Great 'How to ensure your insurer pays claims' Hunt: How to assure a payout

Former_MSE_Archna
Former_MSE_Archna Posts: 1,903
First Post
Forumite
edited 21 July 2009 at 6:45PM in Insurance & life assurance
It's all very well having insurance, yet if when you come to claim, the company rejects it, the whole thing's pointless. So we thought we'd tap MoneySavers' knowledge to find your top tips on making legit insurance claims. What were you claiming for, what details did you include, how did you speed it up, what tips do you have for others?

If your claim's rejected remember you have a right to take it the Financial Ombudsman Service. See the Fight Bank Mistreatment

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Comments

  • I had a car accident which very clearly wasn't my fault (other car on wrong side of road). I was due to take my car to continent for holiday - evidenced to insurance company by ferry tickets - and was very careful to ensure everyone agreed before I hired a replacement car to take instead.
    However when claim finally 'settled' £2,500 was unpaid for the replacement car hire.
    No movement whatsoever with the usual requests, common sense discussions (and begging!) so how did I resolve it?
    I informed them I was coming down to their London head office and would stay in their reception until I received a cheque for the full £2,500. Furthermore if the cheque was not in my hands within 1 hour of my arrival I would use my mobile phone to ring all my many contacts within the newspaper and television industry to allow them to send reporters and crews to interview me and see the supporting documentation that I would have with me agreeing the replacement car hire. I told them this sort of complete travesty is just what the papers love to print!
    I arrived and was given the cheque within 20 minutes of my arrival.
    Incidentally I don't have any contacts in the world of media but it might be useful to make some if, in some future instance, bluff and bull DOESN'T baffle blatant bilkers!
    Gaye xx
    Save on washing-up too.... eat from the tin!
  • Starquest
    Starquest Posts: 5 Forumite
    We recently had a claim for a house fire caused by an electrical fault on the TV. Best advice we received was to use an independent Assesor working for us, we found one in Yellow Pages. He dealt totally with the insurance company and their assesors securing an excellent service - we had no need for any discussions with the insurance company - the assesor handled it all, even the paperwork. The assesor had worked for insurance assesors so knew what would be allowed so no need for any dispute and we gained where we would have had a problem. He then commissioned the builders who completed the work to our satisfaction and arranged payment to them. He cost us nothing as the builder paid a commission - nothing to do with us. Even had we paid, the service would have been worth it.
  • Katie-Kat-Kins
    Katie-Kat-Kins Posts: 1,741 Forumite
    edited 24 July 2009 at 4:47PM
    The first things to ensure are:
    1. That you claim is honest and genuine, insurers are really tightening up on dishonest or exaggerated claims. Many people think that insurance companies are "fair game" and that a bit of artistic licence when submitting the claim is in someway justified. It isn't and if insurers get wind that you have been less than honest in any part of your dealings with them then they can make your claim very difficult. They could even bring a criminal prosecution.
    2. Make sure that you have cover for the right things and at the right level, many problems arise because people haven't read and understood the policy at the outset. Check whether you are covered for loss or just theft for example.
    3. Before you claim make sure your claim is covered, there is no point putting in a claim for something you are not insured against.
    4. Be aware of all the conditions with your policy, if you do not follow them all your cliam may be rejected, for example for failure to notify your insurers promptly.
    5. Be honest when you take out your policy, what could be seen as a little white lie to get a cheaper policy could invalidate your cover down the line.
    6. Submit your claim promptly, honestly and include as much evidence as possible. Keep copies of everything you send just in case there is a problem in future. Include, photographs, receipts and a full and clear account in legible handwriting.

