insurance help needed urgent please.

sim11

Unfortunaley i was flooded out 3 months ago , i am insured by halifax , we are now at the stage of getting lists and prices for getting items replaced , my concerns lie in the prices that are trying to claim that items are worth i.e lcd 32 jvc tv £475 ( now obsolete newer model now out), 32 toshiba wide screen crt £300 ( now obsolete ) toshiba no longer make crt tv`s , but the halifax answer to this is to take a different less superior brand , in order to replace crt , but if i have lost toshiba i would like toshiba tv back , if not at least a superior brand not inferior, can they do this ? policy states like fore like i.e. toshiba for toshiba .These items are not that old but technology have moved at an alarming rate in the last few years .
We have been to the local high street retailers and you simply cannot replace these items at these prices , my policy does state old for new ,like for like. In conversations halifax have stated that if we cannot replace items that price that they purchase them for us , but how would that work?
If anyone could offer any advise please as we do not have any idea where we stand , should we expecting more ?, should we just go and get the new items and pass on receipts ? should we get quotes from high street retailers ?

FlameCloud

Insurance indemnifies you against loss (putting you in the same financial position as you were before the loss)

You financial position is that you had a 32" CRT with x frequency and say y scart sockets. You also had a 32" LCD with x resolution and y scart sockets.

Make really is irrelevent unfortunatly- the spec is the only thing that matters.

Push them to repalce the items for you, unfortunatly (assuming you have a blue MOR policy) the wording allows them to issue cash if they feel it neccessery. The suppliers they use (either Powerplay or Capita) should be able to get you the same value tv as what it is now- i.e. the can tell you what model it would be now and issue you comet vouchers for that amount so you can go and get it yourself.

sim11

They have stated that they will issue monies for the items , all brands aside , the only firms now that make crt tv are what are classed as bugdet where as toshiba is branded , hence a lower quality tv .
Would they have to accept quotes from such as comet for replacement ones with it being an old for new policy .

FlameCloud

Yes, but you would have to get replacement quotes for a 32" CRT tv, not anything else.

mattymoo

Flamecloud - I have heard this argument before and I really do think insurers are oversimplifying.

The OP paid more money in the first instance to buy a decent TV. There is a marked difference between premium and budget brands and a replacement with a budget model is not going to indemnify the policyholder.

True the move away from CRT to LCD etc is causing problems but so what. With computers, you would replace a 10 yr old relic of a laptop with a modern machine with many benefits over the old. It is a new for old replacement though.

You may recall an ad for Direct Line a few years back where a couple of old ladies were discussing an insurance claim. One had a Roberts radio stolen and the insurers replaced it with what appeared to be an Aiwa midi hifi unit of a type that was popular at the time. Transistor radio - midi hifi / CRT to LCD. Its the same thing.

The other issue is that of sums insured. The OP will have set his overall sum insured based on the quality / quantity of products he owns. A house full of cheap tat may set a figure at £20k whereas someone buying mid-top of range items would set it at £40-50k. Additional premium would be charged for this obviously.
To then turn round at the claims stage and say you are getting the cheap tat - tough luck, is in my view seriously short changing the client and failing to indemnify.

EDIT: Just thought of a better analogy.
Some motor insurers will replace a vehicle with a new one if it is written off within the first year of registration. If certain household insurers were dealing with this then you would find your shiny new BMW replaced with a Skoda or Ford (no disrespect to either of those 2 marques).
Both have 4 wheels, a steering wheel and an engine. Some would say there was betterment because Ford and Skoda have working indicators

Sim11 - I noticed that Thompson still make CRT sets. French brand with a reasonable reputation. Not up with the Sony, Loewe etc but certainly better than Goodmans etc.

sim11

if toshiba still made 32 crt i would be quite happy to one , but they do not , i am not asking for something that should`nt recieve either , if i wanted cheap and nasty crt 32 i could of saved alot of money in the first place .