Preferred Choice Policy Summary Preferred Choice is underwritten by Royal & Sun Alliance Insurance plc (RSA). It is an annual contract and may be renewed each year subject to the terms and conditions then applicable. You can select buildings, contents and valuables insurance. Home emergency assistance cover and Legal expenses cover are automatically included. Full details of what you have chosen are shown in either your personal quotation or policy schedule. The following tables provide only a summary of the main policy benefits and the terms and conditions. For full details of these and all the terms and conditions that apply you should read the policy wording, a copy of which will be provided on completion of your contract or at any time on request. On receipt of your policy documentation, you will have 14 days to decide if you wish to cancel the policy see Your right to cancel the policy for more information. Table 1 Insurance If you select Insurance, the following will automatically be included: Structure Damage Covers the buildings of your home and other permanent structures on your land such as its garages and outbuildings, drives, walls, and patios against damage by fire, flood, storm, escape of water and other similar causes. Accidental damage cover is automatically included. Alternative accommodation Covers the cost of similar alternative accommodation for your family and domestic pets following insured damage to the home for up to 3 years. Damage caused to fences, hedges and gates (other than electronic gates) by storm or flood is excluded. For subsidence claims you must pay the first 1,000. Damage caused by new structures bedding down or newly made-up ground settling is excluded. Damage to patios, drives, swimming pools, walls, fountains and other similar structures by subsidence, heave or landslip unless there is damage to the home at the same time by the same cause. Any costs your family should pay once your home can be lived in again are excluded.
2 Preferred Choice Policy Summary Table 1 Insurance (continued) If you select Insurance, the following will automatically be included: Emergency Access We will pay for damage to the buildings caused by the emergency services while getting into the home to deal with an emergency, including damage following forcible entry to your home to attend a medical emergency. New fixtures and fittings We will pay up to 10% of the buildings sum insured for damage to new fixtures and fittings whilst in the home for installation or during the course of installation. Trace and access We will pay the cost of removing and replacing any part of the buildings necessary to repair a household heating or water system, which has caused an escape of water or oil. Trees, shrubs, plants and lawns Covers the plants in your garden against damage by fire, theft, lightning, vandalism and other similar causes. Upgrading security systems We will pay towards the cost of upgrading the existing intruder alarm and security systems of your home, following an aggravated burglary/ criminal assault at your home. The most we will pay for any one claim is the buildings sum insured. You must notify us within 60 days and pay the additional premium from the date they are acquired. Loss or damage to any item left in the open is excluded. Any loss or damage where there is a contractual requirement for specific insurance to be effected or; where the contractor is required to be a joint policyholder or; if the installation requires any structural alterations to the buildings. The most we will pay for any one buildings and contents claim is 15,000. The most we will pay for any one claim is 5% of buildings sum insured and a limit of 1,000 for any one tree, shrub or plant. The cost of any ongoing maintenance contract is excluded.
Preferred Choice Policy Summary 3 Table 2 Insurance If you select Insurance, the following will automatically be included: Loss or damage to your contents and valuables anywhere in the world. includes jewellery and watches, items in the bank, pictures, paintings, etchings and items of precious metal. Computer information We will pay the cost of replacing or restoring your personal computer information, including digital downloads, following insured loss or damage. Death of an artist If the value of the item increases due to the death of an artist, we will increase the value by up to 100% up to the next renewal or next valuation. Defective title We will pay up to 20% of the valuables sum insured (up to a maximum of 25,000 per item) if it is proved that there is defective or lack of title to the item or if you are legally required to return the item. Some specific causes of damage are excluded. Contents in the garden, greenhouses, garages and outbuildings 15,000. Quad bikes used within the boundaries of the land belonging to the home 5,000 (legal liability is limited to 2,000,000). Students contents up to 15,000. Theft from an unattended vehicle 15,000. Wine and spirits up to 25,000 per collection and up to 500 per bottle. Cover is limited to 5,000. No cover for the cost of remaking or recreating a disc, tapes or film. No cover for any data not commercially available at the time of the loss. The cost of any hardware or software is excluded. No cover for any loss resulting from an error in computer programming or instructions to the computer. You must have an independent professional valuation for the item that is no more than three years old. We will only cover a loss resulting from a purchase made by you from an auctioneer or dealer who is a member of one of the following: 1. British Antique Dealers Association; 2. London and Provincial Antique Dealers Association; 3. Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors Fine Art Faculty; 4. Society of London Art Dealers; 5. Association of Regional Valuers and Auctioneers; 6. Society of Fine Art Auctioneers
