General Insurance FAQs

• You can insure single or multiple properties in the one policy. Handy.
• Don’t fret about that leather couch or those suede curtains: accidental damage available to contents where the property is let to a family, couple or persons in full time employment.
• Accidental damage to service pipes and cables included. So you might not have to foot that big electrician’s bill.
• Alternative accommodation or loss of rent covered to 15% of sum insured.
• Fire brigade charges up to €2,000 covered.**
• Legal liability cover of up to €3.175 million available.**

** Standard excess of €250 applies.

• EBS Home Insurance Product Information (Buildings & Contents)
• EBS Home Insurance Product Information (Buildings only)
• EBS Home Insurance Policy Booklet

A solid roof over your head is what keeps a home cosy! You need to regularly maintain your roof; so check for broken tiles, cracks in bricks and external mortar (the material that beds your bricks together).

If you do find you need to replace cement mortars, it is a good idea to use lime mortar pointing, which will allow water to evaporate more easily from the bricks. There you are now.

Just like you, your pipes need to be kept warm during the winter months with lagging (like a little jacket), to prevent them from freezing and bursting. Make sure you check your insulation every year to see if it needs replacing.

Do you know where your water stop is located? This device will save you in an emergency leak situation, so it’s a good idea to be on familiar terms with it. (Psst – it’s usually located under the sink). Keep drains and gutters free from leaves and debris. If a drain is blocked, it may crack from pressure in freezing conditions.

What happens if your water has stopped? Yikes! Don’t panic. It's worth checking with your neighbours first to see if they're experiencing the same problem as there might be an incident such as a burst water pipe that has affected water supplies in your area.

Damage to pipes occurs when they become frozen, but you're only going to notice when the water in the pipes thaws. Therefore, if a pipe is frozen, isolate the affected area by closing your stop tap/valve.

When your pipes begin to thaw, run your taps into sink basins and baths to drain the plumbing system. This should reduce damage caused by water escaping from a burst pipe. Once the plumbing has thawed and there are no leaks, stop running the taps and slowly open the stop tap/valve.

You can check Floodmaps.ie to see if your house is on a floodplain. If it is, you will need to protect your home with products like flood boards and sandbags when the weather forecast gives the flood warning. These can help prevent water entering as well as reducing damage to your lovely new skirting boards.

If a flood does come to your door, these steps can help prevent optimal damage: unplug all electrical appliances and turn off electrical power; move possessions upstairs or stack them safely; place sandbags at doors; turn off water supplies at the mains.

If a storm is forecast, secure all doors, windows, and gates. Cut back overhanging branches, and unplug all electrical devices (if it’s a thunderstorm). We’d recommend keeping an emergency storm kit with all the necessities – a torch with extra batteries, home insurance documents, and spare bulbs.

EBS are offering 3 months free home insurance – not a bad deal! So save money and rest easy knowing any disaster the Irish weather throws at you could be covered in your insurance policy.

Offer applies to new policies that start on or after April 1st, 2024. Click here for Offer terms

• Cover the cost of the call out, labour & materials (up to €300 per incident, four times per year)*
• Aim to have a certified tradesperson with you in 90 minutes
• Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year
• No excess (this is not a claim so you don’t pay an excess)
• No affect on your No Claims Bonus

* Please note: We will only cover the cost of repairs that have been authorised through our emergency helpline. Damage as a result of wear and tear is not covered.

Emergencies happen when you least expect them, on weekends, during holidays or in the middle of the night so remember you can use this service day or night for emergencies like the following:

Water Leak

Water moves fast but so do we! We cover emergencies, inside your home, such as burst pipes, blocked drains, damaged water tanks or leaking radiators.

Locked Out

We will get a locksmith to your home to cover theft, loss or damage to your lock and keys so you can get back in safely.

Broken Window or Glass

Broken glass in outside windows or doors which makes your home unsafe.

Heating or Electricity Breakdown

If your heating system or electricity supply breaks down unexpectedly we can help provide assistance to restore your heat and/or electricity.

We won’t forget about you after the emergency repairs are carried out, we provide the following aftercare services to support and help you through it.

• Overnight accommodation with transport for 4 people**
• Transport and storage of your furniture for up to 7 days (up to 50km)***
• Pass on urgent messages to family at home or abroad

** Subject to a maximum of €50 per person, up to a total of €200 for any one incident. Only applicable if we deem your home uninhabitable.

*** Subject to a maximum of €200 for any one incident. Only applicable if contents need to be removed for security reasons.

Whether you’re looking for advice on your Savings & Investments or advice on all of your finances there are a number of things you should take into account. Most importantly, remember, that the overall purpose is to benefit you and give you reassurance that your finances are on track to meet your goals or to help identify any gaps in your finances that you might like to start addressing.

During the Financial Review you will be asked for personal financial information, such as your income, your outgoings and expenses, details of any loans and details of any current pension provisions you have in place. This information is required so your Financial Adviser can build up a correct and complete picture of your current finances and make suitable and appropriate recommendations. While you do not have to provide any information, without it the Financial Adviser will not be able to get a full picture of your financial situation.

Information you should bring;

• Details of any existing savings or investments plans you have.
• Details of any loans, credit cards or debts you have.
• Salary details.
• Details of your monthly or annual outgoings and expenditure.
• Details of any upcoming expenses or events you might be saving for, and what your target for these is, e.g. child going to college, wedding, etc.
• Details of any Pension plans you already have.
• Details of any Protection or Life Cover plans you already have.

You should also be sure to bring:

• One form of Personal ID, e.g. a valid passport, current driving licence, etc. Be sure that these are originals as copies can not be accepted.
• One form of Address ID, e.g. utility bill or bank statement (no more than 6 months old).

A good Financial Review looks at today, your desired tomorrow and shows you how to get there. Your EBS adviser will help you use this as:

• An opportunity to discuss what your financial goals are and provide achievable solutions to help you reach these.
• Assess your current financial health by examining your assets and liabilities, income and outgoings, insurance, savings and investments.
• Identify any gaps in your financial circumstances, such as pension, income protection or savings needs.
• Develop a realistic, comprehensive plan to meet your financial goals by addressing financial weaknesses and building on financial strengths.
• Over time, work with you to revise your plan to accommodate changing goals, changing personal circumstances, and changing financial opportunities.
• Our financial needs change over time so we advise our customers to review their financial situation once a year.