PLease help insurance co are trying to screw me!!

gibboking

Pease help.


Basically i cleaned my carpet with a hired cleaner.
carpet drank the water, made the carpet smell, so i cleaned it agin not realisng that underlay and concrtet were already soaked rom the first wash.

Carpet stank and was soaking wet, we pulled back the carpet and underlay to reveal what had happened.
Tried over several days to dry it all ourselves.
I then realised i had accidental damage cover, so rang to see if i was covered.
I was told yes, and someone would come and assess the damage.

peachyprice

So where are they trying to screw you

gibboking

First guy came out and just wasnt intrested, dint even come and look at the wettest parts, sent his report off.
Insurance co rang and said they would not be helping as the smell was from my dogs.
I went bonkers and said about the guys attitude. so they arranged for someone else to come out.

2nd guy came, and was a bit more proactive and stuck damp metres all over and was surprised how wet my floor was after 10 days.

He went off and did his report.

Insurance co rang and said that the carpet was wet, and they could dry out the carpet flor etc then get the carpet refitted and prof cleaned. I said ok when? she was shocked that i wanted to go ahead!!

So guy came, put in ,massive blowers and dehumidifier.

gibboking

I have to do small chunks as i keep getting logged off :-[

gibboking

My carpet was blown up like a bouncy castle, ripped off the gripper rods, pulled my tv unit 3" from the wall, every time the blowers were off the capet would settle with big creases in it.

2nd guy came again, said floor was still a bit damp, replaced large driers with a smaller one, assured me creases should come out when carpet is refitted, and went on his way.

10 days later 3rd guy came out.
said the carpet was knackered basically. It had stretched, delaminated, the creases would not come out and it just needed replacing.

did his report.

Insurance co rang today, saying they couldnt help any further!!!

My carpet is unfitted, full of creases, still smells and is in a worse state than it was before i cleaned it!!!!

gibboking

I asked why???
Her reply was that it shouldnt of been agreed to in the first place!!! As it wasnt covered, accidents caused by cleaning are not covered, i could not find this in the policy anywhere and asked her to tell me where abouts it said that. she said she didnt have a copy to hand!!!! I also looked on the website and couldnt find it on there either.
she said the carpet would of moved from the edges as it would of shrank!!! 3rd guy said it had stretched!!
I asked why they had taken my £100 excess from me, telling me my carpet would be dried, refitted and cleaned and this had not been done? She said that they had done all that they could!!!!
She has now passed it up to the team leaders. Please do i have any rights here???

*MF*

Hi ...

This link will take you to the Financial Ombudsman - which is where you can go - if - you cannot resolve the issue with the Insurer:

http://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/consumer/complaints.htm#1

Word of possible warning - it is common for there to be an exclusion about cleaning which has now been mentioned to you.

gibboking

thanks,

yes but it was mentioned after they had started acting on my claim that they mentioned it and it isnt in any of my policy booklets

olly300

gibboking wrote: »

I asked why???
Her reply was that it shouldnt of been agreed to in the first place!!! As it wasnt covered, accidents caused by cleaning are not covered, i could not find this in the policy anywhere and asked her to tell me where abouts it said that. she said she didnt have a copy to hand!!!! I also looked on the website and couldnt find it on there either.
she said the carpet would of moved from the edges as it would of shrank!!! 3rd guy said it had stretched!!
I asked why they had taken my £100 excess from me, telling me my carpet would be dried, refitted and cleaned and this had not been done? She said that they had done all that they could!!!!
She has now passed it up to the team leaders. Please do i have any rights here???

I hope you made a record of who you spoke to on the telephone with the times and the dates.

Anway I suggest you get your policy booklet out and find the section that states "Complaints".

Then write one.

Ensure you put the title "Formal Complaint" on your letter, make it clear that you will be taking your complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service if it's not resolved. and send it to the insurance company by recorded delivery.

That way there are no arguments of when your 8 weeks start before you can take your complain to the ombudsman.

gibboking

Thanks, I am just so angry!!

If they had said to me in the begining sorry you are not covered then fine, i would of gone away and replaced my carpet eventually (when i could one day afford too...never!!)

The team leader is supposed to be getting back to me tomorrow, but i think i might be getting fobbed off there!!

My dad lent me the £100 excess, he said it would be worth it even if it was cleaned professionally and the smell went (cos the carpet ddnt look bad until after the driers came in)

I am so pumped with adrenalin right now, sorry if i am rambling lol

*MF*

gibboking wrote: »

thanks,

yes but it was mentioned after they had started acting on my claim that they mentioned it and it isnt in any of my policy booklets

Whilst I think the issue of "cleaning" may still prove to be an exclusion (*)- the reason I posted the link to the Ombudsman site is precisely on the point you make

- the exclusion - if it exists with this Insurer - should have been made clear to you at the outset, and your complaint relates to that aspect imho - the fact that it wasn't, the excess position and the fact that the various attempts may have added to the damage - I cannot say what the Ombudsman's view will be - but that service is there for disputes such as the one you now face.

I have copied in below an extract from a well known Insurer's policy, and would expect that wording or something very similar to be in most - if not all, policies.

(*) Uninsurable risks (risks we do not insure):

a) wear, tear and reduction in value
b) damage caused by rot, fungus, woodworm, beetles, moths,
insects or vermin;
c) mechanical or electrical faults or breakdowns (not applicable to
Home emergency cover);
d) damage caused by cleaning, dyeing, renovating, altering, re-styling,
repairing or restoring an item or items; or
e) any other damage caused gradually.

*EDIT*

Just to add - follow the advice given by olly300 as to how to make your complaint.