Need advice on insurance for damage caused by neighbours fire

littlerock · 17 July 2019 at 2:52PM

Our elderly neighbours burnt their house down Monday. It was halls adjoining ours and we have significant water damage to party wall and, their roof is gone so our party wall which contains missing bricks and charred timber, is exposed to elements. House smells of charred timber and damp plaster. Power still off. No one wants responsibility for turning it back on. Trying to get electrician round. Crawford's who are loss adjusters for insurers, seem to be short of resources to support me.

Insurers are Zurich. It is an old policy and in theory, unlimited. However policy doc is very vague and I cannot extract any further info from Zurich on what is covered. Just say it depends on underwriters. Crawford's are offering next to no advice, say I just have to wait for loss adjuster to visit tomorrow and then write his report.

Think I might need to hire a specialist solicitor to move things along on my behalf. I am innocent party in all this . My lovely house has been spoilt by neglected elderly couple next door, who should have been in care and no one is trying to help me unless I phone with very specific questions.

Quentin · 17 July 2019 at 3:06PM

You say you are innocent, but is anyone to blame?

If there is no negligence involved then repair costs are down to you (your insurer if you have cover)

You may want to instruct your own assessor to deal with your insurance on your behalf

[Deleted User] · 17 July 2019 at 3:32PM

Get on to your own home insurance and explain that you need certain things sorting out ASAP, such as the electricity and the holes in your wall. The holes in particular risk your house being damaged even further.

They should be able to get those things sorted out quickly while determining the full cost of your claim and work to be done.

lisyloo · 17 July 2019 at 3:55PM

Do you have home emergency cover on the insurance?
that should cover boarding up holes short term.
Do you have alternate accomodation covered?

What do you mean by it's a old policy?
It should be current right?

littlerock · 17 July 2019 at 6:44PM

Not sure if have home emergency cover . As before building policy is with Zurich. Now 25 years old and sum insured is unlimited, but policy details are sketchy on what this covers. Crawfords (Zurich loss adjusters) are not volunteering anything. Just tell me their loss adjuster, due tomorrow, will explain what I am entitled to. Then have to await his report and their offer. Being given zero advice or information by them at present, almost get impression they are trying to minimise my claim.

Cause of fire was woman next door (90 with dementia) trying to light solid fuel fire with papers stored next to fireplace. Couple were left on their own for a week when regular carer went on holiday while clearly unable to look after themselves. Carer only gone a day when they burnt house down. So an accident but also negligence "combustible materials stored too near fireplace " acc to fire brigade.They were also serious hoarders, floor to ceiling newspapers in all room and piles of rubbish.

An "independent" claims adjuster called round today to offer his services.....

Zorillo · 17 July 2019 at 9:29PM

Is Zurich your insurer or their insurer?

littlerock · 18 July 2019 at 5:57AM

Zurich is my buildings insurer. Crawfords is Zurich's loss adjuster. Neighbours have LV for both building and contents. Quadra are loss adjusters for LV.

I am very depressed on how little advice and support I am receiving from Zurich and Crawford's in particular. Next to no advice from Crawford's in aftermath for example on how to get rid of smell or if I can hire cleaners. I don't mean I will do so immediately, I know I have to wait for loss adjuster but no one in Crawford's offered any insight on process or reassurance. I have considerable water damage to my lovely house which has come out of the blue and am feeling quite traumatised. I have no direct line to my contact in Crawford's but have to go through main switchboard each time and answer security questions to establish my identity.

I am now terrified that their house is still hot and might set mine off, in particular there is a hole in my party wall open to their roof remains and a charred beam. It is very warm and smells of smoke in my roof and making me very worried. I have asked if I can have it covered - lots of pigeons living in next doors roof (!) and I am worried they might get into mine. But no immediate emergency help seems available.

In fact there seems to have been a territorial dispute about my claim inside Crawford's as to who was dealing with it. First got A dealing with it. Seemed pretty uninformed TBH. Then C got in touch who was helpful and interested. Then A phoned to say he had taken it back.

Couldn't I expect someone in Crawford's to appoint someone to offer me support and guidance and a direct number to call them. ? Apparently not. I phoned Zurich to say in was not happy and to ask what I should expect of Crawford's and got told Zurich could only deal with specific queries. When I phoned back with some, I got put through to main switchboard and told she was on other line and unable to speak to me.

Have discussed with OH and decided to appoint loss assessor to handle our claim . We have little confidence in Zurich/Crawford's to date. As before our insurance states our buildings are insured for an unlimited sum and only £100 excess.

lisyloo · 18 July 2019 at 9:12AM

I sympathise in the hard time you are having.
It sounds like negligence but that may take some time to resolve liability whereas the immediate issues need addressing.

The loss adjuster works for the insurer to asses the claim.
They arent there to advise you on the extent of your policy or to keep you updated. Your insurer should be doing that.

If you don't have current documentation about your policy then ask for it to sent or where you can access it on line. These days it's often available on-line.

You should expect to have access to the extent of your coverage or your questions answered.
This should have been sent to your annually even if you've had the policy 25 years although sometimes it's online and not on paper these days.

Find out who (person) you should be dealing with for updates.
You should expect to be able to find a contact/claims manager.

I would be communicating the immediate problems right away formally.

Event if you don't have emergency cover you should make it clear that not taking immediate action will increase loses e.g. water ingress, wildlife.
This is priority and needs to be formally communicated (send email to follow up phone call).

If you cannot get hold of your policy coverage or get a contact/claims manager to deal with then start a formal complaint right away.
Sometimes getting the complaints dept involved gets things kicked off.

TomokoAdhami · 18 July 2019 at 9:57AM

First of all, you need to call your insurer and tell him the entire matter. Then, he will suggest you what to do next according to your policy. There are chances that your own insurance policy will compensate you for this damage.

lisyloo · 18 July 2019 at 10:55AM

TomokoAdhami wrote: »

There are chances that your own insurance policy will compensate you for this damage.

In my humble opinion (I am not a lawyer or insurer) there may be a case for negligence and your insurer may choose to pursue the other insurer for their losses, however that will take considerable time so in the short term you should forget about it and concentrate on the immediate issues i.e. water ingress, wildlife and then on getting your home sorted.
If the insurer isn't being particularly helpful you need to get hold of the policy yourself then you can query specific paragraphs with them.
It should not have to be like that, but it looks like you do need to be assertive in this case.

EdGasketTheSecond · 18 July 2019 at 11:36AM

When we had a fire, my neighbour claimed for their buildings damage off our contents policy. Sounds strange but is correct as it is the contents policy that has public liability insurance. There were no problems sorting it out this way.

Need advice on insurance for damage caused by neighbours fire

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