Home Insurance Discussion

anita116

Doc_N said:

Jenk_091 said:

Doc_N said:

Jenk_091 said:

Hi,
After a little advice.
Our home flooded all on ground floor. We have very good insurance. They were great at responding to the claim. Came out a day later to evaluate and began drying process first. Upon this they inspected contents briefly to see what would need doing. The water came in above sockets on wall (around 60cm deep). When the company who dry, sanitise and skip contents came they explained that fridge would be written off, tumble dryer would, dishwasher would be and the cooker (a free standing double oven) would need looking at. They explained that the kitchen would most probably be aswell due to dampness going up the walls and into the back of the units and it will most likely be damaged from being dismantled. We are now 10 weeks on and having a little battle with insurance. After ripping out the flooring before drying, They dismantled the kitchen and left in the middle of the room on the wet floor boards. This is still there and they are now explaining that the kitchen is staying so it will be removed and stored in storage. But for the last 10 weeks it has been sat on the wet floor that was contaminated with raw sewage water. The company who inspect contents have since been back and said that the units are damaged. The back is peeling away. We even had howdens contact us a few weeks back to measure up the kitchen. This all seem very odd that our insurance will now not replace it despite being told by the company who cleans it that it should be written off. How can they ensure complete sanitation of this kitchen it was left on the floor with just a sheet over it and nothing underneath. My worktops are touching what was the wet floorboards. And at the same time, they have hacked off plaster from all around the room With it there. My cooker which is only 3 months old was not even covered over. Further to the contents, they have skipped all that was in our shed and garage, such as tools and lawn mower etc and will replace these but they are saying that the kitchen content (cooker, fridge ect) can just be pat tested. It doesnt make sense. I can live without a new lawn mower. I dont want to bring children back into the home with a dirty kitchen and cooker etc. I am really just worried about how clean it is. Wood will just soak up water, how can it be cleaned? 
In addition to all of this, the builders have been terrible, they hacked off plaster but left radiator fittings on the wall, our cast iron radiators again which are only 3 months old have just been placed on the rubble with nothing underneath, they left our French doors open for 3 days until we returned to the property to discover they were left open.

I just am not happy with the service that we are getting, with how they are handling my concerns and I dont know where to go or what to do next.

I will write an additional letter to make everything clear to them and then I will involve the financial ombusmen. But what else can I do??

Assuming that the insurer has arranged the contract with the builders, normally the case, all of the things you mention are the responsibility of the insurer - which one is it?

Yes, the insurance arranged the builders? 

Which insurer was it?

I had a terrible time with the insurers and builders after our home was completely destroyed by fire.   They chose the cheapest quote of course and the builders were dreadful.   I went to the Financial Ombudsman who was fantastic after reaching a stalemate.   They cannot advise but can tell you the law and the implications.   Ultimately, after the Ombudsman's ruling, which I won, I still had to take the insurers to court.   That was when I got my money.   It took four years to finalise all the money due to me but I am so pleased I persevered.

slow_saver

sal_III said:

GT60 wrote: »

Just done a quote online with compare the market and a company called Policy Expert came out on top then the Halifax £12 more.

Who is Policy expert and should i use them?
Thanks

Don't only look at price, look at terms as well.

For what is worth Policy Expert has excellent reviews/rating on Trust Pilot.

They do have excellent reviews .... I've left them great reviews BUT..... The only reason is because they are cheap!.... I looked more in depth at their product & found it to be lacking and couple that with the terrible reviews from folks who have actually claimed from them & I'm glad I got rid of them before another years insurance was renewed!.... OK so I'm paying 40% more but some things are worth extra... There's no point in having cheap insurance that won't pay out when you need it!

LadyCoconut78

First time rental insurance  - but have a complication of a 3 month trip abroad. 

TBH I don't have anything ridiculously valuable but I'm thinking its prudent to get some contents insurance in my flat that I rent.  In my mind it's to cover me for about 10K or 20K should the worst happen like the house burning down and I need to start all over. The issue I have is that I plan on spending 3 months abroad from March next year and this is causing me some issues. I've received one quote thus far (1 bedroom, terraced house, contents insurance)  for £220 a year.  As I'm pretty clueless -- is this considered expensive? 

sd54

We have a predicament and was wondering how we stand.  We changed our home insurance last year from admiral to Sainsbury's in Sept 2019. We had a letter from our neighbours solicitor in July of last year about flooding in their garden that they think we are diverting. Now  a year later we have had another letter from their solicitor. Sainsbury's won't assist because it started before we took the policy out with them.  Admiral wouldn't help us last year because the flooding started in 2002 (yes it's been a constant nag with our neighbours all this time). Can we go back to our insurers from 2002 and ask for their help. We had legal protection  with them plus liability insurance.  Would they help us in this instance and pay out if needed on the liability side of things. Thank you and sorry for the long post.

wakey1952

My mother in law has been residing in a care home for the past 12months. She still thinks that she will be returning to her bungalow, now unoccupied but contents still in place.  Her contents and building insurance is up for renewal at £373. 

What are the insurance options available moving forward. 

Thanks 

Doc_N

wakey1952 said:

My mother in law has been residing in a care home for the past 12months. She still thinks that she will be returning to her bungalow, now unoccupied but contents still in place.  Her contents and building insurance is up for renewal at £373. 

What are the insurance options available moving forward. 

Thanks 

Same options as usual. Get quotes, but declaring of course that the property is unoccupied if that’s the case.

The cost might shock you though.

Sandtree

Most home insurance simply becomes invalid if no one is living there for an extended period; generally you will need unoccupied home insurance which is only provided by a few niche players and so without market competition premiums are high... plus claims can be very high as no one spots the leaking pipe and so it can carry on for months.

One thing to double check is what the requirements of the policy are, many will require certain actions to be taken (eg turning off the water and draining the system) at various stages along the period of it being unoccupied... some can get fairly extreme (boarding up windows) and so you first of all need to ensure you understand them and do them and secondly ensure you will be willing to do them (not everyone wants to have windows boarded up even if they arent there)

The_Miser

I suggest great care when admitting to prior claims under building insurance. On two of the sites recommended/suggested by MSE I declared the sole previous claim (£130 in 2019) and the two sites both demand that I declare another non-existent claim before allowing me to continue.  OK so I had claims after the big breeze of 1987 but that is over 5 years ago!    MSE have been given the names of the comparison sites.

AdamFun

I was a trusted customer of buildings and contents insurance for 6 years .... until I had to make a claim! 

In October, We were burgled whilst away visiting my sister with cancer by a youth and my wife lost all her jewellery only to be told we were UNDER INSURED I.e we had too many valuables (many pieces were her Late mothers jewellery she had left to pass down to our children needless to say no value put to them purely sentimental ) so they not only VOIDED my policy but also refuse to pay us a penny. I am now black listed and can’t get insurance because this company voided my policy. Absolutely shocking POLICY EXPERT a trading name of QMetric group ltd are not to be trusted. They overvalued our lost belongings ridiculously high and unrealistically, please please safe guard yourself snd use a different insurer. I have now taken my case to the Ombudsman but am trying to warn as many people as possible DO NOT USE POLICY EXPERT / QMETRIC GROUP LTD I believe what they have done is use a loophole to rip off customers 

Doc_N

Unfortunately, valuations will almost always be based on replacement values, which could be a lot higher than you think.

Do you have any evidence to substantiate your claim that the items have been overvalued by the insurer or the loss adjuster?