Home Insurance Help

rsooty

Hi. Yesterday i got home after being out for around 6 hours to find a burst pipe under the sink and water flowing out the doors and over an inch of water throughout the downstairs of the house. I have instructed my insurance company who are coming tomorrow but i have concerns...
I opened the policy through one call insurance with a company called Ocaso, I have now found nothing but bad reviews of this company and I'm dreading this claim.
So far the damage i have found is...
All carpets, vinyl and underlay on ground floor ruined
Wifes laptop that was behind the sofa knackered
Washing machine is just going bang and tripping electrics
Kitchen cupboard under sink has started to warp and swell
Parts of the concrete floor where an old pipe ran under is all cracking
The wooden door case and/or door into our porch is warped/swollen and is jamming
All the dogs bedding is ruined
Probably other bits ive not noticed yet but all the important stuff is checked.
My big concerns are...
In their policy docs it states only damaged goods will be repaired/replaced. Does that mean my 1 kitchen cupboard and doors will be replaced and i will have non matching kitchen units? Also the carpet in the hallway was ruined but the matching carpet on stairs and landing are fine, am i going to be left with non matching carpets?
This year has been disaster after disaster so far and this has completely drained all my finances already. I'd love to know what an insurance companies legal obligation is in situations like this?

Quentin

Check the policy wording - though it's unlikely it will cover matching everything up


Your insurer must comply with the policy, and if they don't you can complain to them and if necessary escalate to the FOS.


(The time to read up that the policy is the one you want is before you buy it!)

rsooty

Yes so it would see, this is the first time i've ever had to claim and i made the assumption insurances were pretty much covering the same stuff and insurer just vary the cover value and premium individually. I would assume cover would have to repair/replace to a like to like position, ie if i have matching carpets and kitchen units they would have to replace with matching. I really wasn't expecting a clause like this. It's like having a knackered shoe but just replacing the knackered left shoe with a welly and keeping the right shoe as it was alright.

FutureGirl

It's a common thing with insurance that they don't cover undamaged matching items. You will find this cover is only available on premium / elite policies.

Your insurer will pay for what is damaged (the one kitchen cupboard and door). If you want to re-do all the kitchen cupboards and doors so they match, then the FOS guideline is the insurer should offer to contribute 50% of the undamaged work. If they don't offer it, complain, and then they will offer the 50% contribution.

This is why I never go for the cheapest quotes.

rsooty

Thanks. What is this FOS guideline? Could do with getting some research in tonight before the loss adjuster comes in tomorrow. If they are obliged to offer 50% I'd rather find the rest of the money and get it done now whilst other work needs doing anyway.
I rang them yesterday at 2pm and nobody coming out until tomorrow at 12.30pm, they were happy for me to just leave it til then but with 3 kids in the house i got the ok to rip carpets up and buy a wet vac to make a start (i did take pics prior). Otherwise there would certainly of been much more damage, i just hope this works in my favour with the claim

TSx

The FOS is the financial ombudsman (the people who deal with complaints about insurance companies). Whilst your policy will almost certainly exclude matching items, the FOS will expect the insurer to contribute around 50% towards undamaged items.

This will apply to the kitchen units, but not necessarily flooring (I've seen a few decisions recently where the FOS have not applied the 50% to matching flooring in different rooms as they say it's a clearly different area).

For future reference, the sort of policies that have matching items cover don't tend to be the cheapest on comparison sites - and will make the policy significantly more expensive usually.

rsooty

TSx wrote: »

The FOS is the financial ombudsman (the people who deal with complaints about insurance companies). Whilst your policy will almost certainly exclude matching items, the FOS will expect the insurer to contribute around 50% towards undamaged items.

This will apply to the kitchen units, but not necessarily flooring (I've seen a few decisions recently where the FOS have not applied the 50% to matching flooring in different rooms as they say it's a clearly different area).

For future reference, the sort of policies that have matching items cover don't tend to be the cheapest on comparison sites - and will make the policy significantly more expensive usually.

That's brilliant help thanks. I don't suppose you know where i could find info on this?

Sally_A

From a quick google, I'm not sure Ocaso are UK based; governed by the FCA or if the ombudsmen will get involved.

Similar to Qdos, another co who are very aggressive in the UK, especially in the motorcycle market and very cheap.

If you buy on price alone, you will be scuppered when you want the Ombudsman to help out as their hands are often tied with offshore markets and they have no clout.

Sally_A

Meant to say Rsooty..in the back of most insurance policy books there is a "How to complain" section.

rsooty

Ocaso SA are covered by the FCA but not the FSA by the looks of it. Really hope some of the good luck i'm due turns up ASAP

Quentin

FSA has been replaced by FCA