M&S Home Insurance (Premier)

Building

Cancellation rights
- We are regulated by the Financial Services Authority (FSA). Although the FSA require a minimum cancellation period of 14 days, We allow You 45 days from the date You receive Your policy documentation to make sure it suits You. If within 45 days of the date You receive Your policy documents You tell Us either by telephone or in writing that You wish to cancel Your policy We will give You a full refund of any premium You have paid Us. Please note that if You have made a claim during this period we may ask you to refund any payment made by Us. This right will not apply following a change to Your policy or any subsequent renewal of Your policy.
- If after 45 days from the date You receive Your policy documentation You tell Us either by telephone or in writing that You wish to cancel Your policy You will be entitled to a refund for the unused portion of Your policy if You have not made a claim during the period of insurance.
- To exercise Your right to cancel Your policy, please contact Marks & Spencer Money Customer Services on 0800 015 6148 or by writing to PO Box 7686, Perth PH2 0YR.
- If You do not exercise Your right to cancel Your policy, it will continue in force for the term of the policy and You will be required to pay the premium as stated.
- We may cancel the policy by sending You 14 days notice by recorded delivery letter to Your last known address. You will be entitled to a refund for the unused portion of Your policy.
- If You do not pay the premium or do not make a payment under the instalment option available with Your policy, we may cancel this policy with effect from the end of the last period for which a payment has been made.

Premier Buildings cover
If you have chosen Premier Buildings cover it will be shown in Your Policy Schedule. You will have the cover listed below, unless shown in 'What is not covered' on page 7.

What is covered
1. Loss or damage to Your Buildings

Premier and Standard Buildings - What is not covered
What is not covered
1. Fences or gates - Loss or damage to fences or gates caused by storm or flood (only applies to Standard Buildings cover).
2. Plants - Loss or damage to trees, plants or bushes.
3. Service pipes - Any costs for clearing a blockage not directly caused by an insured event or for loss or damage to service pipes or cables caused whilst clearing a blockage (only applies to Standard Buildings cover).
4. Subsidence excess - The first £1000 of any claim for subsidence, heave or landslip.
5. Anything shown under 'General - What is not covered' on page 12.
6. Anything shown under 'Liability - What is not covered' on page 13.

Premier Buildings cover
If you have chosen Premier Buildings cover it will be shown in Your Policy Schedule. You will have the cover listed below, unless shown in 'What is not covered' on page 7.

What is covered
1. Loss or damage to Your Buildings

Premier and Standard Buildings - What is not covered
What is not covered
1. Fences or gates - Loss or damage to fences or gates caused by storm or flood (only applies to Standard Buildings cover).
2. Plants - Loss or damage to trees, plants or bushes.
3. Service pipes - Any costs for clearing a blockage not directly caused by an insured event or for loss or damage to service pipes or cables caused whilst clearing a blockage (only applies to Standard Buildings cover).
4. Subsidence excess - The first £1000 of any claim for subsidence, heave or landslip.
5. Anything shown under 'General - What is not covered' on page 12.
6. Anything shown under 'Liability - What is not covered' on page 13.

Premier Buildings cover
If you have chosen Premier Buildings cover it will be shown in Your Policy Schedule. You will have the cover listed below, unless shown in 'What is not covered' on page 7.

What is covered
1. Loss or damage to Your Buildings

Premier and Standard Buildings - What is not covered
What is not covered
1. Fences or gates - Loss or damage to fences or gates caused by storm or flood (only applies to Standard Buildings cover).
2. Plants - Loss or damage to trees, plants or bushes.
3. Service pipes - Any costs for clearing a blockage not directly caused by an insured event or for loss or damage to service pipes or cables caused whilst clearing a blockage (only applies to Standard Buildings cover).
4. Subsidence excess - The first £1000 of any claim for subsidence, heave or landslip.
5. Anything shown under 'General - What is not covered' on page 12.
6. Anything shown under 'Liability - What is not covered' on page 13.

What You must do in the event of a claim
- Tell Us as soon as possible on 0800 38 999 90. This is a 24 hour, 365 days a year service.
Alternatively please write to: Marks & Spencer Money, Home Insurance Claims Department, PO Box 10042, Dundee DD2 1XX.
- Please have Your policy number to hand when calling or make reference to the policy number when writing.
- Do not admit liability or make an offer or promise of payment without Our written consent.
- Forward to Us every writ, summons, legal process or other communication in connection with Your claim immediately upon receipt.
- Notify the police as soon as possible about all incidents of theft, attempted theft, malicious damage or lost property.
- Take all reasonable steps to prevent further loss or damage. We can give You emergency help and advice by calling 0800 38 999 90.
- Give Us all the necessary information and assistance that We require.
- Give Us access to any building where there has been loss or damage and allow Us to deal with any salvage in a reasonable manner. However, You must not abandon property for Us to deal with.
Please note that if You do not follow the procedures above this may seriously affect our ability to deal with Your claim or make Your claim invalid.

