24 hour Emergency Assistance
This is your Home Emergency Assistance wording - it includes everything you
need to know about the emergency cover available under the policy.
We suggest you keep this document in a safe and easily accessible place as you
will need to refer to it in an emergency.
This policy is designed to offer 24 hour assistance within your home for emergencies associated with:
Thank you for taking out a DAS Home Emergency Assistance policy.
To make sure you get the most from your DAS cover, please take the time to read
this policy, which explains the contract between you and us. If you have any
questions or would like more information, please contact your insurance adviser.
Once you have given us details of your claim and we have accepted it, we will
arrange for one of our approved contractors to assist you as quickly as possible.
To make a claim under your policy, please telephone us on 0800 389 8804 straight
away and provide the following information:
We will tell you what to do next. The telephone line is available 24 hours a day. Before requesting assistance please check that the circumstances are covered by this policy.
It is important that you contact our assistance operation centre as soon as possible after the home emergency and within 48 hours of becoming aware of the problem. Please note that remote locations and unforeseeable adverse weather conditions may affect normal standards of service.
We cannot help in any major emergency which could result in serious risk to you or substantial damage to your home. In this situation, you should immediately contact the Emergency Services and any company that supplied the service.
We will not pay any claim unless we have given our agreement, or if there is no one at home when our approved contractor arrives.
We will always try to give you a quality service. If you think we have let
you down, please write to our Managing Director at Head Office and he will try
to help.
Our Head and Registered Office is:
DAS Legal Expenses Insurance Company Limited, DAS House, Quay Side, Temple Back,
Bristol BS1 6NH.
Registered in England and Wales. Company number: 103274.
If you are still not happy, you can contact the Insurance Division of the Financial
Ombudsman Service at: South Quay Plaza, 183 Marsh Wall, London E14 9SR or
e-mail: complaint@theiob.org.uk.
DAS is a member of the Association of British Insurers, and we keep to the
ABI General Insurance Claims Code. This sets down the service standards that
you can expect if you have to make a claim. You can see the code at www.abi.org.uk
and at www.das.co.uk. If you would like a printed copy of the code, please write
to the ABI at: 51 Gresham Street, London EC2V 7HQ.
(Using these services does not affect your right to take legal action.)
DAS is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority.
You, your
The person who has taken out this policy.
Insured person
You and any person who lives in or is staying at your home.
Home
Your principal home (having no more than 15
rooms) situated within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland,
the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands.
Home emergency
A sudden unforeseen event which requires immediate corrective action to:
(a) prevent damage or further damage to your home; or
(b) to make your home safe or secure; or
(c) alleviate unreasonable discomfort, risk or difficulty to any insured person.
Period of cover
The period for which we have agreed to cover you.
Main heating system
The main hot water or central heating system in your home. This includes pipes
which connect components of the system but not cold water supply or drainage
pipes. This does not include any non-domestic heating or hot water systems or
any form of solar heating.
Plumbing and drainage
The cold water supply and drainage system within the boundary of your home and
for which you are legally responsible. This does not include pipes:
1 Your policy only covers you if you have paid your premium. We agree to provide
the insurance in this policy, keeping to the terms, conditions and exclusions
as long as the home emergency happens during the period of cover.
2 If the service you need is not provided under these terms, we will try (if
you wish) to arrange it at your expense. The terms of such service are a matter
for you and your supplier.
3 We will pay up to £500 (including VAT) for:
(i) the call out charge and up to 2 hours’ labour costs; and
(ii) parts and materials subject to a maximum of £100 including VAT;
in providing assistance for a home emergency which arises from an insured incident.
Insured Incidents
(a) Plumbing and drainage
The sudden damage to, or blockage, breakage or flooding of, the drains or plumbing
system in your home.
(b) Main Heating System
The sudden failure to function of the main heating system in your home.
(c) Domestic power supply
The failure of the domestic electricity, or domestic gas supply, but not the
failure of the mains supply.
(d) Toilet unit
Impact damage to, or mechanical failure of, the toilet bowl or cistern in your
home which results in complete loss of function.
(e) Home security
Damage to, or the failure of, external doors, windows or locks which compromises
the security of your home.
(f) Lost keys
The loss of the only available set of keys to your home if you cannot replace
them, or gain normal access.
1 Any claim following an insured incident which happens during the first 14
days from the start of your period of cover.
2 Any incident or matter arising before the start of this policy.
3 Any normal day-to-day home maintenance which an insured person should carry
out or pay for (such as servicing of heating and hot water systems) and the
replacement of parts that tend to gradually wear out over a period of time or
need regular attention.
4 The cost of redecorating, or cosmetic repairs to parts or equipment in your
home.
5 Any claim where your home has been left unoccupied for 30 consecutive days.
6 Any claim arising from an insured person’s failure to comply with our
instructions in respect of the assistance being provided.
7 Any costs incurred before an insured person has notified us of a home emergency.
8 Claims arising from any wilful or negligent act or omission by an insured
person.
9 Any claim relating to the interruption, failure or disconnection of the mains
electricity, mains gas or mains water supply.
10 Any claim relating to the failure of equipment or facilities which is a result
of them being incorrectly installed, repaired or modified, or which is caused
by a design fault which makes them inadequate or unfit for use.
11 Claims for parts or labour if the equipment or facility is still under guarantee
or warranty from the manufacturer, supplier or installer.
12 The malfunction or blockage of septic tanks, cess pits or fuel tanks.
13 Damage incurred in gaining necessary access to, or in reinstating the fabric
of, your home.
14 Any claims arising out of subsidence, landslip or heave.
15 Any properties that you own that are not your main residence or that you
rent or let.
16 Damage to boundary walls, gates, hedges or fences and any damage to garages
or outbuildings.
17 Any claim related to an insured person’s failure to purchase or provide
sufficient gas, electricity or other fuel source.
18 Any costs incurred where our approved contractor has attended but your home
was unoccupied.
19 Home emergencies caused by, contributed to by or arising from:
- ionising radiation or contamination by radioactivity from any nuclear fuel
or from any nuclear waste from burning nuclear fuel;
- the radioactive, toxic, explosive or other hazardous properties of any explosive
nuclear assembly or nuclear part of it;
- war, invasion, foreign enemy hostilities (whether war is declared or not),
civil war, rebellion, revolution, military force or coup;
- pressure waves caused by aircraft or any other airborne devices travelling
at sonic or supersonic speeds;
- pollution or contamination of any kind.
20 Apart from us, the insured person is the only person who may enforce all
or any part of this policy and the rights and interests arising from or connected
with it. This means that the Contract (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999 does
not apply to the policy in relation to any third party rights or interest.
1 Claims must be reported to us as soon as possible and no later than 48 hours
after you first become aware of the home emergency.
2 An insured person must:
(a) keep to the terms and conditions of this policy;
(b) maintain the home and all domestic equipment in good condition, and carry
out or arrange regular inspections and preventative maintenance to the fabric
and structure of the home;
(c) try to prevent anything happening that may cause a claim;
(d) take reasonable steps to keep any amount we have to pay as low as possible.
3 We can cancel this policy at any time as long as we tell you at least 21 days
beforehand.
You can cancel this policy at any time as long as you tell us at least 21 days
beforehand.
4 We will make every effort to provide the service at all times, but we will
not be responsible for any liability arising from a breakdown of the service
for reasons we cannot control.
5 We will not be responsible for any consequential loss in connection with the
home emergency, however it is caused.
6 We will not pay any claim covered under any other policy, or any claim that
would have been covered by any other policy if this policy did not exist.
7 This policy will be governed by English law.
Managing Director
© DAS Legal Expenses Insurance Company Limited