Contents Insurance/Theft unnoticed 1 year!

swillia3

Hello, First time here, and with a problem, My wife was looking for her watch that was left to her by her Mum, it was always kept safe in the loft, but when we got the box down, it was missing, after a big panic we realise that we must have forgotten to put it away in the box when it was last used over a year ago, and was in an alternate location waiting to go up to the loft, then overlooked, this wtach has now gone, we think now that it may have been when we had workers in a about a year ago.
Obviously we need to report this to the Police, although there is not a lot theycan do! but will we be covered on our contents insurance? My Wife is now worried that they will not cover, and it was an expensive item!
Thnakyou

Hub

If you're claiming for theft, it would normally have to be by forcible or violent entry, but it might be worth a try. It might also depend on the value, whether or not your policy has a single article limit for valuables...

Do you have an original purchase receipt? Any photos of the watch? Any idea of make/model etc? Have you called your insurers?

Empty_pockets

They wont cover theft if its someone you've invited into the house.

swillia3

We have a photo and a valuation letter, as for 'invited' in, they were contractors working within the house on behalf of another company that we employed to do some Central Heating work, under a disabilty benefit.

ihateyes

this could be tricky.
there has been a fair time lapse (i understand why)
no forced entry etc

InsideInsurance

Forced or violent entry is generally only required for properties with non-family members living in it but this does vary between policies.

The concern is going to be the lack of evidence that it was stolen, it could be that its fallen down the back of a sofa or under a unit. It could be that it was taken when you went somewhere for a night out/ weekend away etc and left. The fact it is a year down the line just opens up so many more possibilities of how it could have gone missing. I also would suspect that the police will refuse to take a theft report given the lack of evidence also. I had my briefcase "go missing" in a restaurant whilst I was sat at the table with some colleagues but the police refused to record it as a crime as failing to see anyone take it meant it was lost property instead.

Is the item insured as a specified item? Is it included under your Personal Possessions cover? Do you have an all risks policy or specified perils? (the former are the expensive sort from the likes of Hiscox, the later are the cheaper sort from the likes of Tescos)

System

Am I the only person who thinks that the rest of us should not have our insurance premiums burdened with claims from careless people who don't look after their own belongings?

Hub

Clifford_Pope wrote: »

Am I the only person who thinks that the rest of us should not have our insurance premiums burdened with claims from careless people who don't look after their own belongings?

No. There are lots of similar morons about.

swillia3

Clifford_Pope wrote: »

Am I the only person who thinks that the rest of us should not have our insurance premiums burdened with claims from careless people who don't look after their own belongings?

Thankyou Mr Perfect, :mad: and your mates Mr Perfect2 (Hub) we are not morons, you maybe though, we made a mistake, obvioulsy you don't !

We had recently lost our son in an accident, which came a matter of days after the loss of my wife's father, we were both, shall we say, 'not feeling our best' (still not!) we thought the watch was with all our other valuables in a safe place, and thought no more of it.

It was not until we had to look for it the other day we noticed it was not where it should have been, under locak and key in a safe location.

Idiophreak

I expect it's around somewhere, tbh...I've had a couple of things that I've thought "someone must have taken it!" and they've turned up eventually. Time to search the place top to bottom, including inside the sofas etc.

mikey72

swillia3 wrote: »

Thankyou Mr Perfect, :mad: and your mates Mr Perfect2 (Hub) we are not morons, you maybe though, we made a mistake, obvioulsy you don't !

We had recently lost our son in an accident, which came a matter of days after the loss of my wife's father, we were both, shall we say, 'not feeling our best' (still not!) we thought the watch was with all our other valuables in a safe place, and thought no more of it.

It was not until we had to look for it the other day we noticed it was not where it should have been, under locak and key in a safe location.

I'm sorry to here of your loss.
I did read that as Hub defending you, and was answering Cifford_Pope directly, saying there were a lot of others morons who thought the same as him (Cifford_Pope), thus implying he was the moron.

I hope the watch either turns up, or you pursue the claim successfully, there is good advice on here.