Can someone advise me please?

Cute_'n'_Quirky

I went awy on holiday for a week in Scotland.

On my return I had had my garage broken into, burgled and then they set fire to the rest.

I contacted the police and SOCO came out taking away various items for forensics/DNA

I put in a claim to my insurance company - the first claim ever made. Barclays

The loss adjuster came out last Monday. Crawfords

He was horrendous -

* he argued that I was not insured - the policy is in joint names.

* After 20 some years with the same insurer we switched to barclays through doing search on one of the insurance sites recommended on here and got double the cover for a lower premium - they are now saying that I switched just so that I could claim

* I shouldn't have kept anything in my garage

* why did I not walk from the garage to the house to put things in there

* I have no receipts therefore I didn't own the property, I cannot prove I had the items and I am lying

* one item was given to me as a gift therefore I can't claim as it wasn't mine (!!!!)

* the police didn't know what they are talking about, that the garage was still locked and therefore I had made the whole thing up

The police were horrified and I was told to put a complaint in to both the insurance company and the loss adjusting company.

Had the loss adjusting company on the phone today with the same attitude as the loss adjuster.

What can I do to help speed things along?

I have DLA mobility and Care, a motability vehicle.

Can anybody help me please?

Maximumtime

Firstly, I will help as much as I can. I know the attitude your talking about from the Insurance Company :mad: I need a few details first.

The Loss adjuster is declining your claim on what grounds? Has he/she written to you outlining there reasons for declining the claim. If your happy to post the reasons do so. If not PM me and I will discuss it privately.

Secondly do you have a copy of the policy you were issued with? It is important to see the definition of buildings i.e does it cover your garage at all. If you could also seek out the relevant fire cover damage in the policy. The contents section is also required

Finally, the Police wont find DNA at the scene. Unless they are extremely lucky. What I would ask is if any items were tested for the presence of acclerants... now this is complicated because if your shed is anything like mine its full of thinners and such like for household chores. has there been similar cases of this occuring in your area/neighbourhood? Do the Police suspect you in any way of starting the fire? Have they given you a crime refernce number which you will need to pass to the Insurance Co?

I know it sounds alot but its all in the small print with these types but we will hopefully see what wwe can do.

Cute_'n'_Quirky

Thank you so much!

The loss adjuster has not declined the claim - yet.

The policy covers garage and outbuildings to £5000 for burglary/loss/fire

The burglar (s) had got in by jemmying the door - an up and over type door

The fire didn't really cause much damage - the items I am claiming for were stolen and subsequently sold at a car boot sale the same week. A very distinctive bag of mine was returned to me by a friend whom bought it at the car boot. On questioning the car-booter had bought some stuff that lads the weekend previous had had left.

The police have no doubt that my garage was broken into, I am not under any suspicion whatsoever.

They took away a pair of scissors which were jammed into a window where they had tried to get the window out along with the lighter that was used to start the fire.

There was no accelerant used, they used some silk flowers to set the fire away.

They tried to get into another two garages in my area but didn't manage it.

I have had the crime reference number since day 1 of reporting the burglary.

Maximumtime

In my humble opinion the loss adjuster is playing the "how stupid is this policyholder" game

You have to remember the Loss Adjuster is appointed not for you but for the Insurers. It is his/her job to save money and if possible decline the claim.

(1) The police have issued a crime reference number. The matter has been investigated with your full co-operation and you are the victim. They currently have two items away for forensice analysis. At this point I would be pointing out should any person(s) be made amenable for the offence and subsequently found guilty the Insurers would be in a position to recover there outlays from the guilty persons in civil court. Also the fact Police are linking it to two other incidents speaks for itself.

Is a report from the Police Officer available? I would ask the adjsuter if he has contacted the Police if not ask him to contact the Police to discuss the matter so that he can get there view on it.

(2) Can you prove you were away? Sounds daft but if you were on holidays you are hardly likely to be at home robbing yourself.

(3) The items stolen are the crux of the matter. The loss adjuster is and will argue you dont have receipts. Claiming for the contents will be difficult but try to get receipts if you have them. If you bought items from local shops/stores then speak to them directly and see if they would accomodate you with a copy. Secondly, if you paid for anything by credit card dig out your statements. If any of the items came in a box and have instructions try to get these and show them to the adjuster.

The items stolen were noted at a car boot sale. Have you told the Police this. If you havent its best you do as it shows the adjuster youve nothing to hide. Plus the Police may have luck in getting the culprit(s) and this will prove beyond doubt you had nothing to do with it.

Stating the items given as a gift dont belong to you is a load of bull! :mad: Ask the adjsuter is his watch a gift or his? Because if he lost it would he claim on his insurance? :think:

Is there much damage to the shed? WIll it need any work to fix it up? If so I would stick a buildings claim in.

Keep me posted on how its going and I will try to assist you as best I can.

Steve1981

they are clearly trying to pull a fast one, stick with it

the definition of buildings is usually "any structure that lies within the perimiter of your property"

this would also cover a garage that is not on land attached to the property but, say, on a garage block

Cute_'n'_Quirky

In my humble opinion the loss adjuster is playing the "how stupid is this policyholder" game

You have to remember the Loss Adjuster is appointed not for you but for the Insurers. It is his/her job to save money and if possible decline the claim.

