Do I need to disclose body corporate insurance claims on my own insurance?

[adwood88]

Hi all - good to see this forum exists!

I'm applying for personal insurance for my own house and contents, but I'm unsure about how to answer a question in the application form. I'd like to be completely honest in my application, but I also don't want insert unnecessary information that would potentially prevent me getting insurance.

The application form asks if I have experienced any loss in the last five years, and also *any* (their emphasis) loss of $5000 or more to *any* property?

As it turns out, about four years ago, a body corporate which I owned a flat in was damaged in a weather-related event, and a claim was made by the body corporate which resulted in about $5900 of repairs.

My question is, do I have to declare this on the application form - given it was the body corporate who experienced the loss, and the body corporate who was the insured party? And if I did have to declare it, what would be the "loss" to me? (Would it be be $5900 divided by the number of flats, which of course would now be much less than the $5000 limit).

My apologies if this is a legal question - I'm quite happy to ask a lawyer. But maybe this is a straightforward question with a simple answer that people with personal experience can share.

Thanks, Linda W
Auckland

[SimonW]

My feeling is that you are not personally connected to the body corporate's insurance policy (even if you pay a portion of the premium and may receive some benefit) so therefore you do not need to divulge it.

A case in point is an earthquake claim lodged by my body corporate that I called the insurance company to discuss. Although I paid fees to the body corporate, I was not entitled to receive any information from the insurance company about the policy or claim. As far as the insurance company was concerned, I was not their client. I would have thought that logic goes both ways.

While you may have the end benefit of any insurance, that is only by the grace of the body corporate - you yourself are not the insured party. That's just my take on it. I would also be interested to hear other opinions on this.

[Bob Kane]

I agree with your opinion, Simon.