HELP with an insurance claim please!!!

lizzy1344

Hi,
I have never made an insurance claim before and a new to it all (being a young student!)
I have house insurance which covers me for loss outside my home on named items (included my laptop) and I have just left my laptop on the train. (I couldn't be more angry with myself...Long week!!) The train station lost property department is closed at the moment so I can't phone them! I was just wondering if,
I need to phone the police and get a crime number even for loss? (As it was obviously my fault!)
If trains have any form of CCTV to see me leaving it there/somebody taking it?
If my insurance company will replace the laptop or send me money/vouchers?
And lastly if they will replace other items in my bag, eg clothes etc even though I don't have proof of these like receipts?

Any help will be greatly appreciated!
Thanks!

huckster

Yes I think you should report the loss to transport Police, just in case someone hands it in and they may give a reference. But I suspect that they will say that property left on a train is the responsibility of the train operator, who will hand in the laptop if found to the lost property at the final destination station. You might also be able to log this with the train operator.

In regard to the claim, I suspect that Insurers will wait for a few weeks to see if you can trace the Laptop. If you can't then normally the Insurers will use a replacement provider to deal with you direct. Once you have paid the excess, they can replace with one of similar spec.

Once you made the necessary enquiries, with transport Police, lost property and train operator to see if the can find the laptop, give your Insurers a call. They will explain the process. Most are open on Sunday, so give them a call.

In regard to the other items. you will need to give the Insurers the details and they will tell you what evidence of ownership/value are required.

lizzy1344

That's great! Thanks for your help!
Do you think it would be best if I phoned the police/train station etc before I phone my insurance company (As somebody may have handed it in) or do you think I need to phone my insurance company as soon as possible as I am led to believe that some insurance companies say you have to report within a certain amount of time eg 48 hours
Thanks

huckster

Make enquiries with transport Police, train operator and final destination station first, before you phone your Insurers. So if you phone these Sunday/Monday, then phone your Insurers once they have made initial enquries.

alistair.long

Hi, because the laptop was left insurance companies will say it was your fault.
Personnaly I would contact the lost property if it was a big bag because they are normally not taken from the train.

You may want to go online and download a online tracker, it pings a predifined id so you know which IP your laptop is with, if it is very important stuff you may beable to recover the software but because someone else has it doent mean its your's as it wil be hard to prove it as he can say he bought it.
I had mine open up to a webpage and this webpage is mine, so it tells me which IP has logged onto my website, some tools will let you know which IP you are with. e.g. virgin media, bt etc... Just one of my ways to get stuff back

gregd_3

If covered outwith the home then there is no reason for insurers to refuse the claim as policy should cover accidental loss which is what the laptop would be classed as.

But do make enquiries with the BTP and obtain a lost property ref no as insurers will need this if you make a claim.