Hi, My exisiting home insurer (Prudential) has informed me that our loft conversion, which I use as a study, is (in their terms) another bedroom. It has demanded an additional premium because the number of bedrooms is a major factor in their assessment of the risk, despite the fact that we have no more people living or sleeping in the housethere (less in fact as my eldest daughter has left home).

The ensuing debate has left me with the view that the definition of bedroom is somewhat vague. For example, a study which leads off an entrance hallway would be classed by them as a bedroom, whilst a lounge or family room would not. In this situation it could be possible to refer to a study as a living room, without the associated additional premium.

My study could indeed accommodate a bed, but so could a lounge, dining room or conservatory. Is there any clear definition in this area, and should I contest their claim?

Thank you

In the US, there is a legal definition for a bedroom (must be for house selling purposes): it's a room with both a window and a closet.
In the UK, bedrooms - any rooms, even in new houses, do not have built in closets as part of the layout of the room.

So - it appears that there is no LEGAL definition of a bedroom - except for it having to have a bed......

Hence - there is no legal definition of what does NOT constitute a bedroom

What do your deeds state ?

Most insurance companies regard a bedroom as: "a room used as or originally built to be a bedroom even if now used for other purposes".

Although this is not necessarily a uniformed industry standard, I would recommend seeking a copy of their wording. Look at the original proposal form or schedule - their definition should be immediately after asking how many bedrooms in the property (this is usually pre-populated).

Consider: Did you have to obtain any planning permission? What was the reason stated for the alteration to the existing structure? etc.

They shouldn't really class this as a bedroom under a bedroom rated policy but it should have been noted as an extension or alteration and added onto the total number of rooms in the property. However, again, this is down to the policy wording.