Insurance claim, no receipt.

jamo_s

Hi,

I need to make a claim for a laptop. I have laptop and portable electrical items cover from Endsleigh. Its an extended student insurance policy.

Anyway, I spilt water on my laptop (MacBook Pro) and its completely gone, friend says the motherboard has shorted.

This laptop was second hand from another friend, its a few years old and neither I or my friend have a reciept or boxes etc for the laptop.

Just wondering if anybody has any experiences making a claim with no receipt and if its worthing even bothering to call them, will they just tell me I need a receipt?

Thanks,
James.

InsideInsurance

Check what it says in your policybook but generally, no, you need to prove ownership of the item not the original puchase receipt. Receipts only really come into play for thefts where you obviously dont have the item to prove you owned it.

jamo_s

InsideInsurance wrote: »

Check what it says in your policybook but generally, no, you need to prove ownership of the item not the original puchase receipt. Receipts only really come into play for thefts where you obviously dont have the item to prove you owned it.

Thanks, how would I prove ownership. A photo perhaps?

InsideInsurance

The laptop itself is proof you own it, I assume that given how much a MacBook Pro is that you have checked that it is value is below the specified items limit and if its above it, then you have actually specified it.

skintandscared_2

InsideInsurance wrote: »

Check what it says in your policybook but generally, no, you need to prove ownership of the item not the original puchase receipt. Receipts only really come into play for thefts where you obviously dont have the item to prove you owned it.

Is that right? So in theory I could buy an old second-hand laptop from a friend of mine for, say, £50, use it for a week then spill a glass of wine on it then claim for the cost of a replacement (new) laptop?! That doesn't make sense to me that that would be possible to do....?

And after having our laptop stolen recently, it worries me that the thief could either sell it in a pub carpark for £50 or chuck water over it and claim for it on insurance?!

TSx

skintandscared wrote: »

Is that right? So in theory I could buy an old second-hand laptop from a friend of mine for, say, £50, use it for a week then spill a glass of wine on it then claim for the cost of a replacement (new) laptop?! That doesn't make sense to me that that would be possible to do....?

And after having our laptop stolen recently, it worries me that the thief could either sell it in a pub carpark for £50 or chuck water over it and claim for it on insurance?!

In theory yes.

I've dealt with a few claims with similar circumstances, and frustrating as it is, unless there's any sort of indicator of fraud, we'd pay just on the basis of them having the laptop.

jamo_s

InsideInsurance wrote: »

The laptop itself is proof you own it, I assume that given how much a MacBook Pro is that you have checked that it is value is below the specified items limit and if its above it, then you have actually specified it.

Yes, I had to specify the amount to be insured. I'm still not sure how I would prove I own it though. Would they have to send somebody to see it, would I have to send it to them?

TSx

jamo_s wrote: »

Yes, I had to specify the amount to be insured. I'm still not sure how I would prove I own it though. Would they have to send somebody to see it, would I have to send it to them?

All depends on the insurer (and even the handler you speak to). I'd give Endsleigh a call, they'll be able to give much more specific advise :P

InsideInsurance

skintandscared wrote: »

Is that right? So in theory I could buy an old second-hand laptop from a friend of mine for, say, £50, use it for a week then spill a glass of wine on it then claim for the cost of a replacement (new) laptop?! That doesn't make sense to me that that would be possible to do....?

And after having our laptop stolen recently, it worries me that the thief could either sell it in a pub carpark for £50 or chuck water over it and claim for it on insurance?!

Or if it's by receipt alone, buy one, take it back for a refund (keep the original receipt of cause or a scan etc) and then claim it was stolen using the receipt as proof.

Or borrow a mates computer, take a few photos of you in different outfits with it, "buy" the manuals for it from him then say it was stolen

Or buy a broken laptop from eBay, poor water over it and claim it was in perfect working order before the accident

Committing insurance fraud is not difficult to do but getting away with it is harder plus insurance generally isn't for the £1000 claim for 1 laptop as the increased premiums just don't justify the claim but is there for more catastrophic losses which are even more difficult to fake and get away with