Impact of a claim on home insurance?

ladysharpey

We recently had a small fire in the kitchen (husband cooking poppadoms in oil!!). We tried to clean and paint the smoke damage but it's really quite bad and we're struggling to do a decent job of it. My Dad suggested we claim on our home insurance and have it sorted professionally.

We've spoken to the insurance company and had a guy out to assess the damage. He said we should get a quote for just repainting the ceiling and walls, and patching up the plaster where it's come away from the wall because of the heat. The light fittings will need to be replaced too but he didn't really say anything about those.

My Uncle is a plasterer/builder/decorator so he came and gave us a quote but he would charge just £300 for the plastering patch up and painting the walls and ceiling. (He did say though he thinks the ceiling and the wall should both be re-skimmed not just patched up if they're going to be done properly, and of course he can't do the lights as he's not an electrician).

So... now we're thinking it's maybe not worth going through the insurance as it might make a big difference on the policy cost and we'll have to pay an excess.

I'm kind of surprised really, I guess I thought they'd do a better job than just a patch up.

Any thoughts?

Quentin

You can see what difference a claim will make to your future premiums by doing dummy quotes online with this just as a "loss" and then as a "claim".


Now you have reported the incident it will have gone on your record as a "loss", and will have to be disclosed to future insurers if they ask about any losses you have experienced.


(In future don't inform your insurer about things like this unless you are certain you intend making a claim)

justaquestion

And even when you make initial contact they will try to get you NOT to make a claim, it's old etc was going to happen anyway.