Insurance Payout with Argos Vouchers!

Susan.O · 22 March 2006 at 12:52PM

I wonder if anyone can help me some advice. Four days before christmas we had a house fire and lost everything mainly through smoke damage.

The insurance company selected a loss adjuster who is, to say the least, not very helpful. They would like to pay us half of our claim in Argos vouchers. Is this normal? I have never heard of this before! We have told them we will only accept £1000.00 in vouchers as what they propose basicly dictates where we can shop for our replacement goods. In return they want us to reimburse them for the loss earnings they would have recieved from Argos.

What do you think to this? Should i tell them, any reimbursement should be put to the insurance company? Any comments and advice would be appreciated.

Marsh_Samphire · 22 March 2006 at 1:28PM

I'm no expert and there must be people on here who are, but I've never heard of this before. You should be paid by the insurance company that you paid your premiums to, isn't a loss adjuster's job just to tell the insurance company how much to pay? Is it the loss adjuster who has made this offer? Phone your insurance company and query it.

Are they saying that all the things you lost were orginally bought from Argos? As for their "loss of earnings from Argos" - what a load of cobblers, next thing you know Sainsbury will be sending bills to people who shop at Tesco!

Susan.O · 22 March 2006 at 1:40PM

Yes, it was the loss asjuster who made the offer.

I am so pleased that I am not going mad, people I talk to have never heard of this type of payout before.

livinginhope · 22 March 2006 at 1:49PM

Hi hope you coping with everything,our house burnt down mid last year and still can't come to terms with it.
Regarding the Argos vouchers,they were offered to us,but we stood our ground and said that did our stuff look like it came from Argos? we had many treasured things bought from all over the world,and Argos just could not replace them.Stand your ground it is just the insurance company trying to save money.
By the way ours was AXA is this the same one you use? our loss adjuster just squeeked when he walked,but don't be intimidated by them,it was your home

iceburn · 22 March 2006 at 2:10PM

Actually they do payout using this system. For example when my dad laptop monitor went bang, he claim on the house insurance (with sainsbury) and they gave him £1600 in PC world vouchers to get other one.

Susan.O · 22 March 2006 at 2:11PM

Our insurer is the Pru aka Churchill.

I think i am ok with the actual event, i try to look at it from my Mums point of view, its happened, you cant change it, whats the point of worrying about it! Having the children helped really, devoting a lot of time to trying to keep them happy and reassured. Yes, we have lost everything, photos and centimental bits and bobs but we still have our lives. I think it will hit me when we move back in.

livinginhope · 22 March 2006 at 2:57PM

Well done for coping so well,moving back in was the hardest bit,nightmares,childrens bedwetting etc.we all slept in the same bed for about 2 weeks until we got used to the house again,although it doesn't feel like the same house because everything has changed.
One word of advice about the insurance company,make sure you keep all receipts of things you spend,if you show you have already replaced stuff,they will give you a cheque instead of vouchers.Good luck.

Susan.O · 22 March 2006 at 3:42PM

just had word from the loss adjuster - they want to reduce our payment by £1722 because we dont want 5.8k in argos vouchers! Needless to say I am livid. shouldn't they claim any fee from the insurance company who instructed them?

tigerlily · 22 March 2006 at 6:49PM

I'm guessing you didnt pay for your ins in Argos vouchers?? No........then theres no reason why you should be made to accept them!!!

silvercar · 22 March 2006 at 6:52PM

I've heard of jewellery being replaced by vouchers for H Samuel and the like or the claimant having to accept a much lower pay out. The ombudsman ruled that this was not acceptable. You could try saying that you are not accepting the vouchers and you want a referral to the ombudsman.

sarahlouise210 · 22 March 2006 at 6:59PM

I have never heard anything so ridiculous. If there is nothing in the policy that stipulates that payment will be made in Argos vouchers then I cannot see how they can enforce it and what is more important is that they cannot reduce the payment to you as they have agreed the amount of payment - have you suddenly loss less because you do not want to go to Argos to replace your goods? In fact..as Argos is relatively cheap they should pay you MORE if you want to shop somewhere else-especially if you have a new for old cover. I would fight it all the way..if they stick to their guns then I would accept the payment rather than receive less - you can always sell the vouchers on Ebay - they nearly always go for almost face value! I think it is outrageous!