FAQs
We realise you might have some questions about Love Your Hut insurance.
You will receive the Insurance Product Information Document with your quote but here are the answers to some Frequently Asked Questions.
General Questions
Q. What is Love Your Hut?
A. Love Your Hut is a policy and service designed especially for owners of beach huts, beach chalets, shepherd’s huts and other hut structures.
Q. Why do beach huts and chalets require specialist cover?
A. Because they face different risks from inland structures which are made from concrete and brick. Beach huts and chalets are generally made of timber which can be damaged more easily and also require a lot more maintenance. Beach huts and chalets face the added risks of storm, wind, storm surge as well as general sea damage. They also face risks of vandalism, malicious damage and arson when you are not at your hut or chalet. For these reasons beach huts and chalets cannot be covered under household insurance.
Q. Why can beach hut and chalet insurance cost more than my home insurance?
A. Because they face more exposure to weather due to their construction and coastal position. They are exposed to inundation from the sea and storm surge with no foundations to prevent the hut moving or from being damaged.
Q. Who is the insurer?
A. Love Your Hut is underwritten by Legal & General Insurance Limited (Registered number: 00423930) registered in England and Wales at One Coleman Street, London, EC2R 5AA and ERGO Versicherung AG (Registered number: BR016401) registered in England and Wales at Plantation Place, 30 Fenchurch Street, London, EC3M 3AJ.
Legal & General Insurance Limited (Register number 202050) and ERGO Versicherung AG (Register number 602490) are authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority.
Q. Does the Love Your Hut policy have an administration fee?
A. Details of the Customer Service Charge are in our Terms of Business.
Q. How do I make a Claim?
A. Love Your Hut is supported by a dedicated claims team who will take every care to ensure your claim is handled quickly and fairly. To make a claim under your Love Your Hut policy, please contact us.
Q. How do I calculate the sum insured of my hut?
A. A local contractor or manufacturer would be the best person to provide you with a rebuilding sum insured. Love Your Hut insurance is based on the amount it would cost to rebuild your hut or beach chalet including any professional fees, demolition and site clearance. Don’t forget to include fixtures and fitting plus VAT in your calculations. Your calculation should not be based on the market value. To see our article on underinsurance, please click here.
Q. Can I cover the contents of my hut or beach chalet?
A. Yes. During the beach hut quote process you will be asked to provide a sum insured for your contents so we fully understand your risk. However, You can tailor the policy to the sum insured you require.
Please click here for the Love Your Hut Contents Inventory, to help you assess your sum insured.
To see our article on underinsurance, please click here.
Contents cover is also available for beach chalets and shepherd’s huts. Our consultant will discuss the amount of cover you need when providing your quote.
Q. Where can I find a copy of the Policy Document or Insurance Product Information Document or your Terms of Business?
A. These documents are available throughout the quote process. Please feel free to contact us or complete our enquiry form if you would like us to send you a copy.
Q. How do I amend my policy?
A. If you have already purchased your Love Your Hut policy then please contact us if you need to make any changes.
If you are still at the quote stage then please select ‘Retrieve Quote’ on the right to amend the quotation.
If you contacted us for a quote over the phone, please contact us and we will make the amendment to your quotation.
Policy Cover Questions
Q. What does the Love Your Hut policy cover?
A. Love Your Hut is physical risks policy, covering you for such perils as storm, vandalism, fire, flood, accidental damage, inundation from the sea and subsidence.
Love Your Hut also covers your liability as a hut owner, loss of rent or licence fee, liability for some watercraft, temporary liability for art or clerical-related business use.
We have added additional cover for emergency travel to a large loss, loss of keys, alternative facilities, trace and access and accidental damage to underground pipes.
Q. Do I have cover for site clearance and demolition costs?
A. Yes, this is covered under buildings. You may get asked by the council to ensure you have a certain amount of cover, say £500. Our policy does not restrict the amount of cover you have, but you need to ensure that the buildings sum insured is sufficient to include this.
Q. What is the Policy Excess?
A. The standard policy excess is £nil.
Q. My hut is not timber, will Love Your Hut cover me?
A. Yes, Love Your Hut covers all constructions, including timber, concrete and brick. We will discuss this with you at the time of quoting. Discounts apply for brick and concrete huts and chalets. Please tell us if you have had your hut cladded. If you have a Mudeford chalet we do offer discounts for the new construction structures.
Q. Do I have to have shutters fitted to my beach hut or chalet?
A. No, it is not a condition of your Love Your Hut policy, but we would advise you to make your sure that your hut is always locked and secured when left unattended. If you require any advice on the security of your hut please contact us.
Q. How do I know I have a beach hut or a beach chalet?
A. The one big difference is that a beach chalet will have a licence allowing you to sleep in overnight whereas a beach hut does not. Your local council will be able to confirm this. Beach chalets can have mains water, electricity etc.
Chalets are not restricted to the beach and we cover chalets by rivers, in fields and woodland.
Q. Am I covered if I rent out my beach hut or chalet?
A. Yes. Your Love Your Hut policy automatically includes cover whilst your hut is rented out. You are covered for pre-booked rent receivable and this is limited to 20% of the building sum insured and the Liability cover under your policy is extended to include this whilst the hut is rented out.
Q. Am I covered if I store my beach hut or chalet?
A. Yes, you are covered at any secure storage facility in the United Kingdom. Please advise Love Your Hut if you are putting your hut in to storage for part of the year.
