Failed insurance subsidence claim

Homer_71

Currently I’m going through what was supposed to be a relatively straightforward bedroom renovation. As the job progressed the contractor had to stop the renovation due to the wall he was working on displayed movement while the brickwork was being prepared when replacing the ceiling. The wall in question is a single brick construction gable end wall.
The contractor stopped immediately and informed me of the issue he inspected the areas in question outside and found cracks running the height of the building both sides of the chimney breast. I was advised to contact my insurance company immediately which I did resulting in them asking me to upload images of the damage. Four days later I received a phone call from a subsidence surveyor expecting to be arranging a home visit to inspect property but was told instead he’d reviewed the images and advised me and insurance company Halifax it was not subsidence and therefore not an insurance claim.
Is this normal for subsidence claims to be handled by photographs taken on a phone surely this is important to be visually inspected in person. I was sent a surveyors report which I forwarded to the contractor and he is totally disgusted that it’s been handled this way and is adamant it’s subsidence at this point it makes no financial difference to the contractor as any works required is not going be any benefit to him. So I’m currently stuck with no bedroom and no bedroom for the foreseeable. Is there anything I can do to contest the insurance company findings as I’ve absolutely no experience of claiming all I know is I’ve no idea why I’m paying for building and contents insurance that isn’t covering the building. I assume if I’d lent against the wall and it had collapsed I would have been covered.
Any advice will be very gratefully appreciated.

dunstonh

Four days later I received a phone call from a subsidence surveyor expecting to be arranging a home visit to inspect property but was told instead he’d reviewed the images and advised me and insurance company Halifax it was not subsidence and therefore not an insurance claim.

Not all cracking is subsidence.   It can come from normal movement, which just involves some remedial work under maintenance, and that would not be an insurance claim.

Some people jump to "subsidence" when it isn't actually subsidence.

Is this normal for subsidence claims to be handled by photographs taken on a phone surely this is important to be visually inspected in person.

The photos would depend on the next stage.  Modern phones can take better pictures than some half decent cameras.

. I was sent a surveyors report which I forwarded to the contractor and he is totally disgusted that it’s been handled this way and is adamant it’s subsidence at this point it makes no financial difference to the contractor as any works required is not going be any benefit to him

The surveyor's report is the key thing. Did the surveyor visit?  What is it in the report that you are contesting?

 Is there anything I can do to contest the insurance company findings as I’ve absolutely no experience of claiming all I know is I’ve no idea why I’m paying for building and contents insurance that isn’t covering the building.

If you disagree, you can employ your own structural engineers to carry out a report.   It will be at your own cost but they are not that expensive (around £1k-£2k - perhaps under 1k if focused on one part of the building).

if the report confirms it is subsidence that requires significant work, then the insurer will need to take that into account and you can present that as evidence in your complaint to them  (or the FOS if it goes that far).  If the report say it is say category 2 on the BRE dist scale, then that is just routine maintenance that you would employ a builder to carry out and not something you claim for on insurance.

Homer_71

Thanks for the reply I think the fact something like this does not require any home visit to confirm is a huge concern to me and the fact the cost of me paying for as you state an engineer at a cost of £1k to £2k is prohibitive therefore giving the insurance company a cushion of risk. The irony I’m guessing is that I had not knowing of the damage to my home and had leant against the wall and it had fallen I would of been covered through my insurance.