Home insurance, want to 'speak' to us on phone...can we Legally use LETTERS instead ?

Danny_G

Home insurance question - they are asking to speak to us about something over the telephone, and have given us some weeks to call them,

Legally do we have to speak on the phone?
or can we ask them to ask what they want to ask in 'writting' ?

This is generally, a legal question
- Can we Refuse to speak on the phone, and just get themm to write to use, in writing ??

ihateyes

Danny_G wrote: »

Home insurance question - they are asking to speak to us about something over the telephone, and have given us some weeks to call them,

Legally do we have to speak on the phone?
or can we ask them to ask what they want to ask in 'writting' ?

is this regarding a claim??
some insurers use a voice machine, that basically indicates how likely the claim is ie are you telling spoofs.... im sure aviva use this.

if the machine says they is a possibilty they will look further into the claim before paying out

paddedjohn

Why are you worried about talking on the phone? its bound to resolve things faster.

Danny_G

ihateyes wrote: »

is this regarding a claim??

that basically indicates how likely the claim is ie are you telling spoofs....

How can the machine tell if people are telling spoofs?

FlameCloud

Danny_G wrote: »

How can the machine tell if people are telling spoofs?

It's a computer program that detects changes in voice pitch and stress levels. A fair amount of insurers have them now and it is invariably used alongside cognitive questioning.

It doesn't in itself say you are lying, only gives an indication.

dacouch

If it's regarding a claim, refusing to deal over the phone may raise alarm bells and will certainly delay the claim, Insurers often take weeks to read and reply to letters.

If you have nothing to hide speak to them on the phone, if your nervous on the phone / don't like speaking on the phone. You can normally call the Insurers with someone who can speak on your behalf, give the Insurers permission at the start of the call to speak to them and let them deal over the phone for you.

Note if it's a claim and they're wanting to conduct an interview over the phone, they're unlikely to allow someone to speak on your behalf, although they might be able to send someone to your home to conduct the interview

Jane_gs

It is a computerised system, which they use for voice frequeny patterns

Danny_G

dacouch wrote: »

If it's regarding a claim, refusing to deal over the phone may raise alarm bells and will certainly delay the claim, Insurers often take weeks to read and reply to letters.

If you have nothing to hide speak to them on the phone, if your nervous on the phone / don't like speaking on the phone. You can normally call the Insurers with someone who can speak on your behalf, give the Insurers permission at the start of the call to speak to them and let them deal over the phone for you.

Note if it's a claim and they're wanting to conduct an interview over the phone, they're unlikely to allow someone to speak on your behalf, although they might be able to send someone to your home to conduct the interview

Yes its a claim, don't know if they want an interview,

They just want some

Nervous? mabey ...as I heard that they are sneaky, and they use any phone call info, to 'pull' out of their insurance policy.

Claim info? - strucural movement, and a structural report HAS been done, and handed to them, which they have received. (which states structural movement)


Now they want more info on the phone....

nervous? yes... as If they ask awkward questions, then they might try to 'pull' out of the policy..which is not good.....if alot of work to the property 'might' be needed to be carried out, through them - the insurers.
(who could be calling, and catching out with awkward questions)

dacouch

The interviews using computers to detect lying etc are normally for claims for that are typically high risk of fraud eg losing items, dropping lap tops etc. They would not normally carry these out for structural movement.

The call will probably be from a geeky loss adjuster who specialises in structural movement who will want to ask questions about the movement eg when you noticed it.

If you've been with the same Insurer for a long time there will probably be no issues, if you've changed Insurers in the last couple of years they may work out that it's the last Insurers who should be claimed from. There is a specific industry framework they work from so it's not a case of wiggling out.

If you've bought the house recently, they may be interested in any surveys you had carried out to see if it mentioned structural movement.

If you've had previous subsidence work and not declared it then it could be an issue.

If you deal with them in writing, if there's an issue that would mean the claim would not be paid, they will still find it although it just means it will take them many months longer to get to this stage.

What are your circumstances eg have you been with the same Insurer for a while, when did you discover the movement, when did you buy the house and did it mention movement?

Danny_G

dacouch wrote: »

The interviews using computers to detect lying etc are normally for claims for that are typically high risk of fraud eg losing items, dropping lap tops etc. They would not normally carry these out for structural movement.

The call will probably be from a geeky loss adjuster who specialises in structural movement who will want to ask questions about the movement eg when you noticed it.

If you've been with the same Insurer for a long time there will probably be no issues, if you've changed Insurers in the last couple of years they may work out that it's the last Insurers who should be claimed from. There is a specific industry framework they work from so it's not a case of wiggling out.

If you've bought the house recently, they may be interested in any surveys you had carried out to see if it mentioned structural movement.

If you've had previous subsidence work and not declared it then it could be an issue.

If you deal with them in writing, if there's an issue that would mean the claim would not be paid, they will still find it although it just means it will take them many months longer to get to this stage.

What are your circumstances eg have you been with the same Insurer for a while, when did you discover the movement, when did you buy the house and did it mention movement?

Thanks.

We have been with this insurer for over 10 years.

Discovered movement 8 months ago, we made a phone call for this (Which would have been noted) - They advised us to get a structural report done.

but they wern't big cracks then.

But now they recently got wider, so we got the structural report done 'recent'y (as they advised in the phone call 8 months ago).


now i have told you this, anything else that they can ask ? - to catch us out?

dacouch wrote: »

If you deal with them in writing, if there's an issue that would mean the claim would not be paid,
they will still find it although it just means it will take them many months longer to get to this stage.

What do you mean by this? they will still find it ?

Are you a home insurer? or deal with them?

Quentin

You don't have to talk on the phone to anyone.

But realise that you will cause the delays you have been already advised about