Direct Line house Claim - Storm Damage

W1zz

Does anyone know how Direct Line handle their house insurance claims. Never claimed before.

During last weeks windy weather, I noticed lots of cement pieces on the drive which I just put down to bits blowing off the cement edging that runs along the gable end. This I know was a bit crumbly and something I've been meaning to get someone in to fix up.

Yesterday, one of the neighbours who'd had a couple of their slates blown off, had a roofer in who was repairing his under his insurance. My missus asked the roofer how much it may cost to fix up the crumbly cement edging on our roof, but the guy pointed out that 3 or 4 of the side edge tiles had lifted up and moved slightly. Said these would also need doing and that I should be able to get it done on my insurance. He said I should phone them up and put in a claim.

Now reading through the Direct Line policy, it says they use their own approved people. Would they send their own guys out and say that it's my fault for me not ensuring the concreet edging was sound?

The roofer guy, said at the present time the insurance companies are so busy they aren't even sending out assesment guys and they just give you the nod to get the work done and send them the bill (Which is why he left his card). I know I'll have £100 access to pay.

Anyone

Astaroth

Insurers normally have threasholds they work to, if it is below £X they tell you to get it done, if it is between £X and £Y they will send one of their own inspectors out or if it is over £Y they will send a loss adjuster. The exact values of X & Y varies between insurers and typically will also vary through the year, in winter it is generally higher because there are more claims, in summer lower as they have people on the payroll that need to earn their keep.

In addition to this many insurers maintain a network of approved repairers (similar to the garages for motor insurance). Their job is to assess the damage as well as actually repairing it though they do have a conflict of interest as if they say that it isnt repairable then they dont get a job but they are audited on their decisions so they wont turn a blind eye to everything.

I am not a buildings expert at all... the concern with the situation you have described is that either 1) they say you havent complied with your policy by not keeping your home in a good state of repair and so reject the whole claim or 2) state the tiles are storm damage but the cement is pre existing. If option 2 occurs then the insurers would say that they will only pay for the repair of the tiles which may not be possible to do until after the cement work is done or may have to be undone for when you get the cement work done.