Garden Wall blown down in storm

tranceaddict

Hi

My garden wall was blown down in the storm on Monday, it was built in 1970 when the house was built and was approximately 55 feet long and 7 feet high.

I've just had the insurance assessor round who has advised that the insurance company will not uphold the claim as the wall was not built to the correct specifications for the height, and it was inevitable that it would fall down one day! He said that as there was not much damage in the surrounding area either that the insurance company would deem that it was not the storm that caused it (though it did happen whilst the orm was in full flow).

Not sure what to do now, do I just take their word for it, or should I complain.

Any help or advice welcome

Quentin

A complaint that the rejection is wrong is the only option you have apart from paying yourself.

As a complaint will only cost a stamp it is worth a try.

This incident will now be on your history and must be disclosed as part of your loss history to any new insurer you approach for quotes over the next 3/5 years, and may increase your premiums, so any chance of a complaint working has got to make it worthwhile trying.

SailorSam

Typical of insurance companies, they complain when people put false and excessive claims but they do all they can to try and get out paying of anything they can.

jonesMUFCforever

So the wall was built in 1970 and has stood for over 40 years - not bad is it for a wall that was supposed to be built to the wrong specs.

I agree a complaint is the way - you could also ask them would a reasonable person be able to tell if the wall was built to the proper specifications or not? After all it must have got through the great Michael Fish storm back in the 80's!

tranceaddict

Quentin wrote: »

This incident will now be on your history and must be disclosed as part of your loss history to any new insurer you approach for quotes over the next 3/5 years, and may increase your premiums, so any chance of a complaint working has got to make it worthwhile trying.

Thanks, I thought I only had to disclose if they paid out, why should I disclose if they don't? Seems a bit wrong

Regards

Quentin

tranceaddict wrote: »

Thanks, I thought I only had to disclose if they paid out, why should I disclose if they don't? Seems a bit wrong

Regards

No it's right!

They ask about "claims and/or losses".

In your case you have a loss (and have made a claim too!)

System

Because statistically you are now the sort of person whose wall is likely to fall down.

It seems to me there are only two ways a wall could fall over. One is if it is too thin. unbuttressed, or the mortar is poor quality, and it breaks off, or two, because the foundations were inadequate and the whole thing moves in the soil. I would have thought an expert such as a surveyor or builder could tell at a glance what had caused it.

vaio

or three because it gets exposed to 80 or 90mph winds like in a storm

I'd have thought it is just the sort of thing that storm damage insurance was intended to cover

Thrugelmir

vaio wrote: »

I'd have thought it is just the sort of thing that storm damage insurance was intended to cover

Still has to be constructed properly in the first place.

Dimey

Do you have copies of the NHBC or Zurich certificates approving the build in 1970 and the Council Building Regulations certificate signing off?

If so, you can send those as evidence that the wall was officially approved fit for purpose and stood for 40 years. Ask to appeal the loss adjustor's assessment and request a qualified second opinion.

Don't throw anything away and take photos for evidence.

If you can find other storm damage nearby then take photos of that too for evidence.

Do you know the name of the original builder? If so tell them the allegation and ask them to inspect and provide their answer to the allegation. They might have the original wall spec to show whether it was up to approved standards at the time.

jonesMUFCforever

Thrugelmir wrote: »

Still has to be constructed properly in the first place.

Does not the point I made that it had stood for over 40 years hold no weight?