More Than & an outstanding subsidence claim

SaverRow

Hi - I'm desperately wondering if anyone can help me with this and whether anyone else is facing something similar.

I'm currently with More Than Home Insurance but they are no longer selling home insurance and so when my policy expires on July 24th they will no longer cover us. However, I have an outstanding/open subsidence claim. The delay in the claim (started Oct 2022) has predominantly been caused by the surveyors (Crawford) that are taking forever to reach a landlord that owns the property next door and who is not dealing with a tree (that needs heavily pruning/removing) in their garden and which is what is holding up the closing of the subsidence case. 

More Than have arranged for Admiral to provide a quote have but when I speak with them they  drag their heels and still haven't actually offered me a policy. They keep saying they are investigating my case and that they'll contact me but they don't and so I'm still not clear on whether they will actually cover our property with this subsidence claim outstanding. 

First off does anyone know if I have any rights here and whether More Than can just drop us and leave us in what feels like no-man's land - given they will cease to exist as a company soon I think I know the unfortunate answer here.

Second does anyone know if I can take some sort of action against Crawford's for the delay in their handling of this claim?

This leads me to my third question...does anyone know of/had experience of specialist insurers that will take on a property with an outstanding subsidence claim? I should say that the property has not been underpinned and it won't require that.

Many thanks in advance for any help!

DullGreyGuy

You are definitely in a position to need MoreThan/RSA to find you the replacement insurer. The FOS does generally expect an insurer taking a commercial decision to stop writing the business to take reasonable steps to secure alternative equivalent cover elsewhere for their insureds. 

SaverRow

Thanks @DullGreyGuy - really really appreciated.

I suppose for I would have to wait for Admiral to actually say they will not insure me (rather than being left in no mans land) and then this would constitute some sort of 'final response'? Then I go back to More than...and if they don't help find someone else, I go to the FOS...(all before July 24th - eek!) 

DullGreyGuy

I wouldn't necessarily say so, just need to give them a reasonable timescale to consider and then go back to MoreThan to complain. 

SaverRow

Update...Admiral have offered to insurance us but for £4700...surely this isnt legal? 

BarelySentientAI

SaverRow said:

.surely this isnt legal? 

Why?  What's illegal about it?  Just being expensive?

Unfortunately, they are not forced to offer you any particular price.

More Than should still deal with the claim even after your policy expires, so at least that part will be covered.

winsand23

I'm with Royal Sun Alliance for commercial insurance, and have been, for more than 30years continuously.
My subsidence claim has been very unsatisfactorily dealt with by Crawford , in my opinion - on going for more than 2 years. Tried to introduce accidental damage into the mix also. Crawford just issued a certificate of adequacy. If their repair is adequate why are the insurers who are paying Crawford to do the work, now trying to exclude subsidence cover from my renewal?
At renewal RSA are trying to exclude subsidence, land heave and land slip cover from my policy along with increased premium. RSA have been insuring these items on my policy for more than 30 years. Shocking behaviour from RSA. Broker trying to get sorted. Unsatisfied with what is proposed as a repair by Crawford, but where do you go to get help? I feel totally bamboozled and ripped off by my insurer and their Agent.
From reading your predicament, I felt I had to let you know you are not alone.
Shame your insurer on Twitter and Facebook and let me know how you get on....Don't forget to mention deep dissatisfaction with Crawford.

Annemos

https://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/decision/DRN-4190935.pdf

SaverRow. This case relates to a home. (Not a commercial property.) 

Please read it all through very carefully. 

I noted this, for example:      "So SoL should arrange for an underwriter to offer home insurance, including subsidence cover, to Mr M on reasonable terms"

I am no expert, but 4,700 pounds hardly seems "reasonable terms". 

There must be other Subsidence homeowners in this situation with RSA. Surely they should be putting something in place for you all? 


And another one.    https://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/decision/DRN-3897491.pdf


Premiums addressed in this one:   https://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/decision/DRN3300987.pdf


https://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/decision/DRN7250903.pdf



Good luck. It's a very unpleasant and stressful situation. I know as I have been there. In my case I had to take a new policy in the middle of the Subsidence Claim but without Subsidence Cover. But my Insurer DID have other policies but they were with another broker. So 6 months later I got a full policy back from them. With a letter to say I was covered for Subsidence during those "missing" 6 months. I had to fight really hard! 

winsand23

Saver Row
Anything by way of an update?
I have gone to the Ombudsman over a long ongoing subsidence claim with RSA and Crawford. Crawford don't seem to wish to engage in any "outside" specialists, such as Structural Engineers, yet they don't employ any themselves. I'm not even sure whether they have adequately trained people to handle claims and oversee works.  
I had someone extremely helpful help me on MSE and I can see they have responded to you.
I have gone to the Ombudsman. It will cost your Insurer £750, and you will pay nothing. Crawford are a nightmare to deal with. let's help each other if we can. Please see Trustpilot reviews.