If you have suffered a loss through burglary, fire or flood no amount of money can compensate you for the stress and anxiety caused, but if you have insurance you want to be paid what you are entitled to.
By following these 5 steps you should have a successful outcome to your claim
1. Identify your losses
This may sound obvious but your insurers can’t pay for something you haven’t told them about.
2. Read your policy
Once you have identified your losses read through your policy documents carefully. It will tell you what your obligations are to your insurers and their procedures to settle a claim.
3. Contact your insurer
When you call your insurer you may find that they will record the conversation and they may even subject it to a lie detector test which works on stress patterns in your voice. So make sure you are clear what you are going to say before you call.
4. Prepare Your Claim
Your insurers will require as much evidence as possible that the items were in fact in your possession before the loss. Any receipts, warranties, photographs or valuations will assist with your claim.
5. Negotiate
Your insurers may offer to replace certain items as they can get massive discounts on high street prices and offer a settlement on others. If an item cannot be replaced then the value should be based on its nearest equivalent.