The important distinction between Buildings Declared Value and Buildings Sum Insured (2024)

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The important distinction between Buildings Declared Value and Buildings Sum Insured (1)

October2019

The Buildings Sum Insured shown on some policy schedules and certificates can result in confusion for policyholders regarding the level of cover they have purchased. Consequently, people can inadvertently rely on the inflated ‘Sum Insured’ figure, when it is in fact the Buildings Declared Value that determines the adequacy of cover.

The Buildings Declared Value should be sufficient to cover the entire cost of reinstating the property, including the costs of any debris removal and professional fees, on the first day of the Policy Period. This figure is then uplifted by a percentage to calculate the Buildings Sum Insured, which covers any increased rebuild costs as a result of inflation after the first day of the Policy Period.

So, what is the significance of Buildings Declared Value?

The Declared Value is the cost of rebuilding the premises insured on the first day (day one) of each period of insurance. This must include the cost of reinstatement, debris removal, professional fees and compliance with EU regulations. As long as this figure is adequate at the first day of the Policy Period, any claim against the buildings section will be free from the Condition of Average, which is also known as ‘underinsurance’.

If the figure is inadequate, then there is a possibility that the Condition of Average could be applied, which means that any valid claim payout would be proportionally reduced by the amount that the property is deemed to be underinsured for.

Diving deeper, the inflation provision generating the Buildings Sum Insured is the percentage uplift designed to cover inflation during the insurance year and during the subsequent period required for designing, planning, tendering and actual reconstruction - however long that may take. Once the percentage uplift is applied, this gives the Buildings Sum Insured.

The percentage uplift can be intentionally significantly higher than any realistic costs of inflation to ensure that inflation does not pose an issue for Policyholders. Unfortunately, due to the confusion and misperception that exists between the Buildings Declared Value and Buildings Sum Insured, this can inadvertently cause Policyholders to believe that they have a higher level of cover than they do.

It is vital to understand that the key figure for ensuring that a suitable level of buildings insurance is in place is the Buildings Declared Value; it is essential that this figure is adequate to fully reinstate the building on the first day of the Policy.

Over time, the building’s Declared Value may move out of sync with its market level, even with annual indexation applied. You can access free rebuild calculators online to give a general guide for the property’s rebuild cost, such as the calculator offered by the Association of British Insurers, however an Insurance Reinstatement Survey undertaken by a RICS registered surveyor will always generate the most accurate figure.

If you would like to find out more about how to ensure that your insurance coverage is comprehensive and appropriate for your needs, please contact us here and one of our team will be in touch.

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The important distinction between Buildings Declared Value and Buildings Sum Insured (2024)

FAQs

The important distinction between Buildings Declared Value and Buildings Sum Insured? ›

The declared value does not take into account any inflation. This figure is given by you – the insured, but the 'sum insured' figure is calculated by your insurance company, utilising calculations based upon projected upswings in inflation.

What is the difference between declared value and insured value? ›

What is the difference between sum insured and declared value? Your Policy schedule will often show two values one referred to as the Declared Value and the other as the Sum Insured. The difference between these two figures is simply how the insurance contract handles inflation during the insured period.

What does buildings declared value mean? ›

Buildings Declared Value is the total cost to rebuild the property (including all fixtures and fittings, car parks, pavements and similar property for which you are responsible) at the start date of your policy. It also includes an allowance for professional fees and debris removal costs.

What is the sum insured or insurance value? ›

The value attributed by the policyholder to the property is called the sum insured, which is the maximum limit of indemnity to be paid by the insurer in the event of a claim.

What is sum insured value for a building? ›

A building's sum insured is the total cost of rebuilding your property from scratch, including any professional fees such as builders or architects. It's important to note that it's not the same as your home's market value, which might be higher or lower than the rebuild cost.

What is the sum insured property? ›

The sum insured of a property is usually computed on a replacement cost basis, which is the cost to replace (i.e., to reconstruct) the property, and necessary incidental charges like professional and debris removal fees.

What does sum insured mean? ›

What is the meaning of sum insured? The sum insured is the amount that the insurance company pays to the policyholder in the case of an unpredictable event, such as an illness. The amount paid is a reimbursem*nt for the costs incurred and not a fixed sum of money like the sum assured.

What is the purpose of the declared value? ›

Declared value is the cost of a shipped item as stated by its shipper. Declared value is an option when calculating freight charges. It is used for limiting the carrier's liability for delay, loss, or damages.

