depends on the insurance option you have. The basic housing policy with rankomat.pl protects the walls (sometimes also other permanent elements) against fire and other random events. The most common are: flood, landslides and earthquakes, fall of trees and masts, hurricane and gusty wind, explosion and implosion, smoke and soot, etc. In this case, the protection does not cover movable property, so it is worth extending the basic option of insurance with appropriate extras, such as theft with burglary and vandalism.After reviewing the extensions proposed by the insurance company, you need to choose those that suit your individual requirements. Only a policy tailored to your specific needs is able to provide comprehensive property protection.
Protection of the holiday home and disclaimers
When deciding to insure a holiday home, you should take the amendment to the liability exclusions. These are the situations when the insurer does not assume the financial responsibility for the damage and does not pay the compensation. The full catalog of exclusions is included in the General Terms and Conditions of Insurance (GTC). Compensation for losses suffered will not be granted if, for example:
● the damage was caused intentionally,
● the damage is the result of gross negligence on the part of the policy owner, e.g. mandatory inspections have not been carried out or fire safety regulations have not been complied with,
● the damage was caused under the influence of alcohol or other intoxicants.
Most insurers do not grant compensation for damages caused to a holiday home that has not been inhabited for more than 180 consecutive days. In addition, usually excluded from protection include, inter alia, valuable items, and some companies only insure the fixed items of the property. The problem with obtaining compensation also arises when the cottage does not have its own security. The insurance contract clearly states which collateral is required.
How much to insure the summer house?
The amount of insurance is determined by the insurance company on the basis of many premises. The value of the property reported for insurance is of key importance here, and should not be understated or overestimated. Otherwise, the insurer may pay you little or no compensation. It will never be greater than the sum insured - that is, the maximum amount up to which the insurer is liable for the damage.A summer house with equipment should be reliably valued - in case of problems, it is worth asking an expert for help.
