Help with insurance please?

[SJEgan]

Hey guys, I'm in the process of buying a house, wow it's less fun then I thought it would be! And trying to get insurance sorted, I've rang several companies that have all sent me packing. So I'm begging for help! I need buildings and contents insurance for a house with one of the rooms used as my workshop and up to about £5000 stock which will be in a safe. I loose half of them when I mention business and the other half when I mention precious metals! Help please!

[SteveLAO]

Have you tried TH March? They specialise in jewellery related insurance including shops and stuff, but also do residential insurance.......

[SJEgan]

Cheers I'll try them in the morning, I've just been over an hour on the phone to a company that couldn't help in the end and it's past 5 now so everything is shut. ...is it to early to start drinking?

[SteveLAO]

never too early :

[Lucie]

I don't know whether this is at all helpful, but my insurance company (barclays) asked me whether I really "had" to refer to my equipment as being part of a business?
ie: There's nothing to stop you saying you have a few thousand pounds worth of kit for a hobby - I know plenty of photographers that are in this position as the kit for their hobby costs a fortune!

Lots of people earn money from a hobby - it's a bit of a grey area until you start earning a living wage after expenses.
I pass my equipment off as hobbyist stuff, even my humongous kiln which is insured as a separate item as it's a bit pricey. My insurance company seems to be happy with this as I don't have customers coming to the house, even though I'm fully self-employed / have to submit annual returns, etc.

Mind you, I think I's pay to see someone try to nick the kiln. I'd probably come home to find them squashed underneath it