insurance claim

Assess_Saw

the old waiting for the police and fire brigade report ruse buying time in other words , most fire brigade reports say there was a fire we put it out why should that hold up the claim?

Insco

acon123 wrote: »

i had a house fire and a company called crawfords were appointed to deal with the claim the fire was in april and the fire brigade said it was electrical but crawfords says different. they sent homeserve out to board the property and they could not do it on grounds of health and safety but it was a friday afternoon and they probably wanted to go to the pub so i had to get my own builder to board the property up. they said they would get me some rented accomodation and im still waiting they said i would get an interim payment as all the clothes i had was what i was standing up in and im still waiting, i was interviewed about the day of the fire 8 weeks after the incident. they said they would send me a copy of the statement to sign in a couple of days it arrived four and a half weeks later and the post mark was three and a half weeks after the date on the statement which is either fraudulent or it was sitting on there desk for three and a half weeks collecting dust. everytime i call them they do not return my calls and are economical with the truth or i get an answerphone. they told me i would have an answer on my claim within ten days from recieving the statement and that was 17 days ago i posted it. everything they have asked from me i have gave them right away..today i got through to marks and spencers executive office who are the people i bought the insurance from and finally somthing seems to be happening as i have had more phone calls today than i have had in the last 17 weeks so my faith might be returning in marks and spencers. it is a really upsetting time when your property and belongings have all gone and the whole experiance of this claim nearly drove me to suicide. i thought these companys would be a lot more sympathetic instead ive been homeless for 17 weeks and made to feel like a criminal. i also missed a payment on my morgage because i had to buy clothes and things which i have never missed before i really feel let down by all concerned. i have complained to the ombudsman

However bad it is please please don't let Crawford Loss Adjusters drive you to suicide.

You need to make a clear action plan;

Formal complaints to both Crawford and your Insurers, in writing and by recorded delivery. You can also contact the Chartered Institute of Loss Adjusters and seek their assistance regarding the conduct of the people involved with your claim at Crawford because failing to properly update you or return your calls is not acceptable - there are professional codes of conduct that they should be adhering to.

Make a note of every call you make - date and time and who you have spoken to - this will assist if matters are not resolved shortly.

Make sure you keep the envelope with the post mark on it to compare with the date of their letter - this is evidence of either incompetence or of a deliberate attempt to mislead you - either way it should not be happening.

You can make a Data Subject Access Request to both your Insurers and to Crawford to obtain all the information they hold about you and that you are entitled to under Data Protection legislation in connection with this claim.

Or consider appointing a Loss Assessor or solicitor to deal with this for you. If you has arranged your policy with an insurance broker you could have enlisted their assistance - as such keep pressing with Marks & Spencers.

How are you managing without accommodation and clothing - make sure you keep all receipts for anything you purchase or spend money on in relation to replacing contents, or paying for alternative accommodation.

greco_2

If the adjusters have not agreed the claim after all this time, there will be a very good reason for it but I doubt that acon123 will tell us what it is.

Insco

Not necessarily - but I agree we could canvass opinion on how quickly Crawford Loss Adjusters have dealt with other moneysavers claims

mattymoo

Acon - do you know if a firm of forensic investigators were hired by the loss adjusters? Only firm I recall off the top of my head is Burgoynes but there are others.

If so, I would suspect the content of their report has thrown something up. Insco - do you ever get to see forensic reports from loss adjusters or do they make you get your own?

Insco

The forensic reports are usually confidential to the Loss Adjusters and Insurers, but if asked they sometimes do release a copy. Not sure how this helps acon though - if the forensic report has raised a concern, Crawford Loss Adjusters should be communicating with acon and advising just that. Ignoring the policyholder is not acceptable under any circumstance, but it appears endemic in some organisations

mattymoo

Insco wrote: »

Not sure how this helps acon though -

That would depend on the answer provided really.

I suppose the classic would be the presence of an accelerant at the area deemed to be the seat of the fire with no sign of forced entry.
Forensics and adjusters run off to insurers and say decline claim - deliberate arson. Then as someone mentioned, insurers go quiet as they prepare their case for why they will not pay out without putting allegations to Acon (asuming he is not holding out on us here).

Perhaps Acon has a hobby building remote control petrol cars on his kitchen table or some similar thing and there is an innocent explanation.

Insco - I know you have a thing about Crawfords and I'm sure there is some substance but I just cannot believe an insurer / adjuster would take 4 months to get on with dealing with a major fire loss like this. These cases are always passed to the experienced staff to deal with due to complexity and amounts involved.

Acon - if you post further details, I cannot promise you won't be slated by others (if there is something iffy) but a lot of us here will try and help you if we can.

Assess_Saw

Burgoynes dont get out of bed for less than 1500 quid a report who pays them, who are they totally beholden to, answers on a postcard.

mattymoo

Assess_Saw wrote: »

Burgoynes dont get out of bed for less than 1500 quid a report who pays them, who are they totally beholden to, answers on a postcard.

Everyone has a pay master -even you Assess saw

I've met a few of the forensics bods in the commercial side of things (mainly on defective products cases) and most have seemed pretty straight - given that they will probably have to stand up in court and testify the basis of their scientific conclusions.

Assess_Saw

Exactly so why do adjusters and forensic investigators say they are independent when face to face with a policyholder they should say we work for your insurers , they pay us, we report to them ,we are protecting their interests but that doesnt make us unreasonable and we wont try to find any way to reject your claim ( tongue firmly in cheek )