Yes I realise that but on talking to friends whom have had to make claims in the last year or so they didn't have the problem with the loss adjuster that I am having

(1) The police have issued a crime reference number. The matter has been investigated with your full co-operation and you are the victim. They currently have two items away for forensice analysis. At this point I would be pointing out should any person(s) be made amenable for the offence and subsequently found guilty the Insurers would be in a position to recover there outlays from the guilty persons in civil court. Also the fact Police are linking it to two other incidents speaks for itself.

Is a report from the Police Officer available? I would ask the adjsuter if he has contacted the Police if not ask him to contact the Police to discuss the matter so that he can get there view on it.

I haven't got a report from the police yet. I have a statement/letter telling me that they are awaiting the results of the DNA testing - which I faxed to the loss adjuster last Tuesday

I asked the loss adjuster today if they had been in contact with the police and they said not, that it wasn't necessary as the police couldn't prove that I had the items in the first place

(2) Can you prove you were away? Sounds daft but if you were on holidays you are hardly likely to be at home robbing yourself.

Yes I can prove that I was away, that is not a problem



(3) The items stolen are the crux of the matter. The loss adjuster is and will argue you dont have receipts. Claiming for the contents will be difficult but try to get receipts if you have them. If you bought items from local shops/stores then speak to them directly and see if they would accomodate you with a copy. Secondly, if you paid for anything by credit card dig out your statements. If any of the items came in a box and have instructions try to get these and show them to the adjuster.

The items stolen were noted at a car boot sale. Have you told the Police this. If you havent its best you do as it shows the adjuster youve nothing to hide. Plus the Police may have luck in getting the culprit(s) and this will prove beyond doubt you had nothing to do with it.

Yes the police were informed immediately I knew about it. The problem being that the particular car boot doesn't keep a record of the car registration plates, they just take the money

Stating the items given as a gift dont belong to you is a load of bull! :mad: Ask the adjsuter is his watch a gift or his? Because if he lost it would he claim on his insurance? :think:

Yes I know that and you know that but that is what they keep saying!

Is there much damage to the shed? WIll it need any work to fix it up? If so I would stick a buildings claim in.

The garage is brickbuilt with a concrete roof so no problem there


Keep me posted on how its going and I will try to assist you as best I can.

Thank you very much for your help!

Cute_'n'_Quirky

Have composed and sent a letter to both the insurance company and the loss adjuster outlining the point that the police are working on the forensics, etc.

Fed up of phoning as I get nowhere.

Maximumtime

Just make sure any correspondence you send is "without prejudice". Basically it covers you if you say something which the Insurance Company may try to use against you at a later date.

Cute_'n'_Quirky

Thanks - no problem there!

FlameCloud

Can I just ask what office you are sending stuff to Crawfords? I wouldnt be suprised if it were a Birmingham based office.

To be honest, it doesnt sound like that they are acting in the capacity of loss adjustors and more like fraud investigators.

Whats your claims history/time on cover like- it will affect who they send out!

Maximumtime wrote: »

(1) The police have issued a crime reference number. The matter has been investigated with your full co-operation and you are the victim. They currently have two items away for forensice analysis. At this point I would be pointing out should any person(s) be made amenable for the offence and subsequently found guilty the Insurers would be in a position to recover there outlays from the guilty persons in civil court. Also the fact Police are linking it to two other incidents speaks for itself.

Is a report from the Police Officer available? I would ask the adjsuter if he has contacted the Police if not ask him to contact the Police to discuss the matter so that he can get there view on it.

The police will not speak to crawfords unless the policy holders signs a DPA mandate. Even then they will limit it to their report (which will not be completed until the offence has been closed) and will not comment on what they think of it.

(3) The items stolen are the crux of the matter. The loss adjuster is and will argue you dont have receipts. Claiming for the contents will be difficult but try to get receipts if you have them. If you bought items from local shops/stores then speak to them directly and see if they would accomodate you with a copy. Secondly, if you paid for anything by credit card dig out your statements. If any of the items came in a box and have instructions try to get these and show them to the adjuster.

Boxes and credit card receipts show nothing. If they want to be really picky and have serious concerns (which it appears they do) they will not accept these.

The items stolen were noted at a car boot sale. Have you told the Police this. If you havent its best you do as it shows the adjuster youve nothing to hide. Plus the Police may have luck in getting the culprit(s) and this will prove beyond doubt you had nothing to do with it.

No it doesnt, it just shows that you could be making a gain from the claim by getting a friend to deal with it- that would be their point of view.

Cute_'n'_Quirky

FlameCloud wrote: »

Can I just ask what office you are sending stuff to Crawfords? I wouldnt be suprised if it were a Birmingham based office.

To be honest, it doesnt sound like that they are acting in the capacity of loss adjustors and more like fraud investigators.

Whats your claims history/time on cover like- it will affect who they send out!

Yes a Birmingham address

Insured with the Prudential for 25 years, no claims at all. No claims on holiday insurance, car insurance, nothing - no history whatsoever.

My garage was broken into and stuff was taken and/or burned

Switched to Barclays in May 2007 as I did a search on a website recommended on MME and found a better coverage with Barclays for the same money.

There is no reason for them to suspect a fraud at all

They are just trying to wheedle out of paying up!