Making a claim on your home insurance

Its never a nice thing when it happens, but thats why you have home insurance and we're here to help you from start to finish. Below are a few guidelines about what you need to do and what we will provide to make things easier for you.

Please note, this information is offered to help you but doesn't form part of your insurance agreement.

Making a Home Insurance Claim

• Tell the police immediately if something is lost or if you suspect theft or malicious damage, or if you are a victim of a riot. Ask the police for a crime number.
• Contact your insurer on the claims telephone number shown on your policy schedule.
• Get estimates for repairing damage as soon as possible. You can carry out any temporary repairs needed to make your home weatherproof or safe immediately but keep the bills as the cost may form part of your claim
• Your insurer must have the opportunity of looking at the damage before permanent repairs begin.
• If someone is holding you or your family responsible for damage to their property or for injury to them, tell your insurer about this immediately.
• If your insurer asks, please send them written details of your claim.
• You must give to your insurer - at your own cost - all reports, certificates, plans and specification information that they need.
• You must take all reasonable steps to get back any missing property.
• You must take all reasonable steps to prevent further damage.
• You must not admit or deny any claim made by someone else against you or your family or make any agreement with them. Your insurer has the right to negotiate, settle or defend any such claim in your name or on your behalf.
• You must report any claims within 6 months of the event which gave rise to the claim
  
  How your insurer settles claims

• Your insurer will decide whether to pay in cash the amount of the loss or damage or may repair, reinstate or replace the lost or damaged property.
• Your insurer will not pay more than the sum insured shown on your schedule.
• You will have to pay the excess shown on your schedule and/or policy document
  
  Matching Sets, Suites and Carpets

• An individual item of a matching set of articles or suite of furniture or sanitary ware or other bathroom fittings is regarded as a single item. Your insurer will pay you for individual damaged items but not for undamaged companion pieces. Where carpeting is damaged beyond repair, only the damaged carpet will be replaced and not undamaged carpet in adjoining rooms.
  
  Wear and Tear

• Contents - the insurer will reduce any claim for clothes, furs and household linen to take account of wear and tear. This will not apply to other contents provided they have been kept in a good state of repair and the sum insured represents the full value of the items.
  

  Buildings - if repair or reinstatement is carried out, there will be no reduction for wear and tear, provided that the sum insured represents the full value of the buildings and they have been kept in a good state of repair
  

  Other Insurance

• If you have any other insurance policies that cover the claim, your insurer will only pay their fair share of the claim.

For full details of the cover, please refer to the policy booklet.

For all home insurance claims, please call your insurer direct - their number can be found on your home insurance schedule.  Unfortunately we don’t do online home insurance claims at present.
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