Useless insurance company

stressed_2-2

Please can somebody help me, I was burgled seven weeks ago and am getting no help from Abbey, the insurance company. We moved out of the property due to major building works, which i informed the advisor of when I took out the policy. We arrived home a few days later to find our stuff gone as well as our childrens. There was no forced entry but there was physical evidence of another person at the property, (footprints round the window and through the house). The police said that someone entered while i was fitting the car seats in front on the property, as next door heard banging after I had gone but assumed it was the builders. Seven weeks on and the loss adjusters want to come out again, which i am fine with, but I have been told that my claim might not even go ahead. They have been trying to pull out of this claim since the begining.

Is there anything I can do to get this sorted, I understand they have to be sure claims are genuine but I feel like I am going in circles. Abbey wont return phone calls. I phoned the FSA and was told I needed a letter off Abbey confirming what they were doing- this was apparently sent out on Tuesday, it still hasnt arrived. All the stress has caused me to develop a stomach ulcer. Short of offering to do a lie detector test i dont know what to do.
:mad:

chillipepper_3

Try not to worry about it too much at this stage. Who told you the claim might not go ahead? And what were the reasons?

Probably the loss adjusters, and if so then I wouldn't take it too seriously. It's not up to them? Their advice is Quite often not correct and uncalled for.
If evidence exists that someone has been into the house then there should be no case for the ins company to not pay out.

Try and let them do as they need and wait for the decision from the ins. co.
If they are returning let them do so and complete their checks before chasing the ins co. for a decision. Then chase them when they have everything sorted.

If there then becomes a problem then that's a different matter, but fingers crossed all should be fine.

telly-addict

If you're not happy with the claims service being provided (or lack thereof), then you should perhaps follow the insurer's complaints procedure. This will be detailed in the policy booklet. This may prompt some action and a quicker decision. You will need to exhaust this particular avenue before the FOS will even look at your complaint.

While there may not be a problem, I pseronally wouldn't just sit back and let things happen. If you've been waiting 7 weeks for a decision, you're entitled to a response or at least an explanation for the delay.

Many loss adjusters work for insurance companies under delegated authority schemes and may be actually responsible for making the final decision. They are the insurer's agents and I would press them for a full update.

Good luck with your claim.

stressed_2-2

Thanks for advice, I have complaind to Abbey numerous times and to the underwriters Norwich Union. I have also asked if i could get my own loss adjuster as when the first one came round he treated me like s**t and called me stupid because of some of the items i had left in the house. He then went on the call my children because they were getting distressed and then told them to shut up. They have just turned 1 and 2. No one will tell me where i stand if i do get my own loss adjuster. Hope this gets sorted, well as they say you only know how good an insurance company is when you need to claim.

telly-addict

If you've been treated badly and your complaints have been ignored, then this is something worthy of complaint to the FOS. However, the FOS won't consider any complaint until you have exhausted the insurer's complaints procedure. Check the policy booklet and complain to the insurer's Chief Exec - they are obliged to tell you who to complain to and what their complaints procedure is!!

You won't be able to get your own loss adjuster, but you are entitled to get your own loss assessor - basically a loss adjuster appointed directly by a policyholder. They will take up negotiations with the insurer's loss adjuster or the insurers directly. But they will take a percentage of the amount that you recover from the insurer. Plus some of the loss assessors have not got the best of reputations - personally I wouldn't use one. Here's a link to the Institute of Public Loss Assessors:
http://www.lossassessors.org.uk/

I would go through the insurer's complaints procedure until you get a satisfactory response. Good luck.

Somerset

Stressed

I've got nothing positive to say Had a break in Oct 2003 and car stolen ( took keys from house ). Had exactly the same experience as you ( insurer was Norwich Union ). Dec 2003 I was also told car claim was being investigated/wouldn't be paid. Had loss adjustors, lost paperwork, cancelled hire car, non returned calls etc. Everything that could go wrong did. At one point in March ( again ) they said their fraud dept was investigating it - I said have you spoken to Sgt XXXX at xxxx Police Station because the thief had been caught, charged & due to appear in Court - they hadn't made one phone call.
There's nothing you can do except persevere and I know how stressful it is, I was going ballistic. I got my car back repaired in June 2004 ( 8 months ) and went through the NU complaints procedure and rec'd 2.2k compensation.
There's nothing you can do except keep chasing and hassling. I would have gone to the FSA ( not sure if that's it ) if I hadn't settled, it was so bad.

I thought I was just unlucky, but I wonder if it's deliberate. ?

Anyway, Good Luck.

dunstonh

No-one deserves to be treated like you have in your own home and that alone should be treated as a serioud complaint. If anyone in my family had been spoken to like that i would have shown him the door and been on the phone immediatly to the insurer.

The FSA wont do a thing. You need to deal with the internal complaints proceedure first and then the FOS will take over if and when you get as far as you can with Abbey.

There are some occassions where theft from the house with no sign of entry will be refused. These will generally be referred to in the policy document. Usually its when there are lodgers or long terms guests who are not members of the family. Long term absense from the property (usually over 30 days) does alter the things covered and contents cover is often restricted after that period. It could be that which is being referred to in your case.

It is best to refer to the policy document and if it makes no reference to the property being left unattended for a period of time, then read bits of the policy document back in your complaint. Insurers will use it against you and often you can use their own words back against them.

telly-addict

telly-addict wrote:

You will need to exhaust this particular avenue before the FOS will even look at your complaint.

Sorry, forgot to say in my first post that the FOS is the Financial Ombudsman Service, who deal with insurance complaints. Here's a link to their website:
http://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/

sooz

telly-addict wrote:

If you've been treated badly and your complaints have been ignored, then this is something worthy of complaint to the FOS. However, the FOS won't consider any complaint until you have exhausted the insurer's complaints procedure. Check the policy booklet and complain to the insurer's Chief Exec - they are obliged to tell you who to complain to and what their complaints procedure is!!

You won't be able to get your own loss adjuster, but you are entitled to get your own loss assessor - basically a loss adjuster appointed directly by a policyholder. They will take up negotiations with the insurer's loss adjuster or the insurers directly. But they will take a percentage of the amount that you recover from the insurer. Plus some of the loss assessors have not got the best of reputations - personally I wouldn't use one. Here's a link to the Institute of Public Loss Assessors:
http://www.lossassessors.org.uk/

I would go through the insurer's complaints procedure until you get a satisfactory response. Good luck.

only time i have ever made a claim, for very stupid/drunk woman upstairs and running bath 'ooh i did not think it would affect you...', i felt forced to employ my own loss assessor after 6 weeks. yes, he charged a percentage - but only worked out at 300 on 5000 claim, but all the worry went, and everything went my way after that...incl stereo which they wanted to replace for cheaper one, and i had already bought new one.........everything sounds worse without music....was recommended one who said far too small a claim, but he gave me the number of another. and i made sure that i never ever used that company, or someone who used that insurance again...whenever i apply for a quote, i say immediatly that so and so were s##ts, and thanks but no thanks.