Unemployment, Accident & Sickness Insurance - British Insurance

We provide insurance for holiday homes in the UK, Spain, France, Portugal, Italy, Greece, Southern Cyprus, Bulgaria and the Republic of Ireland.

What if an emergency that is covered by this policy that has happened to your overseas holiday home, or indeed your second home in the UK, which would benefit from you being there, for instance damage as a result of a storm? In certain circumstances our home insurance will cover your travel expenses/alternative accommodation.

French home insurance, Spanish home insurance and Portuguese home insurance have specific liability requirements, which we have included in our holiday home policy. It also includes a generous limit of £5 million as standard.

An exclusive interpretation service automatically added to your overseas holiday home insurance with multi-lingual advisers who as well as instant interpretation also offer you assistance following an emergency or crime, help with lost passports, credit cards and money and assistance with utility companies and location of local tradesmen and professional services.

As your holiday home may not always be occupied, there are certain things you need to make sure you have done to enjoy full protection under this policy:

1. Make sure your home is furnished for normal occupation.
2. Make sure you close your windows and doors when you leave your home or go to sleep at night.
3. Take some time to check out the locks you have in your home.
   If your home is in the UK check if the lock on the main door has a British Standard 3621 mark. Otherwise, make sure it is a mortice deadlock of at least five levers or any rim automatic deadlatch with a key locking handle on the inside. You can find explanations about what those locks look like in our jargon buster.
   For any other external doors, they should either be to the above standard, or have a lock and key operated security bolts fitted at the top and bottom. For sliding patio doors, key operated patio doors mounted internally on the centre rails are also adequate.
   Opening windows on the ground floor, basement and accessible upper floor windows should be fitted with key operated security devices or shutters securely locked internally.
4. If your home will not be lived in for more than 60 consecutive days (or a week during the winter):
   • Remove any valuables, money & credit cards
   • Turn off the water supplies off at the mains
   • If the house is not in Spain, Portugal or Southern Cyprus, drain all water tanks, pipes & apparatus or keep the temperature at 15°C at all times
5. If you have an alarm, make sure it is maintained, and on when nobody is in the house.

Your property needs to be in a good state of repair and maintained as such.

This policy is underwritten by Equity Red Star.

All our insurers have signed up to the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) and Financial Ombudsman Scheme (FOS).

Copies of the policy document can be downloaded and printed off, to read at your leisure. If having gone through them, you have any queries, please get in touch. We’re an insurance provider based in the UK and would be delighted to hear from you.

The policy wording, also known as the certificate of insurance, is more detailed. It contains your policy terms & conditions and explains definitions, the insurance contract, exclusions and support services. It also advises how to make changes or cancel your policy, plus explains how to make a claim.

You will be able to amend, change or transfer your policy cover by phoning the telephone number in your policy documentation. Please note that the eligibility criteria are also applicable to amendments to your policy. An amendment fee of £10.00 (which is subject to local taxes) may be charged.

To make a claim call the claims line 01708 777720
(from abroad: 0044 1708 777720).

Towergate Overseas Assist can help you in case of a real emergency or with something as simple as contacting an engineer or booking a restaurant. Pass the Phone offers:

• Instant interpretation
• English speaking call handlers
• Telephone Directory
• Assistance following an emergency or crime
• Help with lost passports, credit cards and money
• Booking service i.e. for medical appointments, restaurants, golf tee times
• Assistance with utility companies
• Locating local tradesmen and professional services
• Information helpline
• Peace of mind

Pass the Phone's multilingual advisors speak the language for you and are fully trained to handle any task on your behalf. Pass the Phone can also be used by any tenant or guest using your home. Additionally you can use the interpretation service whilst on holiday abroad.

Pass the Phone speak over 50 of the world's most widely spoken languages and are on hand to help wherever in the world you are. As part of your overseas holiday home policy you are entitled to four calls to the interpretation service within a policy year, with the option to purchase more.