Definition of "Trace and Access"

Cuttlefish

Hi all,


Can someone please me with the coverage of the "Trace and Access" on a home insurance policy.

On the telephone I have been informed it just covers exposing a water leak and reinstating the exposure - ceiling or wall

In my basic opinion there would be four general steps with a leak on your premises

1)
Finding the leak using specialist equipment (Tracing the leak in my opinion)

2)
Exposing the leak by removing the ceiling, drive or exposing the wall

3)
Repairing the leak

4)
Reinstating the wall, drive or ceiling

Trace and Access to me would cover steps 1), 2) and 4) but I am being told by my insurance company that step 1) Finding the leak is not covered but their website has the following under the "Trace and Access" section…

Trace and access
Up to €1,000 towards tracing and accessing a leak, and repairing any damage caused to walls, flooring or ceilings during the search


So is there anyone here with insurance knowledge who can clarify "Trace and Access"

Thank you.

To Elland Back

Firstly, the leak must be from your domestic water system and not a leak in the roof etc. Some policies exclude trace and access, but if you have it, it is there to find the source of the problem and cover the 'hacking out' and subsequent repairs. This is because water escape does not always become evident at the source of the problem.

Is it the use of specialist equipment that is causing problems with your insurer? What sort of thing are you talking about?

Cuttlefish

To Elland Back wrote: »

Firstly, the leak must be from your domestic water system and not a leak in the roof etc. Some policies exclude trace and access, but if you have it, it is there to find the source of the problem and cover the 'hacking out' and subsequent repairs. This is because water escape does not always become evident at the source of the problem.

Is it the use of specialist equipment that is causing problems with your insurer? What sort of thing are you talking about?

Hi there,

Firstly thank you for the reply.

I am currently with the AA Home Insurance and on their website they have the following:

"Trace and access
Up to €1,000 towards tracing and accessing a leak, and repairing any damage caused to walls, flooring or ceilings during the search"

source: http://www.theaa.ie/AA/Insurance/Home-Insurance/Home-Insurance-Benefits.aspx

However on the phone the AA/ RSA person was saying that the home owner must locate the leak funded by themselves and not covered by the policy

The leak is underground on "seems" to be on my premises but I need specialist people with the right equipment because this has to be traced right, I don't want someone "guessing" if you know what I mean.

So I want to low if "Trace and Access"

a) is finding and exposing the leak as I understand?

or

b) is it just exposing where the leak is, which is what the AA define?

To Elland Back

Firstly, the AA are just brokers rather than an insurance company. From their website, it appears as if RSA are the insurer and they have a policy book there for you to look at. It is possible that the CURRENT offering has trace and access but it may not have been there when you took put the policy.

Assuming it is the same policy, it states on page 10 that you have the cover and the limit is quoted on page 13. However, some of the wording on page 13 concerns me in that it states "where extended cover applies". The policy schedule that attaches to your policy may state restrictions or exclusions to the standard cover and this overrides the book

Assuming all that is in order, "reasonableness" now comes in to play. You cannot elect to use expensive equipment or processes, when the problem could be rectified simply.

I would suggest you ring them again and point out the policy cover in their booklet and ask them to prove to you why it does not apply