Even most French people are unaware of the fact that there is a proviso on all policies to delare a vehice 'au repos' (resting!) if you arent taking it on the road and it's parked. A €35 fee comes down to €11 so if you go off on holidays leaving the car(s) at home in a garage,you can save a lot.
Depending on how nice your insurance chap/chapesse is - you can even do it for a few days or even on and off like a yoyo which is very useful for people living in snowy conditions who have one car dedicated to that so they can givethe other car it's little rest.
After an accident if the experts say your car is worth peanuts and not worth repairing and they offer to buy the wreck, you can actually haggle - good luck......................
If you have a lean to glass roofed verandah, check what percentage of the total house roof can be glass. We had a smal roof but 3 rather big roof Velux so when a lot of snow melted and slid down ont our Florida curved greenhouse we didn't get a brass farthing (even though I had taken the plans when we got the planning permission AND informed the insurance agent when it came into use)!
If you have personal items insurance just don't get anything oinched from a car because you oin't get a penny back. Also if you have contents insurance for your car, check that it isn't limited to things locked in the boot. This happened to me because I had a tiny Mini and a huge full length sheepskin coat which I left in the car on the seat because it woudn't go in the boot! Had to buy another £300 coat!
Last titbit. We have been with the same company since 1974 and they don't have the slightest qualms about ripping us off. We have 3 old jalopies and quite incidentally I asked if we should reduce to minimum cover, they said we should have done it years ago, deuhhhhh!