Building & Contents Cover Assumptions

Windows
All external basement, ground floor and other accessible (accessible means adjacent to roofs, fire escapes, down spouts/drain pipes) windows fanlights or skylights which are opening by design (originally constructed to open), must be:

(a) secured with a key operated window lock or
(b) 10cm screw through the frame on the opening part of the window into the frame

In the case of windows which are to be protected by solid steel or iron bars, the bars are to be fixed securely to the brickwork or masonry surrounding the window and are to be not less than 5cms in diameter and not more than 10 cms apart.

(Accessible means that access can be gained without the use of a ladder and includes windows or openings adjacent to roofs, fire escapes, down spouts/drain pipes etc)

Doors
All external doors (and internal doors which lead to other parts of the Building which are not under the Insured’s sole control) are to be secured with a five lever mortice deadlock.

Patio doors to be fitted with supplementary bolts top and bottom (in addition to the manufacturer’s lock/s) unless an alarm is required in which case an alarm contact is to be in place on the patio door itself in addition to the required physical protections.

Double glazed (and/or UPVC and Aluminium doors), to be secured with a five lever mortice deadlock or locking systems where the lock engages with the frame at more than one point (upon the operation of a single key or handle turn and not independently of each other).

Double doors- on the first closing leaf, flush or barrel bolts at least 200mm long top and bottom are to be fitted and on the second closing leaf, a five mortice lever deadlock or a five lever close shackle padlock is to be fitted.

Five lever mortice deadlocks can be substituted for locks that conform to BS3621.

Roller shutter doors, which are not electronically controlled, are to be secured with a five lever close shackle padlock.

Construction
The property is of standard construction (brick and tile with a pitched roof), maintained to a high standard and has never suffered from subsidence, landslip and heave or in an area with a history of this.

Flood
It is not in an area that has flooded or in an area with an increased likelihood of flooding and not within 100m of a large body of water, river or sea or ANY flowing water that is likely to cause a flood.