Is declared value important? ›

Customs uses the declared value of imported goods to calculate the tax or duty for the shipment. This is why it is so important to assign the correct declared value – you could either end up paying more than necessary or be held liable if you make a false declaration.

What determines the value of a building? ›

A home's value is affected by local real estate trends, the housing market, the home's condition, age, location and property size.

What is the effect of sum insured? ›

Sum Insured is an indemnity benefit that offers a policyholder the reimbursem*nt of the actual cost of their medical expenses (in health insurance policies). Sum Assured is an assured monetary benefit that is promised to a policyholder or their beneficiary at the beginning of a policy.

Is sum insured the same as agreed value? ›

Your sum insured represents the replacement price of your car, including the value of any legal modifications and on-road costs (like registration and CTP Insurance). You can choose agreed value or market value to insure your car.

What is the difference between sum insured and claim? ›

Sum Insured (SI) is the maximum amount that is provided to you (the insured) in case you make a claim due to a medical emergency, treatment for illness, etc. It is directly based on the concept of indemnity. So, when you make a claim, you will get a reimbursem*nt of the costs spent on the medical treatment.

What is the declared value of a property? ›

Your declared value is the amount it would take to cover the full reinstatement of your property, including: Demolition and clearance of debris. Surveyor and architect fees. Groundwork.

How do you calculate insured declared value? ›

The simple formula to calculate IDV is:
  1. IDV = Manufacturer's registered price – depreciation.
  2. Insured Declared Value = (Company's listed price – Depreciation value) + (Cost of vehicle accessories - Depreciation value of the accessories)

What percentage of your home's value should be insured? ›

What Is the 80% Rule for Home Insurance? The 80% rule is adhered to by most insurance companies. According to the standard, an insurer will only cover the cost of damage to a house or property if the homeowner has purchased insurance coverage equal to at least 80% of the house's total replacement value.

What is declared value in insurance? ›

The Declared Value is the cost of rebuilding the premises insured on the first day (day one) of each period of insurance. This must include the cost of reinstatement, debris removal, professional fees and compliance with EU regulations.

What is the meaning of insured value? ›

The term 'IDV' refers to the maximum claim your insurer will pay if your vehicle is damaged beyond repair or is stolen. Suppose the market value of your car is Rs. 8 lakh when you buy the policy. That means the insurer will disburse a maximum amount of Rs. 8 lakh.

What items need to be taken into account to determine the sum insured? ›

Your sum insured is calculated using information specific to your house, including • the size of the physical building(s) • features of the building – such as how many bathrooms it has, what it's built of and whether it's built on a hill • fixed chattels – such as stoves, heat pumps and fixed carpets • outdoor features ...

What is the difference between sum insured and premium? ›

A simple summary of the sum insured is money (Coverage) that we will receive from life insurance companies. The insurance premium is the money we must pay to life insurance companies. Normally, sum insured, and insurance premiums will vary accordingly.

What is the difference between total insured value and policy limit? ›

Total insurable value (TIV) is the maximum dollar amount that will be paid out on an insured asset when deemed to be a constructive or actual total loss. The maximum coverage limit for an insurance policy is determined by conducting a full inventory of a property and its contents.

Can we increase the sum insured? ›

1. Increase Your Existing Sum Insured. Almost all insurers will give you the option to increase the sum insured of your existing policy at the time of renewal.

What is an example of declared value? ›

RETAIL = calculate declared value based on the price at which the item was sold. For example, your cost to purchase an item might be $17.00 (COST), while the price at which you sell the item is $35.00 (RETAIL).

Who pays the declared value? ›

With declared value coverage, the insured party declares the value of their goods and pays an additional premium to cover the declared value. In the event of loss or damage to the goods, the insurer will compensate the insured party up to the declared value, subject to the terms and conditions of the insurance policy.

How do you determine declared value? ›

Declared value is the estimated value of the card after it has been graded by PSA. Meaning, if you have a card that is worth $100 raw, but you expect it to be a PSA 10 which means the value would be $1,000 as a PSA 10, then $1,000 would be your declared value.

Can you change declared value? ›

Email your customs change request

Customs agents may also decide on a new value for your package if they determine the declared value is artificially low. Finally, in the case a package is lost or damaged, incorrect information can impact of amount you can received from an insurance claim.

Can I lie for declared value? ›

So whilst some of you may be thinking that it's tempting to under declare the value of your goods, you should know that Customs do regular spot checks on parcels to check the contents and the value of the goods inside, and being caught lying could result in penalty fines, delays with delivery or even prosecution.

What does total declared value mean? ›

Declared value is the amount a shipper stated to the carrier that his shipment is worth. In case of any loss or damage to the shipment during transport, the carrier is liable to compensate the shipper on the basis of the declared value.