Q. Am I covered for Liability as owner and occupier of the beach hut or chalet?
A. Yes. In our experience local councils will request a minimum of £5m of cover is in place and your Love Your Hut policy provides this.
Many councils require you to provide proof that you have £5m of cover as a minimum.
Q. Does my Love Your Hut policy cover liability for owning a Watercraft?
A. Yes, it does. You are covered for bodily injury and damage arising out of ownership of any watercraft, up to 12ft (3.65m) in length and not more than 15 years old, kept at the building(s).
If you have a Mudeford chalet we will endorse your policy so you can provide this to the council.
Q. Can I extend my Love Your Hut policy to cover my Watercraft?
A. Yes, we can provide cover for Watercraft up to 12ft (3.65m) in length and not more than 15 years old kept at the building(s) for loss or damage whilst not in use.
Q. Does average apply to the policy?
A. No, average does not apply to the Love Your Hut policy and you will have no deduction from any claims settlement replacement or total loss. The sum insured should be the full value of the buildings and contents. The buildings should be sufficient to rebuild the property as new, including the cost of fees and VAT.
To see our article on underinsurance, please click here.
Please click here for the Love Your Hut Contents Inventory, to help you assess your sum insured.
Q. Do I have to review my sum insured every two years?
A. No, it is not a condition of your policy. We would advise you to review the amount you insure your buildings and contents for at each renewal to check that the sum insured covers the rebuilding value of your hut or beach chalet and the contents you keep there. Please remember to include any professional fees, demolition, site clearance and fixtures and fittings, plus VAT, in your calculations.
To see our article on underinsurance, please click here.
Please click here for the Love Your Hut Contents Inventory, to help you assess your sum insured.
Quote and Buy Questions
Q. Can I increase my contents cover?
A. Yes. We are happy to tailor the policy to your needs. Simply select the amount of cover you need on our online quote form.
Please click here for the Love Your Hut Contents Inventory, to help you assess your sum insured.
Q. I don’t have any contents – can I just insure the buildings?
A. Yes. We are happy to tailor the policy to your needs. During the quote process you may select £0 as an option for contents cover.
Q. I know my sums insured, how do I get a quote?
A. Select ‘Quick Quote’ on the right for an easy estimate of the cost of your insurance. You may then proceed to a full quote. Our process is very simple and should take no more than a few minutes to complete.
We are unable to provide online quotes for beach chalets, shepherd’s huts or other hut structures, so please contact us for a quote.
Q. I prefer to speak to someone about my insurance. How do I contact you?
A. We pride ourselves on our personal service and we have a dedicated team to help you. Please feel free to contact us or complete our enquiry form and a Consultant will contact you.
Beach Hut Association Questions
Q. I am a Member of a Beach Hut Owners’ Association, do I get a premium discount?
A. Yes. You will be asked for your association’s name and your membership number, during the quote process. Your quote will include your premium discount.
Q. There isn’t a Beach Hut Owners’ Association in my area. Can I start one?
A. Yes. We actively promote and work with associations. If you would like to discuss setting up an association, please contact us or complete our enquiry form.
Q. What are the benefits of joining or starting a Beach Hut Owners’ Association?
A. From our experience, associations not only provide a security watch but they are also dedicated to the well-being of the Hutter and their hut. Take a look at our Love Your Association pages which provide further details. You can join a beach hut association and receive the many benefits for a small annual fee.
Shepherd Hut Questions
Q. Am I covered if I rent out my shepherd’s hut?
A. Yes, your Love Your Hut policy automatically includes cover whilst your hut is rented out. You are covered for pre-booked rent receivable and this is limited to 20% of the building sum insured and the Liability cover under your policy is extended to include this whilst the hut is rented out.
Q. Am I covered if I have a wood burning stove in my shepherd’s hut?
A. Yes, though we do require some sensible protections. The shepherds’ hut must have a fire extinguisher and fire blanket installed, all wood burning stoves, fires and flues must be mounted on a secure fire retardant surface and all fires and wood burning stoves must be fully extinguished before the shepherds’ hut is left unattended.
Q. Are there any security requirements for your shepherd’s hut?
A. Yes. We do require some minimum protections to be in force such as a hitch lock or other locking device to prevent the shepherd’s hut from being towed or that the hut is secured to an immobile object. We will discuss this with you when we quote for your hut.
Q. Can I obtain a reduction in my shepherd’s hut premium for a voluntary excess?
A. Yes, we offer discounts for voluntary excesses of £100, £200 and £500 – ask your Love Your Hut consultant for details.
Q. Am I covered while the shepherd’s hut is been towed or transported?
A. No. We cannot provide this cover and this should be provided by the hut maker or under a motor insurance policy.
Q. Am I covered if my shepherd’s hut is in a different location from my home address?
A. Yes, you will be asked the risk address when you are obtaining your quotation.
Other Questions
Q. What other huts do Love Your Hut cover?
A. Love Your Hut will consider all huts…including converted train carriages, fishing huts, shed-working huts, gypsy caravans and Tiny Houses. Please contact us on 01608 648430 for a quotation.
Q. How do I maintain my hut during the year?
A. Love Your Hut have put together useful Maintenance Tips for the hutting year, which we hope you find helpful.
Q. Can Love Your Hut recommend any contractors?
A. No, we cannot recommend any contractors but we have put together a useful Contractors List which we hope you will find helpful.
01608 648430