4 Preferred Choice Policy Summary Table 2 Insurance (continued) If you select Insurance, the following will automatically be included: Emergency Access We will pay for damage to the contents and valuables caused by the emergency services while getting into the home to deal with an emergency, including damage following forcible entry to your home to attend a medical emergency. Fatal accident If any member of your family dies within 12 months of an injury caused during the period of insurance by a criminal assault or fire, lighting, impact by aircraft or explosion at your home. Food in a freezer Loss or damage to food contained in a domestic freezer cabinet caused by an accidental rise or fall in temperature Money and Credit cards Loss of money and the unauthorised or fraudulent use of your credit cards. Newly acquired contents and valuables We automatically cover your newly acquired contents and valuables, providing you request cover within 60 days of you acquiring them and pay the additional premium from the date acquired. Relative s Contents We will pay for loss or damage to contents belonging to your parents or grandparents who are resident in a nursing home or residential care home. The most we will pay for any one claims is the contents and valuables sum insured. Cover is limited to the contents sum insured. Injury to domestic staff is excluded. Nil excess Cover is limited to the contents sum insured. Loss or damage by an electricity or gas supplier deliberately cutting off or reducing the supply to your home is not covered. Cover is limited to 5,000. Loss which results from the cardholder not following the card company s terms and conditions is excluded. Where you have reported your credit card, cheque card or cash dispenser card for unauthorised or fraudulent use, in most cases you will be only liable for the first 50 per card. Use of credit cards by any of your family without the permission of any authorised cardholder is not covered. Cover is limited to 20% of the contents and valuables sum insured. The most we will pay for any one claim is 5,000. Their money, credit cards or their contents insured elsewhere are excluded.
Preferred Choice Policy Summary 5 Table 2 Insurance (continued) If you select Insurance, the following will automatically be included: Religious festival and wedding gifts We automatically increase the contents and valuables sum insured by 20% during December for Christmas gifts and for 30 days before and after all other religious festivals and the wedding of any member of your family. Trace and access We will pay the cost of removing and replacing any part of the contents necessary to repair a household heating or water system, which has caused an escape of water or oil. Watercraft and Trailers We will pay for the loss or damage to your hand or wind propelled watercraft and trailers (up to 12 feet in length) within the boundaries of the land belonging to your home by fire, lightning, explosion, earthquake or theft. Identity Fraud We will cover your family for insured expenses incurred arising as a result of identity fraud. Cover is limited to 20% of the contents and valuables sum insured. The most we will pay for any one buildings and contents claim is 15,000. Cover is limited to 5,000 per craft or trailer. Trailers being used in circumstances where any road traffic legislation applies are excluded. Liability arising from the ownership or use of any hand or wind propelled watercraft (other than models) or trailers are excluded. Cover is limited to 50,000 with various inner limits applying. Identity fraud is administered by FirstAssist Insurance Services Limited.
6 Preferred Choice Policy Summary Table 3 Legal Expenses The following benefit is automatically included in your policy: Legal Expenses Gives you and your family up to 100,000 Legal Expenses covers disputes in relation to: Personal Injury Consumer Protection Residential Employment Legal Defence Jury service Tax Excludes some small claims and those without a reasonable chance of winning. Excludes pre-existing disputes and any starting within 90 days unless in connection with a contract starting after cover was taken out. Cover for jury service is limited to 2,500 during the period of insurance, not exceeding 150 per day. Any claim where the amount in dispute is less than 250 is excluded (Personal injury, consumer protection). Legal Expenses cover is administered by FirstAssist Insurance Services Limited. Legal Expenses Table 4 Home Emergency Assistance The following benefit is automatically included in your policy: Home Emergency Assistance We ll pay up to a maximum of 500 for urgent assistance to make your home safe and secure, including overnight accommodation if your home is uninhabitable. Excludes maintenance of your property or damage caused by wear and tear. Home Emergency Assistance Table 5 Conditions and Exclusions For full details of all conditions, exclusions and limits under your policy, please read the policy documentation. Significant Conditions and Exclusions No cover is provided for wear and tear, maintenance or anything that happens gradually If you leave your home unoccupied for more than 60 days in a row, or let it to anyone, some covers will be restricted and some will not apply A number of specific causes of damage are excluded. Excesses and Limits Your policy may be subject to an excess, which is the amount you must pay in the event of a claim. Also, certain limits may apply. These will both be shown in your policy documentation.