What are the most important determinants of the value of a property? ›

This becomes all the more important for those who are buying a property purely for investment purposes. The five key factors to be considered while determining a property's value are – Location; Construction; Orientation & View; History, and External Factors.

What determines the value in use of a property? ›

The value of real property can be influenced by many factors, such as location and type of use; however, when appraisers make/render an opinion of market value, they must also take into consideration how typical buyers and sellers are responding in the market.

What are the four 4 factors that create the value of the property? ›

The current and future importance consumers place on the four factors of value (Desire, Utility, Scarcity, and Effective Purchasing Power) represents Demand and Supply of the product or service. If you would like to learn more about Urban Statistic, you can look at our independent property valuations service here.

What is an example of a sum insured? ›

For instance, assuming you have a health insurance policy with a basic sum insured of ₹1 lakh. If you get hospitalised and have to pay ₹50,000 in medical bills, the insurance company will reimburse the entire amount.

What does exceed sum insured mean? ›

It is the maximum amount that the insurance company will pay in a particular year if you undergo hospitalization. If your hospitalization expenses exceed the sum insured, you will have to pay the excess amount out of your pocket.

Can we reduce sum insured? ›

But, you should also note that with an increase in sum insured amount, your coverage will increase thereby increasing the insurer's liability. This will require you to pay a higher premium. Not only increase but the companies also allow you to decrease the sum insured amount in case of change of requirements.

Is it better to choose market value or agreed value? ›

Pros: Market valuation typically results in lower car insurance premiums than agreed value, simply because the market value of your vehicle is likely to be less than any valuation of your car that you would agree upon with your provider.

What is better market value or agreed value? ›

An agreed value car insurance policy generally has higher car insurance premiums, as the agreed value for your car is usually higher than what it would sell for on the open market (market value). Here is a quick rundown of agreed value car insurance: Amount is based on what you and your insurer agree to.

Which is better agreed value or actual cash value? ›

Agreed Value is better coverage, and since the values of boats and campers can be all over the place we recommend changing to Agreed Value coverage.

What is a synonym for sum insured? ›

Synonyms of insured
  • assured.
  • guaranteed.
  • ensured.
  • secured.
  • guarantied.
  • iced.
  • certified.
  • cinched.

What is capital sum insured and sum insured? ›

Capital Sum Insured means the sum insured for Accidental Death. Capital Sum Insured means the sum shown in the Schedule. Capital Sum Insured means the maximum amount of Basic Personal Accident Benefit to which an Insured Person is eligible, as specified in the Policy Schedule.

How do you determine the actual cash value of an insured property? ›

In the insurance industry, actual cash value gets calculated by taking the replacement cost value of property and subtracting the depreciation from it.

What are the two ways that the value of a property can be calculated for insurance purposes? ›

Insurance companies use two other method of valuation: Replacement Cost, and. Actual Cash Value.

What is the method of valuing insured property? ›

Actual cash value (ACV) is most frequently the method for calculating property benefit values in a homeowners policy. This value has a basis of the cost of repairing or replacing a piece of property, such as a boat, a car, or a home, to its pre-loss status. The insurer will factor in the depreciation of the property.

Why is insured value higher than market value? ›

Unlike market value, insurable value does not include the cost of acquiring a land, and is generally based on the amount required for purchasing building materials and hiring contractors to build a replacement. The replacement cost of a property can be calculated in several ways.

What is meant by the 80% rule in regards to property insurance? ›

The 80% rule dictates that homeowners must have replacement cost coverage worth at least 80% of their home's total replacement cost to receive full coverage from their insurance company.

What is the most important part of homeowners insurance? ›

The most important part of homeowners insurance is the level of coverage. Avoid paying for more than you need. Here are the most common levels of coverage: HO-2 – Broad policy that protects against 16 perils that are named in the policy.

What should I put for declared value? ›

You should include in the declared value any money paid for selling commissions, assists, royalties, production costs, packing, proceeds and these items should be noted on the commercial invoice.

Does declared value mean insurance? ›

Usually, declared value reflects the shipment's cost to the business and is generally less than the customs declared value. When you are shipping a package, you will get declared value coverage. Declared value coverage is not insurance, but it does raise the financial liability of the carrier.

What is the difference between declared value and total customs value? ›

What is the difference between declared/customs value and value for carriage? The declared/customs value is what the purchaser has paid for the goods. The value for carriage is the maximum amount for FedEx liability and cannot exceed the customs value.

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