Living in County Wexford brings coastal scenery, lively towns and rural communities.
It also means homes may face Atlantic wind, heavy rain, winter cold and the everyday risks of owning or renting a property. Reviewing home insurance cover in Ireland before a problem occurs can help households understand what protection they have and where gaps remain.
The right policy is not simply the cheapest quote. It should reflect the building, the contents and the way the property is used.
Check the Rebuild Cost, Not the Sale Price
Buildings cover is generally based on how much it would cost to rebuild the home, rather than its sale price. A property in Wexford town, Gorey, Enniscorthy or New Ross might be worth one figure, but a very different sum would be needed to reconstruct it following damage.
From time to time, check the amount for which you are covered if adding an extension, converting an attic, carrying out a home renovation, or if building costs rise. If this number is out of date, you are setting your family up to be under-insured should you need to make a large payout on a policy.
Count What Is Inside the Home
Contents insurance is easy to undervalue because people typically only think of TVs, furniture and white goods. Clothes, laptops, kitchen equipment, power tools and bikes all need to be accounted for. Also, it would be amazing how little is typically parked in a shed.
Doing a room-by-room inventory will result in a more accurate figure. Keep photographs, receipts and valuations of expensive items in a location away from home that can be visited in the event of a claim. Tenants of rental premises may not need buildings cover, but they should still account for their contents.
Read the Storm and Flood Terms
Home insurance usually covers events such as a fire, theft, storm or flooding, but policies differ when it comes to their terms and conditions, excesses, and exclusions. It is something that may concern homeowners in coastal, river or flood-prone areas especially.
Check the policy to see if accidental damage is included or optional, what emergency assistance is available and if alternative accommodation cover is available if the property becomes uninhabitable. Don’t assume all types of water damage are treated the same.
Reduce Avoidable Risks
Insurance operates best if sensible maintenance is in place. Clear those gutters, fix loose garden furniture and check roof tiles prior to a storm. Wrap up your exposed pipes during wintry weather and all residents should know where the stopcock is situated. Strong locks and effective alarms may also reduce the scale of a loss.
If the damage occurs, make the property safe whenever possible, take photographs, and then contact the insurer before commissioning any significant repair works.
Review the Policy Each Year
A Wexford household can change significantly in twelve months. New electronics, home-office equipment, renovations or a period when the property is unoccupied may affect the cover required.
An annual home insurance review lets owners and renters update valuations, compare terms and confirm that the policy still matches real life. The goal is not to predict every incident, but to prevent one storm, leak or burglary from becoming a much larger financial setback.
Jason Redmond
From Gorey, Jason is the owner of Wexford Weekly. He is also a post-primary English and History teacher.
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