Anyone know anything about home contents insurance?

[autopilot]

I have a Dyson DC05 vacuum cleaner, which i have had for approx 3 years. A couple of days it would seem the motor burnt out. So i phoned Barclays Insurance only to be told it's not covered as it's 'ware and tear'. Does a 3 year old failed motor count as 'ware and tear'?

It seems very unfair to me, i could have kicked down the stairs and claimed fine, or just 'lost' it, but being sensible and looking after my stuff only for it to go faulty and get told im not covered?

Is this right? What exactly is the point in insurance these days. It goes up and up when i dont claim and find out so often that stuffs not covered.

[chadders]

Phone Dyson... think they have a fixed fee service/repair and re-guarantee for a year.

edit: www.dyson.co.uk/support look under service tariff.

[Saracen]

I hesitate to say that contents policies never cover wear and tear, because if I do, someone will probably manage to quote the one policy that does.

What I will say is that you get the cover the policy says you do, and I've certainly never seen a standard contents policy that covers wear and tear. And of course, you get what you pay for. Generally, with a contents policy, you'll be covered for loss, theft and (usually optionally) accidental damage. But I'd bet wear and tear is explicitly excluded.

So is this wear and tear? Who knows. How long would a motor be expected to last? It rather depends how the machine is used. If you're a cleaner and Buckingham palace and it's used for 8 hours a day, 6 days a week, I' suspect it's lasted damn well. If you're a bit of a slob and you vacuum every other month whether it's needed or not, then the motor's died early ..... probably of boredom.

But either way, most contents (if not all) policies don't protect against domestic equipment just dying. If it had been, oh, a digital camera and you'd slipped on a wet floor and dropped it in the bath (though I won't question too closely what you were doing with your digital camera in the bathroom ), then it'd be accidental damage and, arguably, covered.

But a motor failing from use? Not in my experience.

Of course, you might have a Sale of Goods Act claim against the seller, but I rather suspect that even there, you're perhaps pushing your luck a bit. Would I expect a motor to fail in three years? Not given normal use. But it wouldn't surprise me a whole lot either.

[hamd01]

I generally think that insurance companies are the scum of the earth....however, I must admit that I'd be inclined to agree with them that something like a vacume cleaner dying aftert 3 years isnt really a insurance issue. If everyone could claim when something gave up the ghost our insurance premiums would double. Also, the extra insurance you are offered when you purchase a fridge, freezer, microwave...computer....wouldnt have a place in the market if peoples home contents insurance covered them.

[capt_cornflake]

I'm not sure if it's a recent thing, but the new Dysons have a 5 year guarantee that would cover this

[greenalien]

Dysons are not unknown for burning out motors - they may have no bags to change, but if you don't change the dust filters regularly (filters that, incidentally, cost about the same as the bags for other machines...) then the cooling airflow gets restricted and they overheat. Not the kind of thing that would normally be covered by insurance.

[autopilot]

I missed the dead line for 5 year warranty. The guy at Dyson seemed genuinely surprised that it was classed as ware and tear, but did tell me that the would fix it for a max of £65 which i will probably do. Thanks for your help guys.

[b0redom]

If you're a bit of a slob and you vacuum every other month whether it's needed or not, then the motor's died early ..... probably of boredom.

It wasn't me... </shaggy>

[Zak33]

Dysons are not unknown for burning out motors - they may have no bags to change, but if you don't change the dust filters regularly (filters that, incidentally, cost about the same as the bags for other machines...) then the cooling airflow gets restricted and they overheat. Not the kind of thing that would normally be covered by insurance.

many Dysons dont need filters changing for a long long time though. Some have lifetime filters

[shrek101]

Dyson have a great after sales service. Last time I remember you paid about &#163;55 may have gone up and they would service and replace anything for that price regardless of course unless it was probably well and truly duff.

They came on time, cleaned up there mess and most of all they didnt charge me for over 2 year old Dyson.