Product support

You should answer to the best of your knowledge. If you have a mortgage you would have supplied this to your mortgage provider who will have it on record.

No a surveyors report is not required, however this is the most you will be paid for a claim and must represent the full rebuilding cost of your buildings in the same form, style and condition as new. If the sum insured is too low, your claim settlement can be reduced by the same percentage that your sum insured is inadequate.

You need to tell us how many rooms were designed to be used as bedrooms.

You need to think about insuring the structure of your home, which we call "buildings" insurance as well as what’s in your home, which we call home "contents" insurance.

For buildings insurance, you should insure your home for its full re-building cost, i.e. how much it would cost to rebuild your home if it was totally destroyed. This is different to the market value of your home.

You can find your home's rebuilding cost on the Valuation Report or Survey report which was completed when you took out your mortgage (although, if it is more than a couple of years old, it might need to be increased to take account of inflation).

For contents insurance, you should insure the contents of your home for the amount it would cost you to replace them as new today.

Yes, you can add our optional Home Emergency cover for an additional premium to cover you for emergencies such as your boiler breaking down, your electrics failing or your water pipes bursting.

You can select this when deciding which other optional extras you wish to purchase online or when you call.

When an insured peril such as theft occurs at home and music has been stolen on a computer, a claim would be honoured for the replacement music if the music provider can confirm purchase up to a limit of £3,000 if you bought our Home Insurance cover. The cover limit is £1,000 if you bought Home Essentials cover. 

However, the accidental loss of music as a result of mechanical failure to an MP3 player or any other device would not be covered, and presumably customers can download the lost music again from their computer.

The 10% cover will automatically apply and covers the person or persons named as the policy holder in the schedule, plus their husband or wife, partner, civil partner, children (including those adopted and foster children) and relatives, provided each of these normally live with them. It does not cover paying guests or any other person to whom your home is lent, let or sub-let.

No your policy only covers lost or stolen keys that relate to external doors, windows and alarm systems fitted to your home. 

Yes, the valuables cover can be increased but not decreased.

Yes.

Yes, this would be a personal item that you normally carry about with you.

Yes, this would be a personal item that you normally carry about with you. The cost of phone calls made after a phone is lost or stolen however would not be covered.

The minimum cover for contents is £100,000 for our Home Insurance cover and £50,000 for Home Insurance Essentials. For both products, cover is provided in multiples of £100.

This is where there is normally at least one person in the property for the majority of the time between 8am and 6pm 5 days a week or more. It is accepted that you will go out shopping, taking children to school and go on holiday for example.

As you are at home there is a lower risk of claims for things like burglary so this will be reflected in the premium. This is one of many factors that affect the premium and is not a set percentage so the overall impact is difficult to quantify.

Yes.

The contents calculator will help you estimate the contents cover you will need. However this only provides a rough guide and it is up to you to make sure that it is adequate to cover all of your contents.

Yes, you can still take out Home contents which will provide cover for your personal possessions and valuables and any items of furniture that you have provided yourself, e.g. a television. However, if you are part of a shared tenancy agreement with other tenants, then we are unable to provide cover for you.

Mortice locks are available with a 2, 3, 5 or 7 lever mechanism. The higher the number of "levers" the more difficult the lock is to "pick".

If you are unsure you must answer 'NO' until you have had the opportunity to check your locks or contact a locksmith.

You can answer 'YES' to 'are all external doors fitted with 5-lever mortice locks?' if all external doors meet at least one of the following criteria:

• 5-lever mortice lock
• Multi-point locking (on modern UPVC doors where you lift the handle up before locking and bolts come out top, middle and bottom)
• Patio doors with individual key-operated locks/bolts top and bottom or fitted with multi-point locking

Yes, if you take out the Rafidain Bank Home Insurance policy, your personal possessions will be covered for loss or damage anywhere in the world (limits apply).

Personal Possessions cover will cover your possessions when you are away from home in the UK and for 60 days abroad in any one period of insurance.

The Rafidain Bank Home Insurance Essentials policy does not include Personal Possessions cover outside of the home as standard but can be added as an optional extra. 

You only need to tell us about the individual value of your contents if they are "valuables" worth more than £2000. We call "valuables" items of gold, silver or other precious metals, works of art, collections of stamps, coins or medals, jewellery and watches belonging to you.

We automatically cover valuables up to £4,000 for each item on the Rafidain Bank Home Insurance policy and £2,000 for each item on the Rafidain Bank Home Insurance Essentials policy. Your total valuables should not exceed 30% of your contents sum insured in total. If you have valuables which exceed the 30% limit. Please call us for a quote on +44 783 974 9373.