Our rights in dealing with Your claim
- We may defend or settle any legal action in Your name, or in the name of any other person insured by this policy.
- We may take proceedings in Your name, but at Our expense, to recover for Our benefit the amount of any payment made under this policy.
- We have the right to settle Your claim on a proportionate basis if there is other insurance covering the same loss, damage or liability and of equal standing.
- We have the right not to pay Your claim if You or anyone acting for You knows Your claim is dishonest or exaggerated in any way. If this happens, We will cancel the policy and We may inform the police of any such dishonest claim.


How We will settle Your claim - Buildings
When We agree to pay Your claim under Your policy We will, at Your option, either:
1) arrange and meet the cost of work carried out to rebuild, replace or repair Your Buildings or
2) pay a cash sum equivalent to the lower of either
(i) Our estimate of the cost to Us to rebuild, replace or repair Your Buildings or
(ii) the reduction in market value of the Buildings immediately after the loss or damage happened.
Whichever option You choose the maximum amount We will pay is the lower of the cost to Us to rebuild, repair or replace Your Buildings.
In the event of a claim in respect of any part of the Buildings which also form part of another property, the maximum amount We will pay will be the proportion of the loss or damage for which You are legally responsible.
Any Excess for Buildings shown in Your Policy Schedule of Your policy will be deducted from the claims settlement amount.
For subsidence, heave or landslip claims a £1,000 Excess will be deducted from the claims settlement amount.
Please note that if You make more than one Buildings claim in a 4 year period it may affect any no claims discount We may allow when calculating Your renewal premium.


How We will settle Your claim - Contents
When We agree to pay Your claim under Your policy We will, at Your option, either:
1) arrange and meet the cost of replacement as new for each item lost or damaged or
2) arrange and meet the cost of repair for any item damaged or
3) pay a cash sum equivalent to the cost to Us of repair or replacement.
Whichever option You choose the maximum amount We will pay is the lower of the cost Us of repair or replacement as new.
Any Excess for Contents shown in Your current Policy Schedule of Your policy will be deducted from the claims settlement.
Please note that if You make more than one Contents claim in a 4 year period it may affect any no claims discount We may allow when calculating Your renewal premium.

General - What is not covered
What is not covered
1. Buildings let
- Your Buildings when lent, let or sublet in whole or in part unless otherwise agreed by Us in writing.
2. Buildings unoccupied
- Your Home when not being lived in by You or anyone with Your permission for more than 30 consecutive days unless otherwise agreed by Us in writing.
3. Computer software and data
- corruption of computer software or data caused by computer viruses or where no adequate back up copies have been kept.
4. Consequential loss
- Consequential loss of any kind incurred by You.
5. Deliberate acts
- Deliberate acts by adult members of Your household.
6. Erosion
- Coastal or river erosion.
7. Excess
- Any Excess(es) which apply under Your policy.
8. Faulty workmanship
- Faulty workmanship, defective design or the use of defective materials.
9. Gradually operating cause
- Any gradual process (except for subsidence or heave of the site which Your Buildings stand on, or landslip).
10. Other insurances
- Any loss, damage or liability covered by a more specific policy.
11. Pollution or contamination
- Loss damage or liability arising from pollution or contamination unless caused by:
a. a sudden and unexpected accident which can be identified,
or
b. oil leaking from a domestic oil installation at Your Home.
12. Radioactivity
- Loss, damage or liability which involves:
a. ionising radiation or radioactive contamination from nuclear fuel or nuclear waste, or
b. the radioactive, toxic, explosive or other dangerous properties of explosive nuclear equipment.
13. Sonic bangs
- Loss of or damage to property caused by pressure waves from aircraft travelling at or above the speed of sound.
14. Subsidence
- Subsidence, heave or landslip unless We accept a claim for the house, garage or outbuildings.
15. Terrorism
- Harm or damage to life or to property (or the threat of such harm or damage) by nuclear and/or chemical and/or biological and/or radiological means resulting directly or indirectly from or in connection with terrorism, regardless of any other contributing cause or event.
Terrorism is defined as any act or acts including but not limited to:
a. the use or threat of force and/or violence
and/or
b. harm or damage to life or to property (or the threat of such harm or damage) including, but not limited to, harm or damage by nuclear and/or chemical and/or biological and/or radiological means caused or occasioned by any person(s) or group(s) of persons, or so claimed, in whole or in part, for political, religious, ideological or similar purposes.
c. any action taken in controlling, preventing, suppressing or in any way relating to war risks or terrorism.
The terrorism exclusion applies only to the following sections:
- Buildings (Standard and Premier)
- Contents (Standard and Premier)
- Contents Away From Home
16. Vermin
- Loss or damage caused by vermin, insects, fungus or mildew.
17. War risks
- Any consequence whatsoever resulting directly or indirectly from or in connection with any of the following regardless of any other contributing cause or event:-war, invasion, act of foreign enemy, hostilities or a warlike operation or operations (whether war be declared or not), civil war, rebellion, revolution, insurrection, civil commotion assuming the proportions of or amounting to an uprising, military or usurped power.
18. Wear & tear
- Wear and depreciation or any mechanical or electrical defect.
19. Anything shown under 'Liability - What is not covered' on page 13.