Residential Building Works

Protecting your home

We understand that having work completed on your home can be a stressful experience. It can take many steps to make your dream a reality, and insurance can often be an afterthought.
When you invest in upgrading your home, you want peace of mind through the whole process — not only the appropriate cover if anything goes wrong, but also a policy that can be acted on quickly, saving you time.
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RIAI Contract Clause 26

Meets the requirements of any
standard RIAI building contract

First Party Policy

Complete control in the event of a claim,
along with reassurance that the
policy is adequate

Cover for Works

This policy includes cover for the contract
works in addition to the existing structure

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Why is this cover required?

If you are undertaking significant works on your home, you may have to sign a contract with the building contractor. The most common version, The Royal Institute of Architects in Ireland (RIAI) contract contains an insurance clause (Clause 26) that may create a conflict with your household insurer.
There are two main issues that are not covered by most standard household policies:

1. Building cover required
2. Subrogation waiver

1. Building cover required

The contract requires the homeowner to insure the existing building for the below perils:
Fire, storm, tempest, flood; bursting or overflowing of water tanks, apparatus or pipes; explosion, impact, aircraft, or riot, civil commotion or malicious damage.

However, most insurers, if they agree to retain cover during works, will only include fire, leaving you responsible for the other exposures.
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2. Subrogation waiver

The contract requires that you and your insurer waive the right to pursue the contractor for any damage they cause to your existing structure.
To comply with this requirement, you would need consent from your insurer. However, few insurers will agree to waive their right to recovery.

If you do not seek consent from your insurer, this could be viewed as a breach of the terms of your insurance contract and leave you ultimately responsible if a loss occurs.

Our solution

However, all is not lost, and we have the solution to help keep your dreams alive.

We have partnered with an A-rated insurer to help you overcome these obstacles. Call us today to find out more.
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Get in touch

If you need an insurance solution, let’s talk!