If you have selected Rafidain Bank Home Insurance policy and a bicycle is stolen from your home, it will be covered under standard Contents Insurance. If your bicycle is stolen from your garage or outbuilding it will be automatically covered under standard Contents Insurance up to £5,000. If an unspecified bicycle is stolen while away from your home, it will be automatically covered up to a limit of £1,000 per bicycle. If you have a bicycle valued at over £1,000 you should specify it on your policy up to a limit of £3,000 per bicycle and £6,000 for multiple bicycles.

If you have selected a Rafidain Bank Home Insurance Essentials policy and a bicycle is stolen from your home, it will be covered under standard Contents Insurance. If your bicycle is stolen from your garage or outbuilding it will be automatically covered under standard Contents Insurance up to £2,500. If you have added the optional Personal Possessions cover, unspecified bicycles will be covered up to £500 per bicycle if stolen while away from your home. If you have a bicycle valued at over £500 you should specify it on your policy up to a limit of £3,000 per bicycle and £6,000 for multiple bicycles.

Yes, if it is for personal use only, it will be covered while in the home. If it is a portable PC again used for personal use only and you require cover outside the home, you will need to take out our personal possessions option if you purchase our Home Insurance Essential policy. This is included within our Home Insurance policy.

Personal computers used for business use are also covered under our policies. The business equipment limit on the Rafidain Bank Home Insurance policy is £10,000 and on the Rafidain Bank Home Insurance Essentials policy £3,000.

Yes.

One of the conditions of the contents insurance you can take out over the internet is that the property is occupied solely by the policyholder(s). However, if you have up to two lodgers, we can probably offer you cover if you call us for a quote on +44 783 974 9373.

We cannot offer cover if you share your home with more than two lodgers or if you let your home.

No, you are only covered if a home emergency occurs and you need a tradesman to make your home safe, secure and to prevent further damage. The type of emergency covered includes damage to the roof, plumbing and drainage, home security, main heating system and domestic power supply failure.

A sudden unforeseen event which requires immediate corrective action to prevent damage or further damage to your home, to make your home safe and secure and to alleviate any unreasonable discomfort, risk or difficulty to any insured Person.

If your shower has a constant leak then we would arrange for an engineer to isolate the leak to prevent any further damage. If the shower is the only washing facility in your home we would arrange for a repair to be carried out. We would decline the claim if the shower only leaks when being used and you have another washing facility i.e. a bath.

Home Emergency is only available for owner occupiers. If you are anything other than an owner occupier then the Home Emergency option will not be available.

No there is no limit to the number of emergency calls outs where each incident is unconnected. However the most we will pay for any one insured incident in total is £500 (including Value Added Tax) as shown in your schedule, for call out charges, labour costs, parts and materials to provide help with an insured emergency.

Wasps are classed as vermin but removal of them must be from the main property and be as a result of the sudden infestation which prevents the use of the loft or one or more rooms in the home, removal will not be made from an outbuilding. The removal and/or control of bee’s nests is not covered.

You do not pay an excess for Home Emergency it just covers up to £500.

No.

Please have your policy number available and call: +44 783 974 9373.

Use this for urgent assistance with emergencies in your home such as a burst pipe or damage to your roof.

If you have chosen to include the Home Emergency section of the policy and you call the helpline to notify us of the emergency, you may have cover for the costs involved. If not, you will be responsible for paying the tradesman for any work carried out

If you have an existing policy, you’ll need to consider which policy is better for you, before deciding to add this additional cover. Please read the full policy documentation to help you make your decision.

Yes you can.

Yes – Section 5 – Home Emergency special conditions states:- You must maintain your home and all domestic equipment in good condition, and carry out or arrange for regular inspections and preventative maintenance to the fabric and structure.

Alarms being set off and fixed due to power failure would not be classed as an insured incident as they are not considered to be an emergency, therefore not covered under the Home Emergency cover.

If you have another toilet in the property we would only isolate the leak, however if the toilet is blocked we would appoint a contractor to unblock the pipe or drain.

No, if you still have hot water and heating then it will be a general maintenance issue which is excluded from the cover.

When your boiler is not working at all and you have no hot water or heating.

Generally, we would carry out either a temporary repair or permanent repair where possible. For example, if you had a leak coming through your roof, the contractor will normally cover the exposed area in tarpaulin but will not repair or replace the missing roof tiles on the roof.

