Home Insurance Discussion

SaverRate

youth_leader said:

Without your help I wouldn't be in this happy position, the loss adjuster wasn't able to come until 6 January, thank you again Doc_N.   

I will have a look at Which, I am happy to pay more for the 'peace of mind'.  

Could you let us know who your insurer was please?

youth_leader

I'm sorry I can't @HarryDavies01, I have unfinished business with them as I'll need to submit my final bill for the VAT payment, they won't pay VAT until the bill is sent in so they can 'check it'.

Annemos

The thing is, too, there is a very complicated web of Insurance Companies, Managing Agents, Claims Handlers and Loss Adjusters and then even more outsourced companies who handle the repairs.

The same ones are often involved with mutiple Insurance Companies. 

I do not know if some Insurance companies have higher level Service Level Agreements than others. 

In any case, I now think it is probably difficult to tell one from the other! 

And the fact that all these companies are usually many miles away from your home, does not help. And now the possible labour and supplies shortage due to Covid and the fact that the world seems to have changed. 

Doc_N

For what it’s worth, we were with Halifax and they were pretty good with a largeish  claim amounting to £20,000+ after a tree fell on part of the house. Not the quickest, maybe, but quick enough and we had no major disagreements.

John Lewis now, and they’re even better. Actually paid out several hundred pounds for a boiler repair which technically they could have refused.

I won’t use any insurer that doesn’t come highly rated by Which? and it’s proved good practice over the years.

Add to that the fact that switching buildings insurance can be risky in itself, along with the January changes brought in to stop companies charging existing customers more than new ones, and I’ll probably stick with JL for the peace of mind. And the unlimited cover for buildings and contents.

youth_leader

Thank you Doc_N, noted, I'll be looking at Which after dinner.  I've got to switch my car insurance too, I took them both out at the same time.  A public complaint has just popped onto the insurance company Facebook page,  someone is complaining about how his car repair has been handled. 

I was surprised to get a call from the insurer's team tonight - they wanted to come and repair the roof?  I said I had accepted a cash settlement and was lucky enough to have found someone to do it.  When the loss adjuster came on 6th December he said their teams were busy until March, but I suppose this mild weather has allowed them to complete jobs more quickly.  Having read on the Ombudman's page about inferior work by some insurer's workers, I'm glad I know and trust my builder. 

youth_leader

I meant to say good luck Annemos, and thank you for your good wishes   

My roofer, who has had 400 calls, phoned me on Monday to ask how I was.  It seems one of his customers was given the go ahead for the work to be completed, he did the work  - then the insurer's retracted their offer.  Not sure why,  but the poor woman is now having to borrow the money so she can pay him. 

Annemos

Thank you very much. My exterior walls were badly damaged by the Contractors who were sent here by the Claims Handler acting for the Insurance Company. 

I cannot describe how upset I am. This is my home and I worked so hard for it. And it was treated so disrespectfully. 

It is really awful what sometimes goes on. My neighbours keep asking me if this would have happened to me, if I was not an older woman who is on my own!?


Re that lady. I hope she has proof that they did agree for her to go ahead with it at his quoted cost. Even if it was by a phone call, they should be able to listen back to that phone call, too. 

If she does have proof, the lady should issue a formal letter entitled "Formal Complaint", according to the process detailed on her Insurance Policy. Asking why they have now gone back on their word and their offer. (She should list carefully when the offer was, how much it was for, who said it, etc etc.) 

They then have up to 8 weeks to answer and then she can go to the Ombudsman.

Like me, if she is now at the stage where her living conditions are at least comfortable, then she can sit it out whilst waiting for the Ombudsman to issue a ruling. Mine has been there for 8 months so far. 

Maybe she can search the Financial Ombudsman's website for decisions. I am sure I saw one that did not approve of what you said has happened to this lady, if it had already been agreed to.  And the lady at least got compensation. I cannot remember if they also told the Insurance Company to pay the full bill. 

youth_leader

So sorry to read your house was damaged Annemos.  I'm sending positive thoughts to you for a good outcome, do return to let us know what happens.

