27.01.11
Avoiding a Slippery Slope
Enjoying your own holiday home should involve nothing more
demanding than relaxing in the sunshine with a glass of something
superb from the local vineyard but, as many second home owners
know, there tends to be a fair bit of important organisation before
you get to that stage…
'Owning a second home should offer a simple way of escaping from
everyday pressure and nipping across to a place in which you can
instantly relax,' says Sydney Charles Insurance Associate Director
Marilyn Greening.
She plays a pivotal role in ensuring that the stress-free
scenario is enjoyed by existing and new clients who choose Sydney
Charles to make doubly sure that the cover they have in place is
all-encompassing and - in the unlikely event of a claim- that
Marilyn deals with it swiftly and effectively.
One area in which foreign home ownership has been anything but
simple in recent years is the increasing problem of subsidence
affecting Spanish properties.
Rising numbers of English homeowners with places in this popular
Iberian spot discovered that insurers flatly refused to cover
subsidence or related problems.
'We became aware of this problem when people with other insurers
turned to us for help. I started to make inquiries and we are now
one of the few companies able to offer subsidence cover. It is a
massive relief for our clients because the problem can arise at any
point - even places which have been standing for years can be
affected if there is an exceptionally dry summer or the surrounding
area suffers in some way.
'In fact, the most recent widespread problem was caused by huge
amount of rainfall last year. The ground became totally saturated
and never really dried out. Landslips and erosion started to affect
properties in several parts of Spain and, even to a lesser degree,
some homes suffered damage from minor subsidence. In the
worst case scenarios, for instance with properties on headlands or
cliffs, the places became uninhabitable.'
Marilyn has long experience of solving challenging insurance
requirements - whether it is for clients who want to leap out of
aircraft, travel to the deepest, darkest part of the planet, or who
have hugely complex lifestyles and responsibilities.
'The Spanish situation was complex but I knew that there were
clients living here who were struggling with it and others who have
homes all around the world, which we insure, but whose Spanish
property was causing them a headache.'
Using her connections in Spain, she has been able to put in
place comprehensive subsidence cover. 'It is fantastic to be able
to offer this because it removes a whole layer of stress for
clients.'
Subsidence is potentially a hugely expensive problem with any
property. 'If a place needs to be underpinned then the cost can run
into thousands of pounds. In the worst instance, a property might
have to be completely rebuilt. This Spanish policy covers all of
those eventualities.'
Marilyn wants clients to be confident that their holiday home is
well covered at all times. 'Really, all they should have to think
about is sangria and sunshine.'
For further details please contact Marilyn Greening on 739970 or
email marilyn.greening@sydneycharles.co.uk