Insurance won't cover cost of repair to a storm damaged wall.

Puk

I have a brick perimeter wall, which was damaged by a storm in spring. Half of the 6' wall was flattened, and the remainder has been become unstable. My insurer has offered to cover half of the cost of rebuilding the flattened portion. They are refusing to cover the cost of repairing the unstable part. hey have offered £2k against a quote fro complete rebuild of £8k.

To make things more complicated the other party (a commercial company) are dragging their feet too. Verbally they have agreed that the entire wall need to be rebuilt, and that they will meet half the cost. However, there is nothing in writing.

Is there an option to get the extent of the damage reassessed?
What options do I have to apply pressure?

Ergates

Did you mean to post this to the motoring board?

Grumpy_chap

Puk said:

I have a brick perimeter wall, which was damaged by a storm in spring. Half of the 6' wall was flattened, and the remainder has been become unstable. My insurer has offered to cover half of the cost of rebuilding the flattened portion. They are refusing to cover the cost of repairing the unstable part. hey have offered £2k against a quote fro complete rebuild of £8k.

To make things more complicated the other party (a commercial company) are dragging their feet too. Verbally they have agreed that the entire wall need to be rebuilt, and that they will meet half the cost. However, there is nothing in writing.

Is there an option to get the extent of the damage reassessed?
What options do I have to apply pressure?

Probably not for the motoring board, but a moderator may well be along to move shortly.

If I read the situation correctly:
1. there is a wall with shared ownership
2. quote to rebuild is £8k
3. OP's insurer will pay £2k
4. Neighbour (business) will pay £4k
5. That leaves £2k for the OP to fund

It is probably reasonable that the OP's insurer won't fund the full proportion of the OP's half bill if there is any betterment involved.

Could the OP ask the company whether they can meet the full cost if the OP contributes £2k (from the insurer)? 
No need to say that the £2k is insurance payout if irrelevant.
The company may be better placed to fund the extra, may have trades that can do the work cheaper, may benefit from VAT recovery, may gain more through making the first impression of their premises look professional.
The company may say "no" but if you don't ask, you don't get.

Puk

Clearly not the correct forum, it was my first post. As we've started a conversation here let's carry on!

You use the phrase 'betterment' to describe the repairs to the half of the wall which has been left unstable. The wall was stable prior to the storm, now it is possible to rock the wall by just pushing the top of it with my hand. If someone were to lean on it would likely topple. I feel that it is now a danger. However, would an insurer to within their rights to consider repairs as 'betterment'?

Nobbie1967

Puk said:

Clearly not the correct forum, it was my first post. As we've started a conversation here let's carry on!

You use the phrase 'betterment' to describe the repairs to the half of the wall which has been left unstable. The wall was stable prior to the storm, now it is possible to rock the wall by just pushing the top of it with my hand. If someone were to lean on it would likely topple. I feel that it is now a danger. However, would an insurer to within their rights to consider repairs as 'betterment'?

Maybe they suspect the wall was in a poor state of repair if part of it was brought down by high winds in a storm, or did something fall onto it?

TadleyBaggie

Puk said:

Clearly not the correct forum, it was my first post. As we've started a conversation here let's carry on!

Let's not, as you've created another thread on this subject in the Insurance sub-forum.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6378258/insurer-wont-cover-cost-of-repairing-storm-damaged-wall#latest