contents ins-any problems with claiming ?

mrs_baggins

Hello all, after reading a couple of threads about being burgled and problems with claiming against contents thought I would ask a couple of questions for those unfortunate enough to have made a claim?

I have started to photograph various items and put these along with any scanned receipts into a database I am keeping at work. Things I have a receipt for are no problem i would imagine , its those items I have either bought off someone or as gifts I am having a problem with. I also have a large collection of dvd's which if anyone stole them (fairly portable after all) would cost a fair amount to replace and as a lot were bought maybe a few years ago or were gifts I dont have receipts. I have taken a collective photo of them but dont know if this will suffice. Also I have a laptop - second hand but still cost £500 but again have no idea where it was bought from as it was a gift. If anyone has been unfortunate enough to have suffered a buglary did your insurance company pay out on things like this? I read a recent thread where somone had the photo, serial number etc but insurers were still not willing to pay. I have even started scanning all kinds of receipts in just in case the house burns down or something. Yes you've guessed it I am a half empty kind of person!

I did think of writing to my insureres and asking about their policy but its just my luck that 2 days after doing this something major would happen making it look a bit dodgy!!

Astaroth

Phone them is a much quicker way to get a response rather than writing... if you want their response in writing you can always ask for that over the phone.

Only had one home insurance claim personally (the first time I had a break in we didnt have insurance). In that instance it was a large loss so a loss adjuster was appointed. They accepted photos of the jewellery that had been stolen (and these were just photos of it on and not purposely done photographs) in combination of only one or two receipts and a look at the few items that hadnt been stolen (to prove that we were the bespoke gold/ diamond type of customers rather than Elizabeth Duke they said).

We didnt have any problems at all with the proof of loss aspect and just had a long debate on the settlement method. Most of it was family jewellery and whilst it was worth £X there was no way we wanted/ needed that amount of new jewellery as replacement - I know now the ins and outs but we received £Y as replacement jewellery and the rest as cash but the cash was less than X-Y.

mrs_baggins

Well that was good. I have never had to claim yet thank ggodness but it has been on my mind that I should do something. I have literally just emailed a company I had some items off with a description, photo and serial number in the hope they can supply me with some type of written valuation. I live in hope!