Axa Building insurance, insufficient cash settlement

gm10460

How do all, hope I can get some advice on this one. (Might be in the wrong forum page tho)

On buying our first house in September 2011, my partner and I took up buildings and contents insurance with Axa.

On 2nd January this year, we were hit by 90mph winds and all of the ridging tiles and a number of roof tiles were blown off. The ridging tiles plummeted off the roof, tearing off a section of guttering and landing in my conservatory, bursting two of the roof panes in there. Not the best start to the year.

I got in touch with Axa an hour or so after the damage and their adviser was pretty helpful, they broke the claim down into two parts, dealing with the house roof and the conservatory roof separately. The company dealing with the conservatory roof, Solarglass, were pretty efficient and sent someone round to assess the damage and arrange replacement parts. The insurance company are paying for the repair. Unfortunately, the parts can't be fitted until the roof is fixed, in case further damage is done while the roof is fixed.

The fixing of the house roof is causing us serious headaches. The surveyor, from a company called Building Valuation Solutions, couldn't make it out until a week after the damage was caused, which was understandable, given that they must have been dealing with a few similar claims. The earliest we could get a roofer out to give a quote for the job was over a week as well.

So the surveyor came out, looked at the damage, took a couple of photos and agreed the claim within about five minutes of turning up. He calculated the cost of repair as about £670 and had been instructed by Axa to sort a cash settlement, minus our excess. So we were issued £570 by Axa.

The day after the surveyor came out, we had 3 contractors round to give us quotes, the average quote for repair was £980, with very little difference between all three.

This has left us with a bit of a problem, the money that Axa have issued us is £300 short of what we need to do the work. We're of limited means, given that we're not long in to a new house, so not in a position just pay the extra to get the work done and fight them for recompense.

We went back to Axa to let them know the situation, they told us to get back in touch with BVS about the survey. BVS however don't answer the phone. After calling back Axa, they agreed to contact BVS and passed us on an email address for them. Numerous unanswered phonecalls and three emails later, and now 3 weeks after the damage was caused, still no response from BVS.

Meantime, we've had continued poor weather, which is causing further damage to the roof and inside the house.

Any advice/suggestions. I pay my insurance so that I don't have to sit in a house without a roof, and my excess is only £100, so I don't think I should be picking up the extra £300 to get the work done.

Still, it's extremely difficult to get it resolved when we cant get any response from the surveyors and Axa are only willing to refer us back to them.

Any advice welcome.

Gav

keystone

Write to the Company Secretary of AXA and lodge it as a complaint, copied to BVS. Write and send signed4. Don't email and don't telephone. tDon't write to the Chief Exec. He/she will only pass it off. Co Sec has to respond. Invite them to supply their own nominated contractor to do the job for the sum that the surveyor says it can be done for.

Best of luck.

Cheers

phill99

You need to appiont your own loss adjustor. The vast majotity of poilicies allow you to do this and the insurance company will pick up the tab.

He is the man that will act on your behalf in dealing with your insurance claim and will argue your case.

Google 'loss adjustors' for some local to you.

LenaBarnes

We are sorry to hear that you are experiencing difficulties. Please email your claim details to householdcomplaints.ins@axa-insurance.co.uk and someone will be in contact to help find a solution.
Kind regards,
AXA Insurance

Insco

gm10460 wrote: »

How do all, hope I can get some advice on this one. (Might be in the wrong forum page tho)

On buying our first house in September 2011, my partner and I took up buildings and contents insurance with Axa.

On 2nd January this year, we were hit by 90mph winds and all of the ridging tiles and a number of roof tiles were blown off. The ridging tiles plummeted off the roof, tearing off a section of guttering and landing in my conservatory, bursting two of the roof panes in there. Not the best start to the year.

I got in touch with Axa an hour or so after the damage and their adviser was pretty helpful, they broke the claim down into two parts, dealing with the house roof and the conservatory roof separately. The company dealing with the conservatory roof, Solarglass, were pretty efficient and sent someone round to assess the damage and arrange replacement parts. The insurance company are paying for the repair. Unfortunately, the parts can't be fitted until the roof is fixed, in case further damage is done while the roof is fixed.

The fixing of the house roof is causing us serious headaches. The surveyor, from a company called Building Valuation Solutions, couldn't make it out until a week after the damage was caused, which was understandable, given that they must have been dealing with a few similar claims. The earliest we could get a roofer out to give a quote for the job was over a week as well.

So the surveyor came out, looked at the damage, took a couple of photos and agreed the claim within about five minutes of turning up. He calculated the cost of repair as about £670 and had been instructed by Axa to sort a cash settlement, minus our excess. So we were issued £570 by Axa.

The day after the surveyor came out, we had 3 contractors round to give us quotes, the average quote for repair was £980, with very little difference between all three.

This has left us with a bit of a problem, the money that Axa have issued us is £300 short of what we need to do the work. We're of limited means, given that we're not long in to a new house, so not in a position just pay the extra to get the work done and fight them for recompense.

We went back to Axa to let them know the situation, they told us to get back in touch with BVS about the survey. BVS however don't answer the phone. After calling back Axa, they agreed to contact BVS and passed us on an email address for them. Numerous unanswered phonecalls and three emails later, and now 3 weeks after the damage was caused, still no response from BVS.

Meantime, we've had continued poor weather, which is causing further damage to the roof and inside the house.

Any advice/suggestions. I pay my insurance so that I don't have to sit in a house without a roof, and my excess is only £100, so I don't think I should be picking up the extra £300 to get the work done.

Still, it's extremely difficult to get it resolved when we cant get any response from the surveyors and Axa are only willing to refer us back to them.

Any advice welcome.

Gav

How did you get on with AXA ? - you are not the only one who is having issues in dealing with BVS / Building Validation Solutions

Some people are reporting that after complaint that have received settlements several times the original amount that they were offered by the BVS claims handler.

tangiblesolutions

I would be interested in the outcome. We have seven claims where the AXA representative has grossly underscoped and underpriced claims.

I would be interested to talk with the AXA representative as it would appear BVS are not doing AXA's PR and renewals much good. Although, they may consider selling people short on claims a far better result.

I have received contacts within the indusrtry expressing concerns about the activities and what action are to be taken.

Please let us know the outcome once you had complained.

keystone

OP hasn't been here (well certainly hasn't posted) for 15 months. You are unlikely to get a reply.

Cheers

marlot

tangiblesolutions wrote: »

I would be interested in the outcome. We have seven claims where the AXA representative has grossly underscoped and underpriced claims.....

I was about to go with an Axa quote being sold by John Lewis. Not so sure any more. Time to go and chat with a broker instead.