To prepare a home insurance application after a purchase, gather the property’s address and features, its use, your occupancy status and an estimate of the belongings to be covered. Also note the expected sale date and find out about any insurance already taken out by the seller. This information will help you present your situation and review a proposal before making a commitment.
The aim is to prepare accurate answers, then check with the professional what still needs clarification. Requesting a proposal is a preparatory step: take time to read the documents before signing.
Start with the property and occupant’s circumstances
State whether you are buying a house or an apartment, then provide the property’s address. Also prepare your contact details and personal circumstances. In the questionnaire, distinguish your status as an owner or tenant from the intended use of the property: primary residence, secondary residence or another situation to specify.
If you are buying to rent out the property, make this clear to the professional. If you are a tenant preparing to protect the home you occupy, present your situation as a tenant rather than as a buyer. In both cases, explain what you want to insure and ask what additional information is needed to assess your situation.
For a property rented under a residential lease, including a mobility lease, the tenant must take out home insurance with the minimum required cover. For an owner who occupies their home, Service Public states that home insurance is strongly recommended; if the property is part of a condominium, it must at least be insured for civil liability to cover damage it could cause to others.
For an owner who rents out their property, Service Public recommends non-occupying owner insurance, which protects them if the property is vacant or if a claim gives rise to their liability, even when a tenant is present. In some condominiums, this insurance may be compulsory.
Describe the property using the sale documents
Gather the property’s features before completing the questionnaire. Service Public cites, among the information to provide about the property, its floor area, number of rooms, year of construction, presence of outbuildings and level of security. Add these to your list, along with the points you would like the insurer to clarify.
For an apartment, Service Public states that the floor area measured by the seller must appear in the preliminary sale agreement if the property is existing, or in the reservation agreement if the property is new. You can therefore refer to the relevant document when preparing your answer.
For an existing detached house, the seller is not required to measure the floor area, and it does not appear in the preliminary sale agreement. If you are unsure about the floor area to declare, ask the professional how to provide accurate information.
Also check the ancillary lots included in the purchase. For a detached house, Service Public advises the buyer to check that the purchase includes all ancillary lots, such as the cellar or garages. Note those relevant to your project and ask how to present them in your insurance application.
Specify the belongings and cover you want
Prepare an estimate of the value of the belongings to be covered: furniture, valuables and specific equipment. You will also be asked for your insurance and claims history and the optional cover you want. Before answering, gather the information available to you and flag any points that still need checking.
Then consider the cover you want to request. You can present your needs to the professional and ask them to explain the proposals and their limits. To compare, use a consistent description of the property and belongings in each request, specifying the same cover preferences.
The insurer may ask you to complete a questionnaire used to assess risks and set the premium. The answers provided must be accurate. If any information seems uncertain, it is better to have it clarified before confirming your declaration.
Identify the sale date and existing insurance
Note the expected date for signing the sale as part of your preparation and ask the seller whether the property is already insured. On the day of the sale, if the purchased property is already insured, the insurance policy taken out by the seller is automatically transferred to the buyer.
Ask for the information needed to identify this policy and review its cover. Present your project to the professional, stating the expected sale date and, if you are moving in, the expected move-in date. Service Public states that home insurance must be taken out before moving in so that the property is covered from the first day.
If the property is part of a condominium, find out what damage is covered by the condominium insurance. Then ask how to coordinate your own application with this information, taking into account your occupancy situation and the cover you are seeking.
Read the proposal before making a commitment
Before signing, the insurer must provide a proposal containing an information sheet on prices and cover, as well as a copy of the draft policy or a detailed information notice. Take time to compare these documents with the information you provided and the cover requested.
In particular, check the applicable cover limits, such as the list of risks not covered. Ask for explanations of any passages that remain unclear and of how the property and belongings have been described. The general conditions concern, among other things, covered risks, exclusions, deductibles and claims reporting procedures; the special conditions concern, among other things, your identity, the description of the insured risk and the premium amount.
You can contact several professionals at the same time to compare their proposals. The premium for the same cover may vary from one company to another. Also compare the scope and limits of the cover, as well as the amount proposed.
This guide helps you prepare your information and questions. Before signing anything, review the points to confirm, the desired date and the cover actually proposed with the professional.
