Home Insurance refusing to pay out

dblue75

It is reasonable to have an invoice confirming works completed and what I paid out and believe me I have asked a few times now to be told he will post it to me and nothing. I have also asked the insurance to go over their call records etc and I have been honest from start and supplied anything they have asked for until now.

I know its not a big deal for the builder to send and he has been paid. He has just failed to follow up and now not responding to my emails. I contacted rated people today from where I hired him in hope they can mediate and ask him to send an invoice as per request.

FutureGirl

You need to register a formal complaint with the insurer and tell them that the specific adviser you spoke to on that date and time advised you that the email would be enough to pay out on. They will then get that specific call listened to.

However, as previously mentioned, if they worded it in some other way, you may have mis-heard, or taken something the wrong way that they said regarding sending it in for consideration.

You being honest from the start has little to do with it. You need to evident your claim in the proper manner, which hasn't been done as a formal invoice hasn't been provided to the insurers to show the work was carried out by that specific contractor - although this isn't your fault as he isn't providing it.

Have you asked the contractor to email you a copy of the invoice? if he's doing it on a computer, he must be able to email you a copy on his headed paper.

TSx

Ask for a formal response to your complaint so you can take to the ombudsman. Going to the FOS will cost your insurer £550 regardless of the outcome so they will probably just pay it.

On a side note, I imagine the ombudsman would rule in the consumers favour even without the phone call. The sequence of events described is not unusual and the information supplied should be enough to validate the claim.

superbigal36

Suspect it's not gone through the builders books.
Threaten to report them to HMRC as you are demanding a vat invoice.
Perhaps trading standards as well.

spadoosh

Tell the insurance company the builder isnt and doesnt have to provide you with an invoice. An invoice is only required between transaction of two VAT registered companies. You are not a VAT registered company and therefore he does not need to provide you with an invoice. If they require an invoice then its beyond reason to expect you to get one when no one is legally bound to provide you with one.

You can say and do what you want about the builder. He does not have to provide you with an invoice. If the insurance company demand that, the insurance company need to be the ones doing the transaction.

sheramber

I have received an emailed invoice from a company which did have the company header on it. Maybe the person you spoke to assumed that is what you meant you had.

dblue75

Thanks everyone. Don't know if I a more annoyed at the builders or the insurance company. I've emailed the builder again and rated people where I hired him from to try and resolve this. Failing that ? I will need to raise my complaint with the ombudsman.

lisyloo

You need to raise your complaint formally with the insurer FIRST.
If you go straight to the ombudsman they will tell you to go to the insurer first and won't deal with it until you have. You need to go through the proper process and not just talk to operators on the phone, there will be a specific process you need to follow and often a separate department.
Fwiw I always keep details of who I spoke to, dates and times where money is involved. This makes it easier to trace recorded phone calls and if it cannot be provien it still adds credibility to your version of events if you can give full details of who you spoke to and when.
Fwiw I think you are likely to win. Not having headed notepaper is a very poor excuse for not paying in this day and age and poor behaviour on behalf of the insurer.

glentoran99

Its not Hard to make up a headed invoice.....

TSx

The proper process for all insurance companies (and anyone falling under FOS jurisdiction) is to let them know you're dissatisfied either verbally or in writing. You do not need to mention the word complaint - even your tone of voice could be enough to indicate it is a complaint. There is no need to report a complaint to a specific department, as long as it is reported to the insurer.

It is likely that when they first said they weren't paying it, your response will have constituted an 'expression of dissatisfaction' (after all not many people would be satisfied with that) and as such the complaint should have been registered from that date.

Some will suggest writing. I'd suggest ringing and asking them to confirm they are dealing with your complaint as you require a final decision to take it to the ombudsman.