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I tried to switch my home insurance policy online. That night I was burgled and now eHome says I'm not covered
I bought house insurance through eHome Insurance because it advertised that I could make any changes online. I am a member of HM Armed Forces, serving in Afghanistan at the time.
On 19 November I moved into a new house and went online to change the address on the policy and switch to "contents only", as we are now renting. I found I couldn't make the changes so, as directed by the website, I sent an email immediately.
The following day, before I received a reply, my new home was burgled but eHome Insurance will not pay my claim saying the property was not insured. The policy is underwritten by Aviva, but it says it cannot pay our £1,000 claim unless eHome Insurance backdates the change of address. EHome Insurance refuses. TH, Lincoln
Two days after you moved in, you managed to update the address but had to keep the buildings cover. There is no way you could have known this, but eHome Insurance says you cannot switch a policy from buildings and contents, to contents only – you need to cancel the policy and start a new one.
It still insists the change of address was too late to cover the previous day's burglary and that you were aware you could make changes only online, but this ignores the fact that you were trying to do just that.
Aviva has persuaded eHome Insurance to review your case. Ehome has agreed you had difficulty making contact, changed your policy to include the day of the burglary and waived the policy excess. Aviva has already started processing your claim.
You can email Margaret Dibben at your.problems@observer.co.uk or write to Margaret Dibben, Your Problems, The Observer, Kings Place, 90 York Way, London N1 9GU and include a telephone number. Do not enclose SAEs or original documents. The newspaper accepts no legal responsibility for advice.
Margaret Dibben
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