Home insurance cost warning for elderly

People with elderly relatives should make sure that they are getting a good deal on their home insurance policies after one woman found out her father was paying over the odds.

Elaine Henderson checked her 83-year-old father Maurice's bills and discovered that Royal Sun and Alliance (RSA) was charging him £650 a year, even though he had been loyally renewing his policy since 1951.

According to the Guardian, Ms Henderson looked on the internet and found that RSA's subsidiary More Than was offering the same cover for just £135.

I happened to be visiting him at the time his renewal came through and he casually asked whether I thought the price was reasonable. When I looked at it I couldn't believe he was paying so much, the daughter told the newspaper.

She is now warning Brits that less-savvy relatives may be being taken advantage of by home insurance firms .

British Gas recently hiked the cost of its HomeCare insurance policy by up to 50 per cent.

According to the Guardian, the policy, which covers broken plumbing and drains, central heating systems and electrics, could be more expensive if boilers are old or have a breakdown history.