    Hope that helps a few people!
  • dinesh17
    dinesh17 Posts: 28 Forumite
    I disagree with Dan Thomas, I had a legitimate claim "repudiated" by the insurer's loss adjuster for the simple reason that the policy did not cover my type of claim (water damage from a kitchen leak).
    I then looked in the policy document where it quite clearly stated that the policy DOES cover such claims.
    I had terrible hassle with the loss adjustors who took ages to do anything and would keep trying to settle my claim as cheaply as possible. I went from being offered zero, to £1k, to £2k and finally £5.5k. You have to persevere, provide your own quotes (as the insurers will claim that things such as your carpet are worth far less than they really are) and ask for a breakdown of the settlement by component part - I did this and found out they werent paying for a lot of things.
    I think Starquest's tip of hiring someone to do the claim for you is probably the best advice - what I will do next time if I have to claim.
  • geri1965_2
    geri1965_2 Posts: 8,736 Forumite
    Dan_Thomas wrote: »
    Insurers don't just reject claims because they feel like it - they do it because whatever you're claiming for isn't covered. If everyone actually read and understood what they're getting into, 90% of the complaints in this forum wouldn't exist.

    This is a good tip, and it also helps because a lot of the people you deal with in insurance companies don't know what their own policies cover.

    I've been told twice by insurers that claims aren't covered - on close reading of the policy wording they are, and when I call back and query it, they usually refer it to a supervisor who tells them yes, it is in fact covered. :rolleyes:
  • dinesh17
    dinesh17 Posts: 28 Forumite
    Dan, I was disagreeing with your quote "Insurers don't just reject claims because they feel like it - they do it because whatever you're claiming for isn't covered."
    In my case I proved that they were incorrectly rejecting my claim for no plausible reason and anyone I am sure their loss adjusters are incentivised to limit the level of claims for valid reasons or otherwise!:mad:
  • 'Top tips on making legit insurance claims'?

    What, as opposed to non-legit insurance claims!?

    AS Dan T says, if your claim is covered (and not fraudulent) it will be paid. If it's not, then it won't. If there's some kind of ambiguity the FOS make an independent final decision.

    Threats of 'going to the papers' or Watchdog are not new and will have been heard before.

    If you think you have a valid claim, fully document it and evidence it, take the names of everyone you speak to, put everything in writing wherever possible, plus keep calm and don't swear at the claims person or be rude or threatening as this will be noted on your file, which may end up with the FOS.
  • pedro123456
    pedro123456 Posts: 815
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    Forumite
    edited 22 July 2009 at 9:45AM
    More words of wisdom :rolleyes:

    Here's an incredible tip:

    Read the policy wording (all of it) before taking out the policy. Make sure you understand it before purchasing the product.

    Insurers don't just reject claims because they feel like it - they do it because whatever you're claiming for isn't covered. :rotfl:If everyone actually read and understood what they're getting into, 90% of the complaints in this forum wouldn't exist.:rotfl:

    -Policy wording as T&C are there to protect the IC, not add clarity for the customer.
    -IC's reject claims because they dont like paying up, they like monthly payment though :rolleyes:


    My tip is for the IC's to be brought in line like the banks, and have their power challenged.

    http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/f2705618-7628-11de-9e59-00144feabdc0.html
    Campaigning to recycle Insurance Policies into Toilet Paper :rotfl:

    Z
  • Katie-Kat-Kins
    Katie-Kat-Kins Posts: 1,741 Forumite
    'Top tips on making legit insurance claims'?

    What, as opposed to non-legit insurance claims!?

    AS Dan T says, if your claim is covered (and not fraudulent) it will be paid. If it's not, then it won't. If there's some kind of ambiguity the FOS make an independent final decision.

    Threats of 'going to the papers' or Watchdog are not new and will have been heard before.

    If you think you have a valid claim, fully document it and evidence it, take the names of everyone you speak to, put everything in writing wherever possible, plus keep calm and don't swear at the claims person or be rude or threatening as this will be noted on your file, which may end up with the FOS.

    You'd be amazed at how many non-legit claims there are out there!!!! From the classic spilt paint on the carpet and oooh whoops it got the sofa too, or got burgled and your cd collection doubled in size for the claim type issues to full on completely faked road accidents.

    Insurers are wise to this and if they detect the slightest whiff of anything dodgy will make things very difficult.

    Lying to your insurance company is fraud and is treated as such by the courts.
  • Yes, I know this, I investigate fraudulent claims, that's why I thought it was funny!
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