If there was a break in at your home and a window was smashed leaving your home unsafe, we will arrange for a contractor to board the window up to make the home secure. Full repairs will not be covered and should be referred to the insurers of the building.

The policy covers the person or persons named as the policy holder in the schedule, plus their husband or wife, partner, civil partner, children (including those adopted and foster children) and relatives, provided each of these normally live with them. It does not cover paying guests or any other person to whom your home is lent, let or sub-let. Students who normally reside at the property outside of term time will also be covered.

No.

Use of this service is for confidential advice over the phone on personal tax matters. Specialists can give information and advice on personal tax problems and the tax implications of a range of subjects such as investments, property trusts, inheritance and pensions.

No.

This is simply down to the rounding of the annual premium when divided by 12 months. For example if a policy has an annual premium of £200, then this equates to £16.666666 and this needs to be converted into a whole number. For the first month £16.74 will be paid followed by £16.66 for 11 months. (£16.66 x 11 months = £183.26 + the first payment of £16.74 = £200 which is the annual premium).

No, the payments are calculated over the year and then this is averaged out over the 12 months. As outlined in the previous question only the first payment may differ.

No, individual premiums will be unaffected.

No, payments by credit card must be annual.

Yes you can choose any date between the 1st and 28th.

Yes, please see our policy wording booklet for details of the no-claims discount available on the Rafidain Bank Home Insurance policy and the Rafidain Bank Home Insurance Essentials policy.

No

No these are National rate numbers.

If you need to add optional extras at any time, please call on +44 783 974 9373

Yes, if the sum insured is too low the insurer can reduce your claim settlement by the same percentage that your sum insured is inadequate.

If you insure your main residence with Rafidain Bank or you have a Rafidain Bank mortgage on your second home please call us for a quote on +44 783 974 9373.

Yes, provided we already insure your current home. There will be certain restrictions in cover while the home is unoccupied. Please call us for a quote on +44 783 974 9373.

Renewing your policy couldn't be easier. You will receive your renewal notice 21 days before your renewal date. It will contain all your premium information and a breakdown of your cover.

If your policy is to be renewed automatically you will receive continuous cover. All you need to check is that the information on the renewal notice is still accurate. There is no need for you to contact us unless you need to make an amendment to your renewal.

If your policy is not on automatic renewal you will be informed of this in your Renewal Letter. In order to renew your policy you should contact us on the telephone number provided.

Before making a claim, check the cover that you have taken with Rafidain Bank. Your policy schedule will show whether you have chosen Buildings cover, Contents cover or both.

Buildings insurance covers the fabric of your home such as its walls, floors, doors and roof. It also covers fixtures and fittings such as fitted kitchens and bathroom suites. Your buildings insurance policy will help you repair or rebuild your home following any insured damage.

Contents insurance covers your household items that are not part of the building. This includes you furniture and furnishings, other household goods and your personal belongings such as clothes and jewellery. There are some items that are excluded, for example motor vehicles and accessories, so check your policy document to be sure. Your contents insurance policy will help you replace or repair your lost or damaged belongings following any insured incident.

If you have only taken out buildings cover and your claim relates to contents you should redirect your claim to your contents insurer. Similarly, if you have only taken out contents cover and your claim relates to buildings you should redirect your claim to your buildings insurer.

Your excess is shown on your policy documents. This is the part of any claim that you have to pay. For example, you may have to pay the first £100 and then the insurer will pay the remaining amount up to the limit of your cover.

Your Contents Insurance schedule will confirm whether you have chosen this cover and what limit (s) apply. 

"Personal Possessions" covers the personal items that you normally carry with you away from home, for example clothing, jewellery, bicycle, camera equipment and mobile phones. Cover is for an unlimited duration within the British Isles and is for up to 60 days while temporarily outside the British Isles in any one period of insurance and while your personal items are in your custody and control.

Exclusions apply which can be found in your policy booklet

Yes - your contents insurance policy gives "New for Old" cover. This means that if repair is not possible all items will be replaced with the new equivalent. For example, if you have damaged a 5-year-old television, we will replace it with the latest available equivalent model.

Wear and tear is not applicable to clothing if you have an Essentials policy.

Check your policy schedule and booklet to confirm whether this cover applies.

Home Emergency insurance - what's covered?

