Y o u r M o n e y
The SFA Licence to Occupy actually adds two additional clauses. The first makes you responsible for damage to the SFA whether accidental or not, and the second makes you responsible for items left in the home which are under your custody or control such as cookers, carpets and curtains, but which you do not actually own.
Tenant’s liability There is insurance cover available to meet these risks through specialist Forces home insurance policies and this extension is either referred to as ‘Tenant’s Liability’ or ‘move- out’ cover and is usually provided with other covers such as kit and personal possessions.
So is there really a risk?
An example of a recent incident was where there was a fire in a SFA caused by a young child finding a cigarette lighter, setting alight some clothing which then caused smoke damage to the SFA. The family are not legally liable as the child is under the age of responsibility but they have still been billed £5,000 for redecorating the SFA.
Ultimately, it is the individual family’s responsibility to determine what cover, if any,
they wish to purchase but the advice from the Financial Services Authority as well as MoD is that you should shop around. You should also make certain that you are receiving informed advice appropriate for your needs.
There is an MoD accredited list of firms specialising in providing tailored policies for HM Forces and their details can be found at
www.siiap.org where there is other useful and impartial information about insurance requirements for HM Forces.
Some useful questions when seeking insurance cover
• Ask if the policy will provide cover for ‘move-out’ if you are living in SFA
• Ask the insurer if the policy will operate if you are posted outside the UK
• Ask if the insurer will be able to provide cover for your home contents in storage if you ‘let’ your own property unfurnished
• Ask the insurer if the policy will provide cover for your home contents if you leave the
property unoccupied for any significant length of time or whilst you are on deployment
• Ask the insurer if they are able to provide cover for your personal possessions and kit worldwide and whilst in transit including marine transit, if you are moving from Cyprus to Germany for example, or Catterick to Lisburn
• Check whether your insurer has experience in settling claims for members of HM Forces and understands that you may have bought items overseas and tax free
• Check the policy exclusions that are set out in the policy summary.
For further information on kit insurance, contents insurance and tenant’s liability cover, visit
www.siiap.org SIIAP (the Services Insurance and Investment Advisory Panel) is an advisory panel of regulated insurance and independent investment advisers. They all specialise in offering services to members of HM Forces and regulated by the appropriate authority in the United Kingdom, therefore offering full compensation rights to clients whether serving overseas or in the UK.
www.raf-ff.org.uk
Autumn 2010
37
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