Home Insurance Has This Happened To Anyone Else

olibrofiz

Insurance companies are bizarre - after a storm one nite I noticed a wet patch on the landing. Couldn't be sure that I hadn't spilt something or the dog had tiddled etc so ignored it. About a month later there was another storm and water was definately dripping from the ceiling. Rang the ins co and reported it (first claim ever) and mentioned that I thought it mite have leaked before - they asked me when that was so I said a month before, they said what date, i said no idea, pressured me for a date etc, etc, and gave me a choice of three, I picked one and they said they had to go by the first time I noticed it and there were no storms on that date so I could never claim for the leak!!??? :mad: Lesson learnt.

mrwibble

olibrofiz wrote: »

Insurance companies are bizarre - after a storm one nite I noticed a wet patch on the landing. Couldn't be sure that I hadn't spilt something or the dog had tiddled etc so ignored it. About a month later there was another storm and water was definately dripping from the ceiling. Rang the ins co and reported it (first claim ever) and mentioned that I thought it mite have leaked before - they asked me when that was so I said a month before, they said what date, i said no idea, pressured me for a date etc, etc, and gave me a choice of three, I picked one and they said they had to go by the first time I noticed it and there were no storms on that date so I could never claim for the leak!!??? :mad: Lesson learnt.

Thats why you should NEVER volunteer excess information or just guess on the phone - put it in writing if its worth £££££

On the flip side you can still submit a claim - just say you made a mistake - it hadn't leaked before - they may say they "can't accept a claim" but thats just to put you off - just say "other half mentioned it but then said later "oh it was the dog the previous month" - not entirely awake when I spoke to you" - as long as your claim is genuine you should not accept any BS about "can't do anything due to a conversation on the phone".

Insurance companies make money by not paying out on claims either because their customers don't have any need to claim or they dodge payment on either good or BS grounds - some are better than others at paying out in order to retain customers. At the end of the day its all down to legal and contractual issues and a phone conversation is just that - call them again and think about changing insurers - its not cheap insurance if they dodge payment every time.