Preferred Choice Policy Summary 7 Important Information Your right to cancel the policy If having examined your policy documentation you decide not to proceed with the insurance, you may cancel it within the first 30 days under the terms of your policy. You also have a statutory right to cancel the policy within 14 days starting on the day you receive the policy documentation. To cancel please write to the address or call the number shown on your policy schedule. On receipt of your notice, we will refund any premiums already paid, except when you have already made a claim under your policy. Claims Should you wish to claim under your Preferred Choice Insurance policy you should call the Claims Helpline on 0870 165 0521 as soon as possible. You must give us any information or help that we may reasonably ask for. You must not settle, reject, negotiate or agree to pay any claim without our written permission. Full details of how to claim are included in the policy document. Complaints If you believe that we have not delivered the service you expected, we want to hear from you so that we can try to put things right. If you have cause for complaint you should initially contact the person who arranged the policy for you or the manager of RSA at the address shown on your quotation or schedule, as appropriate. In the unlikely event that they are unable to resolve your concerns, your complaint will be referred to our Customer Relations Team who will arrange for an investigation on behalf of our Chief Executive. If they cannot resolve the matter to your satisfaction, they will provide you with our final response so that you can, if you wish, refer the matter to the Financial Ombudsman Service. This does not affect your right to take legal action. Compensation Royal & Sun Alliance Insurance plc is a member of the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS). This provides compensation in case any member goes out of business or into liquidation and is unable to meet any valid claims against its policies. You may be entitled to compensation if we cannot meet our obligations, depending on the circumstances of the claim. Further information about the compensation scheme can be obtained from the FSCS. Preferred Choice Customer Relations Manager RSA Customer Relations Team P O Box 2075 Livingston EH54 0EP Financial Ombudsman Service Insurance Division The Financial Ombudsman Service South Quay Plaza 183 Marsh Wall London E14 9SR
8 Preferred Choice Policy Summary Other Important Information Premiums and payments Premiums are inclusive of Insurance Premium Tax. You may pay for your policy either annually or by monthly instalments. Annual premiums may be paid by direct debit, credit/debit card or by cheque. Monthly instalments can only be paid by direct debit. Renewing your policy At least 21 days before each policy renewal date we will tell you the premium and terms and conditions that will apply for the following year. If you wish to change or cancel the cover then please tell us before the renewal date. If you pay by direct debit we will renew the policy automatically and continue collecting premiums unless you notify us that you wish to cancel the policy. This will also apply to payments by credit/debit card, if you have previously given us permission. For other payment by cheque or credit/debit card, you must submit a further payment if you wish to renew the policy. You will have 14 days to cancel the policy after the renewal date and receive a refund of any premiums paid, as described in Your right to cancel the policy on page 5. Termination of the contract You may cancel the contract by giving us 14 days notice in writing. If you cancel the policy you may be entitled to a refund of premium provided that no claim has been made during the current period of insurance. We can cancel this policy by giving you at least 14 days notice at your last known address. This will not affect your right to make a claim for any event that happened before the cancellation date. If we cancel the policy we may refund premiums already paid for the remainder of the current insurance period. The law and language applicable to the policy Both you and we may choose the law which applies to this contract. However, unless you and we agree otherwise, the law which applies is the law applicable in the part of the United Kingdom, Channel Islands or Isle of Man in which you live. Full details will be provided in your policy documentation. The language used in this policy and any communications relating to it will be English. RSA Preferred Choice is underwritten by Royal & Sun Alliance Insurance plc, which is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority as an insurance company and to undertake insurance mediation under Registration No. 202323. You can check this on the Financial Services Register by visiting the FCA s website www.fsa.gov.uk/register/home.do or by contacting the FCA on 0800 111 6768. Financial Sanctions Please note that Royal & Sun Alliance Insurance plc is unable to provide insurance in circumstances where to do so would be in breach of any financial sanctions imposed by the United Nations or any government, governmental or judicial body or regulatory agency. Full details will be provided in your policy documentation. Royal & Sun Alliance Insurance plc (No. 93792). Registered in England and Wales at St Mark s Court, Chart Way, Horsham, West Sussex RH12 1XL. Authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority. FPS00418 April 2013