insurance claim

greco_2

Assess_Saw wrote: »

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 )

That's precisely the problem. When I entered the insurance industry 40 years ago, adjusters were independent even though their bills were paid by insurers. They were trusted as being independent and the brokerage where I worked had 'pet' adjusters who we could nominate without referring to insurers. Now, it's all cost driven and you have the likes of Crapita pitching for very lucrative work and part of this involves making commitments to insurers about how they will adjust claims - for which read 'save money'. There are still adjusters who can properly claim to be independent but they are few and far between. Brokers know who they are but the man in the street wouldn't have a clue.

As for ambulance chasing loss assessors, I wouldn't pay them in brass washers. In my experience they just get in the way, slow down the claims process and pick up a % of the settlement which insurers don't cover.
They contribute nothing that a competent broker won't do for free.

Assess_Saw

Can't remember the last time I saw a broker on site getting involved in any claim , if providing a claim service means telling the policyholder submit your claim to your insurer whose policy we peddled to you and their loss adjuster will contact you then brokers are indeed competent when it comes to dealing with a claim.

greco_2

Given that most personal lines insurance is now sold by direct writers and the likes of M&S, Kwikfit and other distributors whose main business is flogging baked beans, that's no big surprise. The public is led to believe that price is the only thing that matters which is fine until you have a claim.

Fact is that the majority of claims on household policies are for damaged goods where the insurers simply replace the item. In that situation, the broker doesn't add value to the claim so his direct involvement is only required if a problem should arise.

It is where a more complicated claim occurs that the benefit of using a good broker becomes apparent and any broker worth his salt will hold his client's hand throughout the process. There are plenty around who do.

ravenfire_2

I'm sorry but I don't think the full story has been given on this one.

The Adjusters are appointed by the Insurance Company to deal with the claim. All Adjusters have a guideline within which they have to report back to the Insurance Company to let them know what is happening with the claim. It is usual as well at the time of sending a Preliminary Report to Insurers to also send a letter to the Claimant requesting specific information.

I cannot believe that 8 weeks passed and nothing was done, particularly with a fire claim. Adjusters like Crawfords (although I havent worked for them I worked for the company they merged with) have a computerised diary system in place. If an Adjuster had not provided the said report to Insurers it would come up and believe me the Managers are hot on making sure these reports get sent to Insurers as they have performance targets to meet.

I have to say that I agree, if the claim has not been agreed after all this time then there is a reason and I am sure they that have put said reason in writing!

FlameCloud

ravenfire wrote: »

I have to say that I agree, if the claim has not been agreed after all this time then there is a reason and I am sure they that have put said reason in writing!

Indeed,but all the OP wants to hear is how rubbish insurance companies are etc. Not the actual truth.

acon123

i dont know why some people on here seem to think im holding out on anything, i came on here for some advice. well its been over 6 months now and i am still no further on. ive been told they want to interview me again wich ihave no objections to, i was also informed that i was agressive towards there investigator this is the same woman that when i met her and i offered her a drink i was looked up and down and in an agressive manner was told she would get her own, the same woman that took offence when i would not sign the statement she was writing until i had seen it written up and a solicitor take a look at it. the same woman that kept the statement for over a month before sending it to me. the same person who ignored my phone calls. i have also put into writing three times a request for the information on me and mysteriously they say they aint recieved them. they told me they were waiting for police reports and when ive just checked with the police they requested them on the elevnth of october nearly six months after the fire. now its not rocket science but they really dont seem to be following any codes of practice to me and maybe a lot of you people and people at crawfords can afford to pay a morgage and rent but i cant i have no money left for rent and i am going to have to move back into my property. and there is no services to the property and it looks like a coal mine. ive bent over backwards and gave this insurance company every thing they have asked for. and the thing that annoys me more than anything is they are still taking my direct debits for insurance when i am homeless

geri1965_2

If you feel that badly treated then maybe you should put in a complaint. Crawfords have a complaint procedure and if you make a complaint it will be treated seriously.

mattymoo

Acon - has the ombudsman been back to you yet?

acon123

im waiting for a letter from norwich union with there reasons they are still !!!!!footing about then i can send a copy of this and all the evidence i have where i have given norwich union everything they have asked for and my phone bills to prove how many times i have phoned them and all the different names i have spoken to so the ombudsman has a clear picture of everything that has gone on. i have heard every excuse under the sun and everyone has been blamed for the hold ups except crawfords when i ask them. there investigator did not like me from the minute i met her and seems to be making this claim personal

acon123

ravensfire u cant believe they aint put somthing in writing after 8 weeks. ive had nothing in writing after 6months i wish i did so i could send it to the ombudsman