Insurance matching Sets

[Deleted User]

I have had a roof panel damaged, by a stray rocket, in my conservatory which is a polycarb corrugated type. The company replacing cannot match the colour, not even similar and my insurance comany is playing the matching sets card and saying I can't claim for a complete new roof only the panel. Well, just having the panel replaced will look ridiculous as the old ones are dark blue and the replacement is light grey! Can the panels be classed as a matching set as it is in effect one roof - it's not my fault they can't get the same colour!
Any advice?

Catherine12

Yes, i work in insurance.
We would class it as matching because the policy reads anything with a common design.function, pattern- something along those lines.
I have declined claims for this before, as it is only down to your insurer to replace the damaged part. Hope this helps.

ladylouise62

I had a simikar problem with a front door and the side panel. The door had to be replaced, but the glass pattern was no longer made, and it would have all looked very silly with non-matching door and side panel. I got the same response and pushed it and got the whole thing replaced.

dacouch

Catherine12 wrote: »

Yes, i work in insurance.
We would class it as matching because the policy reads anything with a common design.function, pattern- something along those lines.
I have declined claims for this before, as it is only down to your insurer to replace the damaged part. Hope this helps.

matching sets

Most insurance policies specifically limit the insurer’s liability to repair the damaged item only. This can lead to complaints where the damaged item is part of a matching set – and cannot be repaired or replaced with something identical.

In these circumstances, insurers may decide to replace the damaged item with the nearest equivalent. But it can sometimes be difficult to obtain a match that is acceptable to the consumer.

In this situation, consumers usually say the insurer should pay for the entire set to be replaced. Generally, our approach is that the insurer should pay for the damaged item plus 50% of the rest of the matching set.

http://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/publications/technical_notes/household-insurance-repairs.html

http://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/publications/ombudsman-news/75/75-household-insurance.html

InsideInsurance

Never understood why insurers have to pay 50% towards the rest given the clear terms but it is how the FOS tend to play it.

You may want to consider if you want a higher grade insurance in the future which will cover matching sets, trace & access etc