Separate from our Buildings and Contents Home Insurance products, Home Emergency Cover provides 24 hour assistance if a home emergency occurs and you need a tradesman to make your home safe, secure and prevent further damage. This cover will help with problems such as

• Roof damage
• Plumbing and drainage problems
• Main heating system failure
• Domestic power supply failure
• Toilet unit damage or failure
• Damage to doors and windows
• Loss of keys
• Vermin infestation

Cover is up to £500 (incl. VAT) in total for call out charges, labour, parts and materials.

You should report an incident as soon as is reasonably possible (normally within 48 hours of the emergency happening). This is not a maintenance contract and cover is provided for emergencies to the home only. For more information about the limits and exclusions, please read the policy documents.

What is not covered?

• any claim if the incident happened before the start date of your cover
• any claim which is covered under any other insurance, including other sections of this Home Insurance policy
• if your home is being rented out or let, you are only covered if you are the owner occupier of the home.
• any costs you incur before you have notified the insurer of a home emergency
• any normal day to day maintenance, as this is not classed as an emergency.

To contact the 24-hour Home Emergency Helpline call: +44 783 974 9373.

For more information about what's covered please read the full policy document and the policy summary document.

You are insured for "Accidental Damage" to your Buildings and/or Contents if you have bought our Home Insurance or if you have chosen to take this additional cover with our Home Essentials. Your policy schedule will show if you are covered for Accidental Damage

"Accidental Damage" means something that has happened suddenly and unexpectedly causing damage to your home or its contents. If you experience this type of damage, let us know as soon as possible.

For spillages, particularly of paint, mop up the liquid but don't try and clean any staining. Using the wrong equipment or technique may cause more or worse damage. We have access to specialist contractors who may be able to clean up as part of your claim.

Things that generally aren't covered:

• Wear and tear (items wearing out)
• Mechanical or electrical breakdown (electrical equipment that just stops working)
• Damage that happens gradually over a period of time
• Damage caused by vermin
• Damage caused through cleaning or restoration
• Accidental Damage caused by household pets unless you have bought Home Insurance, in which case you will be covered

Home Insurance

Full policy document

Policy summary document

Home Insurance Essentials

Full policy document

Policy summary document

If you have purchased or renewed a policy bought prior to the 24th November 2013, please refer to your policy document.

We might ask you to confirm: 

• What has been lost or damaged?
• When did the loss or damage happen?
• How did the loss or damage happen?
• What actions have you taken since the loss or damage happened?
• What is the approximate cost of repair or replacement?

You may not know the answers to all these questions straight away, but don't worry, these can be answered later.

We can deal with your query much faster if you have the following details available your: 

• name and address
• claim number
• policy/account number
• daytime contact telephone number (that we can reach you during office hours)

It is helpful if you keep receipts, guarantees, instruction manuals, valuations or photographs for your most valuable items in a safe place as these may help to support your claim. By valuable items, we mean jewellery, watches, paintings, collectors' items and any items/sets of gold or silver.

You may be asked to provide estimates or invoices for claims involving repair or replacement of items.

If the claim involves a building repair, normally two estimates are requested for comparison purposes.

If the incident involves theft or criminal damage, or if any property has been lost outside of the home, you should inform the police immediately and make a note of the police incident number.

We have national panels of approved specialists and suppliers who we may appoint to inspect damage and repair or replace goods on your insurer's behalf. Full details of the specialist or supplier and the next steps will be discussed with you when you call.

Finding that somebody has broken into in your home is a devastating experience. 

• Call the police. If you suspect that a burglar is still in your home, do not enter it
• Do not touch anything as this could affect any forensic evidence the police may need
• Once the police are finished in your home, make a list of everything that you think is missing or has been damaged
• Inform your bank immediately if any credit, debit cards or cheque books are missing
• If your passport has been stolen advise Passport Office
• If your driving licence has been stolen advise DVLA
• As soon as possible call us on +44 783 974 9373
• The police will give you a crime report number. Please keep a note of this for when you contact us
• You may need to secure your home if any windows or doors have been damaged and you should contact your buildings insurer who will assist with this if this is not us

A fire can have a traumatic effect on you and your home. Your Buildings and Contents insurance can help reduce the stress after the event during any rebuilding of your home and the repair or replacement of its damaged contents.

