Bed wetting -mattress ruined -accidental damage?

Kazzea

I had a friend staying at my place the other night (adult) However due to various circumstances, they emptied there considerably large bladder onto my newish double mattress - so much so that its has caused a huge stain (i do mean huge) that goes all the way through and into the divan base. I have tried to get it out but to no avail.

Can i claim a new mattress and divan base under accidental damage of my contents insurance? I am with legal and general through Asda.

Thanks

McKneff

I dont know really, but your 'friend' should have offered to pay for it.

Bet you dont have them stay over any more.

Kazzea

My friend has offered to pay - but to replace is approx £500 and I have insurance - thats what its there for. Just wondered if anyone knew if i could claim before i bite the bullet and phone and ask

Quentin

I'm sure your insurer will be happy to pay up, and definitely won't mention the phrase "Are you taking the P...?" when you phone up to register the claim.

Oscar_The_Grouch

Hi there.

Accidental damage has to be "sudden, unforseen and unintended". On the basis that your so called friend probably did not mean to urinate all over your mattress, you may have a valid claim.

Having said that, you will lose any no claims discount if you present the claim to your insurers and it may be cheaper in the long run to simply arrange for the mattress and base to be cleaned.

I would phone your insurance company and ask them who they use for carpet and soft furnishings cleaning in your area (probably ServiceMaster or Rainbow) and get the telephone number for them (but make sure your insurance company know you are not claiming at this stage). Then give that company a call and see if they would be willing to have a look at it for you. If not, they may be able to recommend someone else in your area who would be able to help.

It may be that the stain cannot be removed, but it will be sanitised.

onlysmartieshavetheanswer

Would it be cheaper and less hassle to invest in plastic sheets in future?

Tim_Deegan

I think you will have to ask your insurance company, as I'm sure some of them have a get out for this sort of thing.

It would be well worth investing in a breathable waterproof mattress protector for the replacement.

Tim_Deegan

onlysmartieshavetheanswer wrote: »

Would it be cheaper and less hassle to invest in plastic sheets in future?

They don't have to be plastic. The breathable waterproof type feel like normal terry sheets.

lisyloo

I would recommend also that you look at professional cleaning.
Your insurer MAY do this anyway.
But if you claim (or even ring them with a hint of a claim) then this may upt up your premium in future.
I would NOT call them.
Some people have called to ask questions in the past and it has then been recorded and gone against them, so find a cleaner another way (yellow pages?).

If you claim you risk paying increased premium in future and losing any no claims.
Insurers normally look at "repairing" items before jsut siomply replacing them and you should do the same.
The stain won't be on show.

Mumto2

It wouldn't be the stain that bothered me, but the fact that the inside of the mattress was soaked with wee and would begin to smell over time.

Would cleaning get rid of the inside problem as well?

Anihilator

At the end of the day its probably not covered.

Adults dont normally spontanously wet themselves and those who do normally have underlying heath/medical conditions which make it forseeable hence the insurers will argue you should have been using plastic sheets and by not doing so were neglient.