Asian jewellery claim after burglary

5abi

We have recently been burgled and a lot of the jewellery has been stolen. This has been most distressing as the articles had sentimental value. We have filed for an insurance claim with our insurer who then passed it on to a loss adjustment firm in Scotland. That firm git all the details and pictures from us and the further passes it on to a specialist jewellery valuation company. This company is ultimately responsible to value all the items for the insurance company. They will be using any and all proof that we can provide them. We already supplied photos and videos to prove ownership but they are now asking for a lot more detail like price when bought, receipts, weight, was it declared to customs or not at the time of import. I think i can pretty much get a lot of the detail together but most of the items were gifts from my marriage days.

I have a couple of questions for anyone who has already been through this.

They ask to list every single item separately. Does that mean that if we have a gold set with necklace earrings, rings and bracelets, do we need to list each and every item separately from the set? It's a set after all and will have a combined value and weight. We are claiming for 6 sets so that's about 25 items individually.

Another question is about declaration of customs. I don't understand the intention of this question. We would not declare these things purely because they are personal items. I don't know if their intention would be to value the item for what it was worth after customs duties. This seems like a tactic to get away with paying less for something that clearly would have a lot of value. What is the intention behind this? They are insurers not customs so why do they need to know this?

InsideInsurance

If you only have the weight/ value of sets then its sensible to list all the items but group them in their sets and put the details at that level.

Why does them being personal items make any difference? If you are importing something into the country permanently then you must declare it and pay the import/ vat duty on it as HMRC deem appropriate. Gifts often have the taxes waived but it is discretionary.

Some insurers used to lower their valuations if you have smuggled the goods into the country illegally, they'd reduce the settlement by the taxes you didnt pay. The FOS have ruled that this isnt allowable in the past but that doesnt mean that some wont try it anyway. Some have informed customers that they will inform HMRC of your admission of tax avoidance/ false declarations to customs but if these threats ever materialise is another matter.

rs65

5abi wrote: »

They ask to list every single item separately. Does that mean that if we have a gold set with necklace earrings, rings and bracelets, do we need to list each and every item separately from the set? It's a set after all and will have a combined value and weight. We are claiming for 6 sets so that's about 25 items individually.

You need to quantify your loss so if a set consists of necklace earrings rings and bracelet does it really matter to you if you list the items separately or list them as 'a set of necklace earrings rings and bracelet'?

5abi

Thank you InsideInsurance, understood. However, I would not have declared any such item anyway, These would be tucked deep into pockets or bags to avoid attention.

I could just say yes, these were declared and they would have no way of knowing. They cannot query the UK border agency. The agency does not record this anyway.

Check bags, all looks fine, no sorry too many cigarettes, we need to take a couple of packs off you, Thats fine, have em, thank you off you go. All very informal. Sky TV also did a UK border force series which seemed to show exactly the same behaviour for all sorts of items.

I think I will go ahead and list every single item separately. More paperwork but I need this sorted obviously.

dacouch

I hope you're not under insured

5abi

I am unfortunately

InsideInsurance

UKBA is immigration and to do with your rights to be in the country.

Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is who deals with customs (as their name suggests).

If you do declare goods by going through the Red Channel they give you paperwork to confirm what you have declared and what, if any, taxes have had to be paid. This is what the insurer would be wanting to see.

HMRC allow you to import £390 of goods (current rate) without declaring it and so if the gifts from your wedding were more than this then it should of be declared. Of cause, the vast majority of people dont declare and just happily trundle their way through the Green channel and get away with it but that doesnt make it legal or right.

If you want to play everything above board then you should declare your purchases/ gifts if they exceed this value, but of cause you will be in a tiny minority. The majority of us dump boxes/ manuals/ receipts etc and will claim you've had them for years if you are stopped.

As I said, it is verging on an intimidation tactic from insurers but I'd be surprised if any insurers do report to HMRC and even if they do will HMRC bother doing anything about it.

In my motor claims cases we always used to get dodgy loss of earning claims from self employed people, like taxi drivers, who claimed they were earning £150,000+ a year but of cause only set up this year so had no evidence other than their self maintained records to prove it. HMRC was often a threat to the too.

5abi

InsideInsurance wrote: »

UKBA is immigration and to do with your rights to be in the country.

Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is who deals with customs (as their name suggests).

If you do declare goods by going through the Red Channel they give you paperwork to confirm what you have declared and what, if any, taxes have had to be paid. This is what the insurer would be wanting to see.

HMRC allow you to import £390 of goods (current rate) without declaring it and so if the gifts from your wedding were more than this then it should of be declared. Of cause, the vast majority of people dont declare and just happily trundle their way through the Green channel and get away with it but that doesnt make it legal or right.

If you want to play everything above board then you should declare your purchases/ gifts if they exceed this value, but of cause you will be in a tiny minority. The majority of us dump boxes/ manuals/ receipts etc and will claim you've had them for years if you are stopped.

As I said, it is verging on an intimidation tactic from insurers but I'd be surprised if any insurers do report to HMRC and even if they do will HMRC bother doing anything about it.

In my motor claims cases we always used to get dodgy loss of earning claims from self employed people, like taxi drivers, who claimed they were earning £150,000+ a year but of cause only set up this year so had no evidence other than their self maintained records to prove it. HMRC was often a threat to the too.

Thanks for your very informative comments. What is the best course of action then? Should I say that I have not declared anything and hope for the best?

5abi

Just want to take the best course of action and send in all the claim forms.

What are your recommendations?

InsideInsurance

You need to answer the questions honestly, to falsely state that you had declared them to customs is asking for the claim to be declined for fraud.

If they try and reduce your settlement for it then there is rulings on the FOS website you can point their attention to in your complaint letter that doesnt support their case.

JimmyTheWig

Are they simply asking about customs because you would have declared their value at that point in time?