I understand your distress in a very very small way, I had a clumsy and careless electrician who actually broke my Victorian floorboards with a crow bar to get the boards up, I couldn't believe it.   He didn't care I had to go to a salvage yard 40 miles away to replace them as they don't make them in that size nowadays.

Wishing you the best of luck  

youth_leader

Evening all, chaos here again in the NE with Storm Malik, it's taken me back to that terrible November night when I lost my roof. 

I was very, very lucky with the weather and the roofers managed to lay a resin roof on Thursday.  I still need gutters and the soil pipe and lounge/kitchen ceiling replaced, carpets and a sofa, but I'm finally 'waterproof'. 

Insurers are going to be very busy again.  Winds have been very high and I was nervous of flying debris when I walked my dog. Lots of trees and fences down again, a lorry overturned, as well as roof damage.  A local lost the roof off her stable and is on Facebook seeking help urgently.  

I just came on to say I've heard from my insurance company as my renewal is due at the end of February - no figure in the email, they want me to phone them to 'discuss it'. They are closed from 1 pm today, I will have to phone on Monday.

I have gone onto Which and listed the 'top ten' insurance providers. Only Tesco, Saga, LV and John Lewis have come up on the comparison sites with quite high quotes,  three times as much as I paid last year. Direct Line said they couldn't quote 'given the information I'd supplied'.

Unfortunately the claim now makes me high risk.  I've been insuring my home since 1987 and made my first buildings claim in 2016 due to an oil leak, I've never claimed contents before.

I went direct to John Lewis and have a quote for £332.16.  I read the policy and will be phoning them on Monday, I can't understand the burglary cover as it says not covered for theft if the building is unoccupied - so not covered when on holiday? 

Doc_N

youth_leader said:

Evening all, chaos here again in the NE with Storm Malik, it's taken me back to that terrible November night when I lost my roof. 

I was very, very lucky with the weather and the roofers managed to lay a resin roof on Thursday.  I still need gutters and the soil pipe and lounge/kitchen ceiling replaced, carpets and a sofa, but I'm finally 'waterproof'. 

Insurers are going to be very busy again.  Winds have been very high and I was nervous of flying debris when I walked my dog. Lots of trees and fences down again, a lorry overturned, as well as roof damage.  A local lost the roof off her stable and is on Facebook seeking help urgently.  

I just came on to say I've heard from my insurance company as my renewal is due at the end of February - no figure in the email, they want me to phone them to 'discuss it'. They are closed from 1 pm today, I will have to phone on Monday.

I have gone onto Which and listed the 'top ten' insurance providers. Only Tesco, Saga, LV and John Lewis have come up on the comparison sites with quite high quotes,  three times as much as I paid last year. Direct Line said they couldn't quote 'given the information I'd supplied'.

Unfortunately the claim now makes me high risk.  I've been insuring my home since 1987 and made my first buildings claim in 2016 due to an oil leak, I've never claimed contents before.

I went direct to John Lewis and have a quote for £332.16.  I read the policy and will be phoning them on Monday, I can't understand the burglary cover as it says not covered for theft if the building is unoccupied - so not covered when on holiday? 

I’m afraid any claim will impact on the price of renewal, but you did exactly the right thing by checking the direct price too. I use comparison sites as a guide, but sometimes the policies bought that way are less comprehensive than the ones sold direct just to maintain a better position in the table.

Obviously, it depends on the actual policy, but it would be unusual to exclude theft from buildings just for a holiday. I imagine it applies to buildings unoccupied for more than 30 days, sometimes more, but you’re absolutely right to check it out. For what it’s worth, I’ve been impressed with them, but all the companies Which? recommend have a good reputation. NFU Mutual did very well, as I recall, but I don’t think they do online quotes.