Points to remember:

• The building may not be safe so do not re-enter your home until the fire brigade tell you it is safe to do so
• Do not attempt to clean up the mess as if you use the wrong equipment, you could end up causing more damage. We have access to specialist contractors who can deal with this for you
• As soon as possible call us on +44 783 974 9373

• Storm damage to fences, gates and hedges is excluded from cover. But damage caused by falling trees or other objects may be covered
• Arrange for any necessary emergency repair to avoid further damage and keep photos of all damage and receipts for all repairs
• As soon as you can call us on +44 783 974 9373
• You will be asked to confirm the exact date when the damage happened
• We may send a representative to assess the damage

Flooding can have a serious effect on both your buildings and contents. As well as causing damage, it can also result in significant risk to health. Bearing that in mind, here are some points to consider:

Before entering a flood-damaged building:

• Remember that buildings that have been under water could have suffered structural damage
• Check for structural damage before entering a building. Do not go in if there is any chance that the building or any parts of it could collapse. If you see damage, have an expert check the building.
• Assume that all floors, stairs and roofs are unsafe until they are inspected

Once you enter a flood-damaged building:

• Arrange for the electricity to be turned off and do not turn it back on until electrical equipment has been checked by a qualified electrician
• Enter the building carefully. Leave immediately if shifting or unusual noises signal a possible collapse
• If there is any smell of gas, leave the premises immediately and contact the gas company
• Shut off the water
• Never touch electrical equipment if the ground is wet, unless you are absolutely certain that the power is off
• Be aware that flood water is likely to be contaminated

What to do when you have a frozen pipe emergency (if pipe is frozen but not burst).

A frozen pipe needs urgent attention as this may burst when it thaws. The following steps should be taken as soon as you discover a frozen pipe:

1. Turn off the water supply

• Turn off the main stop tap. You should find this under the kitchen sink or where the service pipe enters your home
• Turn off the stopcock in your cold water tank if you have one, it's usually found in the attic or loft

2. Beat the burst

• Protect or remove everything near the frozen pipe to avoid damage should the pipe burst

3. Thawing out

• Open the tap nearest the frozen pipe to allow water to flow once the pipe is thawed
• Thaw the pipe gently with a hot water bottle or hair dryer (taking care to keep any electrical cables protected from any possible water leak as the pipe thaws). Begin from the tap end of the blockage and work back towards the supply. Never use a heat gun or blow torch

What to do when you have a burst pipe emergency.

A burst pipe can cause serious damage to your home's structure and electrical wiring. The following steps describe what you should do as soon as you discover a burst pipe.

Act immediately – the sooner you can stop the water, this will reduce the risk of further extensive damage.

1. Turn off the water supply

• Turn off the main stop tap – turn it fully clockwise
• You should find this under the kitchen sink or where the service pipe enters your home
• Drain the system - turn on all your cold taps
• If water has been leaking through for some time and the ceilings are bulging - be careful, rooms may not be safe to enter. If safe, carefully punch a hole to let the water escape, and catch the water in buckets placed underneath. Again be careful in case the ceiling collapses. If in doubt do not touch the ceiling

2. Turn off water heating systems

• Switch off the central heating, immersion heater and any other water heating systems
• If the central heating uses solid fuel, let this die out
• Once water heating has shut down, turn on the hot taps to help drain the system

3. Turn off the electrics

• If water leaks near electrical wiring or appliances, switch off the whole system at the fuse box and seek advice from an electrician. Do not touch the fuse box if it is wet

4. Call a professional to repair the damage

• Electrical wiring damaged by water can be very dangerous - you will need to call in a professional if this happens
• Contact a reliable plumber to repair the burst or frozen pipe(s)

• As soon as you can, contact us by calling +44 783 974 9373
• Check for any structural damage in case ceilings have collapsed and ask an expert if you are concerned about entering the building
• Retain any damaged items as we may want to inspect these
• You may also want to take photos of the damage as this can speed up the process of your claim
• Do not attempt to clean up the mess as if you use the wrong equipment, you could end up causing more damage. We have access to specialist contractors who can deal with this for you

A burst pipe can lead to extensive damage to your home and its contents. The pipe itself can prove difficult to locate and fix, resulting in additional damage just to trace the leak. Preventing pipes freezing can avoid all of the disruption and inconvenience caused by a leak, so try following these tips:

• Insulate your loft and the sides of your water tanks
• Insulate all your pipes
• Open the loft trap door on very cold days to let heat into the loft space
• If you're going away, ensure your water and heating systems are turned off at the mains and drained down. Alternatively leave your central heating system on to keep your home constantly heated to 12°C (55F). Also ask a friend or neighbour to check on your home to make sure pipes haven't burst or frozen
• Fix any dripping taps as they are more likely to freeze. (This will also save you money on your water bill as it can save up to a litre a day)
• Make sure you know where your stop tap is and check that you can turn it off easily in an emergency. Label it if it's not obvious and make sure anyone checking the house knows where it is