“Of course, your own actions are key: you should be thorough and careful and follow safety instructions and rules.

For example:

• Due to the risk of fire, candles should not be left to burn without supervision.
• Do not dry laundry in the sauna.
• You should not store items on the hob. Turva has had a claim where a dog accidentally turned on the hob, and the bread bin placed on the hob caught fire, and the fire spread in the kitchen.
• After a long night out, it’s not a great idea to start cooking, as there is a big risk that you will forget to turn off the hob.
• In case of a water leak, the taps of the washing machine and the dishwasher should be turned off when the appliances are not in use.
• It’s not recommended to store any silverware, furs or other valuable items that may attract burglars in the basement storage unit.

You can find more tips like these in the protection instructions attached to the insurance documents. Common sense will get you pretty far.”

“Yes, absolutely. A properly functioning smoke detector is a very importance piece of safety equipment. We also recommend installing a moisture detector with your dishwasher. The detector will alert you if, for example, the dishwasher’s water connection is leaking. You can buy a moisture detector, which costs about EUR 10, from a store that sells home appliances.

Another good piece of safety equipment in case of a water leak is a drip tray, which are also available for washing machines and fridges.

Bicycles must, of course, have a lock and the bicycle must be kept locked. If the bicycle is stolen, this is a prerequisite for a successful claim.”

“The content of home insurance varies a lot by insurance company. At Turva, the limited home insurance covers fires, natural phenomena and theft, basic home insurance also covers water leaks and floods, and comprehensive home insurance also covers sudden breakages.

We always try to make sure that the most suitable coverage is offered to the customer. Home insurance is usually offered as full-value insurance, in which case the maximum compensation is determined on the basis of the home’s floor area.

All Lumo residents must have home insurance.

However, every resident should consider their coverage themselves and think about how valuable their belongings are, among other things. If your belongings include items such as valuable works of art, these should be insured separately.

Home insurance for those living in an apartment building will be the same regardless of whether the resident owns or rents the apartment.

The most important thing is that your belongings and the building are covered by a valid home insurance policy. It’s also a good idea to learn more about the terms of the insurance, i.e. what the home insurance will cover in case of damage as well as protection instructions.”

“Each case of damage is different. For example, if it’s found out that the policyholder did not follow the protection instructions or caused the damage on purpose or through gross negligence, this may reduce the amount of money paid out or stop any money from being paid out altogether.

When it comes to coverage for belongings, the starting point is not what the item, e.g. a computer, cost when it was bought but what a similar computer would have been worth at the time the damage occurred. The excess and age reduction are also taken into account. Due to the age reduction, the money paid out for an old computer or bicycle may be significantly reduced.”

“The most common type is broken devices, such as phones falling on the floor. In the summer, there is also an unfortunately large amount of bicycle theft. When it comes to more major damage, the most common type is water leaks, followed by fires.

In addition, you should keep in mind that home insurance also covers many things you may not have initially thought of. Home insurance also includes liability and legal expenses insurance. It can help if, for example, your child accidentally scratches a car in the car park or you need to go to court. You can also choose to add luggage insurance to your policy, if needed.”

The questions were answered by Turva’s Service Manager Matti Hämäläinen and Specialist Teija Mattjus.

Learn more:

Dodge a disaster with home insurance | Lumo – Easily best living