Common Questions Answered

Do I need home insurance?

Home insurance gives you peace of mind that should anything happen to your home, the cost of rebuilding it will be covered by your insurance provider. Not only that, banks require you to have home insurance as part of your mortgage agreement. If you'd like to find out more about getting a home insurance policy give us a call on 01 400 3400.

What do you actually mean by contents?

Good question! We define contents as everything you could take if you were to hypothetically move house. We recommend you spend some time creating an inventory of your contents in each room (don't forget the shed and garden too). You'll be pleased to hear that under our contents policy we cover aerials and satellite dishes as part of the TV.

How can I work out the right building cover for my home?

To calculate how much you should insure your property for, you'll need to find out the rebuilding costs. You can do this by looking at the survey or valuation report that was undertaken when you got your mortgage. Do bear in mind that the market value of a home has little relation to the costs of actually rebuilding a property. We recommend that you visit the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland website to work out the rebuilding cost of your property.

I want home insurance now - can I get it?

Yes! We can insure your home as soon as we've accepted payment and confirmed this over the phone.

What happens when I take my personal possessions away from home - will they be covered?

They won't be covered, unless you take out personal possessions insurance. The good news is that personal possessions insurance will provide global cover for the valuables that are specified or that you specify.

Does my home insurance cover the family computer?

Yes...provided that the computer is only for personal use. In order to insure your computer for when you're not at home you'll have to take out personal possessions cover.

What about my shed and garage?

They're covered too. However, there may be some conditions or limits which apply.

Great! What about all the stuff I store in my garden?

Items which are stored outside, such as a lawnmower are typically covered, but check your policy for more information on limits.

I'm a landlord - can I insure my house even though I don't live there?

You certainly can. Landlords can get a quote for rental properties online or call 01 400 3400 for a quote.

How can I find out which locks are on my door?

It's actually pretty easy. Open your door and have a look at the metal plate near the edge. If you look closely you should be able to see the lock type and name engraved on it.

I've been offered home insurance by my bank - do I have to take it out with them?

No way, Jose! In fact there is legislation giving you complete freedom to shop around for cheap home insurance quotes. The key thing to remember is that your buildings must be insured to the amount stated by your bank or building society when they valued the property, but you are NOT obliged to take out a policy with them.

I'm worried about using my credit card online - is it secure?

Yes. Completely. We know how important online security is to our customers and that's why we've invested heavily in state of the art encryption technology through SSL. It gives a cast iron guarantee that the credit card details and personal information you enter on the Chill website will be protected. It really couldn't be safer or easier to buy online, but if you'd like speak to us over the phone, give us a call on 01 400 3400.

Am I insured if somebody like a plumber is injured when they are working on my house?

We recommend you check that all tradesman have Public Liability and Employers insurance cover when carrying out repairs as our household policy only covers domestic employees like cleaners and child minders.

What happens if I move house?

Give us a call with your new details and we'll amend your policy right away.

Can you tell me more about all-risks cover?

All-risks cover allows you to insure items away from your home. Typically, you create a list of each item you'd like insured or go for an overall value for unspecified contents. The choice is yours. Do remember though that the majority of policies contain an upper limit on how much you'll be able to insure each item for, unless you state otherwise.

What about specified and unspecified all-risks extensions?

Specified all-risks insurance covers items outside of the home. It is typically on a global basis and we'll need valuations where the value of your items is greater than the pre-agreed amount.

Unspecified all-risks cover is normally on a global basis and insures unspecified items outside of the home which are valued less than €1,000. For instance you could insure a sum of €2,000 to cover numerous items, although none of the items will be valued at more than €1,000.

What's the Chill home assist number?

If you've taken out a separate home assist policy with us and have an emergency that involves property damage, simply dial the freephone number (1800 49 29 49) and Mapfre will arrange for a suitable trades person to come and assist you. Mapfre will pay for the first €200 (plus VAT) of your emergency up to a maximum of three claims per year.

If you'd like more information on home insurance, do get in touch with the Chill team on 01 400 3400.