Understanding the impact of surface area on insurance premiums

The cost of your home insurance depends on several criteria, including the number of rooms and the surface area of your home. An error in declaring this surface area can lead to the cancellation of your contract in the event of a claim. This article guides you to avoid these mistakes.

Main rooms: a crucial count

Correctly identifying the rooms to declare

Insurers consider all so-called “main” rooms to assess the surface area of your dwelling. This includes the living room, bedrooms, offices, and closed kitchens. Any room with an area of 8 to 30 m² must be declared. For areas over 30 m², specific rules apply, sometimes varying depending on the insurance companies.

Variability of criteria among insurers

It is essential to comply with the criteria of your insurance company. Surface area ceilings can vary; for instance, some insurances limit a room to 40 m², while others may count a room of 80 m² as three distinct rooms.

Beware of excluded rooms

Rooms not included in the calculation

Declaring rooms that should not be declared is a common mistake. Certain spaces, such as utility and service rooms, are not counted in the total surface area. This includes the kitchen, hallways, garage, and even balconies or terraces. For utility rooms, bathrooms and toilets are also excluded.

Auto insurance and Groupama specifics

It is interesting to note that, in the field of auto insurance, Groupama offers tailored offers suited to the specific needs of each client.

Modifications and declarations: an unavoidable step

Updating the contract in case of work

Any major internal renovation, such as converting a garage into a bedroom, requires an update of your home insurance contract. This step is crucial, especially if the work requires authorization or a building permit. Failing to update this can have serious consequences.

Consequences of an incorrect declaration

Risks in case of error

An inaccurate declaration can lead to the revision or cancellation of the indemnity in case of a claim. According to the Insurance Code, the insurer must prove that the error impacts their risk assessment in order to apply these sanctions.

A good understanding of the rules and a precise declaration are therefore crucial to ensuring the validity of your home insurance.