2 week wait for loss adjuster on house claim?

YORKSHIRELASS

Hi

Luckily I have never had to claim on my household insurance before. This morning a huge gust of wind blew the roof off our garden shed, flattening the fence as it took it into next doors garden. At the same time 10 tiles were blown off the house roof.

I rang the insurance Company at 8.45 this morning and the loss adjuster has just rung to say they cant come out until 17th January which really surprised us. We can make temporary repairs but we dont know for certain what they will pay out on so we are reluctant to spend too much money.

I suppose we need to get a builder to try and put a tarpaulin on the hole in the house roof. No water seems to be coming in at the moment but 2 weeks is a long time. We also need to do something with the fence as next door have a dog and the fence is our responsibility. The garden shed is also full of tools and equipment so its a nightmare.

Does anyone have any advice to give? Is 2 weeks an acceptable length of time to wait for a loss adjuster?

rs65

Unfortunately, times of storms make loss adjusters and roofers/builders very busy so 2 weeks probably isn't unreasonable.

However, some insurers will authorise repairs up to a set amount in these circumstances. I would be asking them to agree that emergency repairs can be undertaken to make the roof secure and weather tight.

Same for the shed, it needs to be made secure and weather tight.

Check your policy - you may find that storm damage to fences is excluded.

YORKSHIRELASS

Thank you. The insurers have said that if the shed roof hit the fence - which it seems to have done - then we can claim for the fence. Thats why it would have been nice for loss adjusters to come out now and see the way that the shed roof is lying.

I am going to go out in the morning and take plenty of photos but next door want their garden tidying up which is fair enough - our shed roof is on top of their flowerbeds.

rs65

Photos are a good idea - I don't think they can expect you to leave your shed roof in your neighbours garden for 2 weeks just for a loss adjuster to see it.

If you have the LA's details, email the photos to them with an explanation of what has happened and the damage described. Try to get them to agree some repairs on the phone if possible.

ROY47

rs65 wrote: »

Photos are a good idea - I don't think they can expect you to leave your shed roof in your neighbours garden for 2 weeks just for a loss adjuster to see it.

And don't forget to get the date on the photo ,if you have a digital camera set it so that the date appears on the picture

Mrs_Natalie

Insurers will have been incredibly busy these past two days. As advised above, take plenty of photographs and ensure the dates are on all photos. Try and get a few people in to give you some quotes. Have them ready for when the loss adjuster comes to visit.

YORKSHIRELASS

Thanks. I didnt think about getting quotes until the loss adjuster had been. I can certainly get quotes for the roof but the shed is going to be more difficult because its a very old shed (which was rock solid before the storms!) and is 14ft by 8ft. Not sure whether it can be repaired or not.

Its very windy again here tonight and I am glad I have taken one set of photos, just in case any more damage is done overnight.

Brit27

We had water come through our kitchen ceiling from a leak in the bathroom, causing part of the ceiling to hang down, I called the RSA (More Than)to register the claim, I then had to wait a week for my claim to be processed, then another 3 days for their loss adjuster Crawford & Company to contact me. They then made an appointment a further 3 days on for an half hour interview that was carried out over the phone !
Apparently, it is their policy not to visit the property :mad:.

One month later, I've virtually given up, the claim hasn't progressed one bit. I sent in a complaint letter over Christmas, to Crawford & Company, that hasn't been answered yet, I've just been told to keep receipts for any work that is carried out to rectify the claim by More Than.

My policy ends in June, chances of staying with these muggers.....zero ! My name is not Morgan Freeman

Rupert_Bear

Brit27 wrote: »

We had water come through our kitchen ceiling from a leak in the bathroom, causing part of the ceiling to hang down, I called the RSA (More Than)to register the claim, I then had to wait a week for my claim to be processed, then another 3 days for their loss adjuster Crawford & Company to contact me. They then made an appointment a further 3 days on for an half hour interview that was carried out over the phone !
Apparently, it is their policy not to visit the property :mad:.

One month later, I've virtually given up, the claim hasn't progressed one bit. I sent in a complaint letter over Christmas, to Crawford & Company, that hasn't been answered yet, I've just been told to keep receipts for any work that is carried out to rectify the claim by More Than.

My policy ends in June, chances of staying with these muggers.....zero ! My name is not Morgan Freeman

I am surprised they say it is there policy not to visit the premises. We are with the NW and had a leak from the washing machine and in turn has caused water to get under the laminate flooring. We registered our claim and were advised that Crawfords would contact us in 24 hours.
They did and they will attend the property next week.

Perhaps some insurers have different arrangements with the respective loss adjuster. Also we have used Crawfords before regarding our subsidence claim and they were excellent.

Brit27

Rupert_Bear wrote: »

I am surprised they say it is there policy not to visit the premises. We are with the NW and had a leak from the washing machine and in turn has caused water to get under the laminate flooring. We registered our claim and were advised that Crawfords would contact us in 24 hours.
They did and they will attend the property next week.

Perhaps some insurers have different arrangements with the respective loss adjuster. Also we have used Crawfords before regarding our subsidence claim and they were excellent.

I've no idea and I made it very clear that I was not happy with them not visiting, they just insisted it was their policy not to ?
I've still heard nothing from either More Than or Crawfords.

Rupert_Bear

Brit27 wrote: »

I've no idea and I made it very clear that I was not happy with them not visiting, they just insisted it was their policy not to ?
I've still heard nothing from either More Than or Crawfords.

The guy from Crawfords came and inspected the damage and agreed the claim straight away. Advised I would receive a cheque from my insurers in next two weeks. Again brilliant service.

I did question him about telephone interviews and he said they do this sometimes but if it is damage caused by a leak they normally attend the premises.