Highlighting the Systemic Flaws in the Insurance Industry

The aim of this campaign is to highlight the systemic flaws in the insurance industry. Lengthy and unnecessary delays in dealing with claims is a particular concern.

To fully understand the extent of the issue, it’s important to first be aware of the fundamental differences between a loss assessor (like us), and a loss adjuster. A loss assessor is someone you have the right to appoint. They level the playing field and represent you within your property claim negotiations. Their role is to achieve a full, fair and timely settlement for you – not a reduced one. On the other hand, your insurer appoints a loss adjuster. They act on behalf of your insurer and are NOT impartial. Their job is to ‘adjust’ the claim downwards in order to reduce the amount that must be paid out. Learn more about the difference between both roles here.

When someone has suffered such a devastating event as property damage, it feels completely unjust that their suffering is prolonged by insurers and loss adjusters, who accept delays as an inevitable part of the process. Much more must be done to care for, and support policyholders during such a distressing time in their lives. It’s time the flaws in the insurance industry were highlighted. Homeowners across the country deserve to be made aware of their right to appoint a Loss Assessor. Not only this, but they also deserve to be alerted to what is likely to happen without one.

One of the systemic flaws running like a virus through the very veins of the insurance industry as a whole, stems from insurers repeatedly turning a blind eye to the unforgivable delays that are occurring in property insurance claims. This is not a new problem. Take the London floods of July 2021 for example. Our flood insurance claim experts discovered that three months after the floods, some insurers had still not even sent out loss adjusters to inspect the damage caused! How is it even possible to have such lengthy delays? Well, it all comes down to the loss adjuster who often creates or is involved in the following:

All of these actions regrettably lead to claim delays becoming the ‘norm’. The key issue isn’t merely the weeks and months (sometimes years) delay. It’s also the knock-on impact that it creates for policyholders. This includes vastly increased stress levels at a highly emotional time, (often leading to illness/depression). Additionally, the policyholder is left feeling frustrated and helpless because of the inability to rebuild their life – and property – and move forward. Possibly the most distressing part of all this – certainly for us as loss assessors – is that generally speaking, insurers are aware of the impact claim delays have on policyholders – yet still fail to make the necessary changes to combat the problem.

We empathised – to some degree – with insurers during the Covid-19 pandemic. But this was a problem before the pandemic. However, Covid 19 may have been a contributing factor to further delays. With all the uncertainties and restrictions to contend with, progressing a claim in a timely manner became much more difficult for insurance companies. This led to an increased backlog of unsettled claims, and therefore longer delays.

It is now November 2022, (approximately nine months after the United Kingdom removed all Covid-19 restrictions). Delays are still occurring and the claims process shows no signs of speeding up. Even back to the pre-Covid delay levels! The Insurance Act 2013 (S13A) obliges insurers to pay sums due within a ‘reasonable period of time’, (meaningless as the Act fails to explain how long this actually is), making preventable delays acceptable in the eyes of the insurer. The directors at Property Claim Assist see things differently. They see any delay to a property insurance claim as an extension of prolonged suffering and increased harm to wellbeing. That’s why our team work in your interests and speed up your claim to get life moving again.

Stress levels across the country rose dramatically during the Covid-19 pandemic. In fact, research shows that the pandemic itself triggered a 25% increase in the prevalence of anxiety and depression worldwide. With a society already struggling to cope with heightened levels of stress and anxiety post-pandemic, policyholders across the country inevitably become even more vulnerable to the deliberately constructed hurdles within the insurance industry.

If you have been unfortunate enough to suffer property damage, you should not have to tolerate your claim being unfairly delayed at the hands of the loss adjuster, especially when these delays cause unjustified stress and further obstacles in being able to rebuild your life back to the way it was before the damage. Claim delays also have a huge impact on those who have experienced extensive property damage and therefore have no choice but to live in temporary accommodation. Living in a property you cannot call a home can trigger feelings of loneliness, separation and isolation, all of which negatively impact mental health.

There is an alternative to feeling this way. Few homeowners or commercial property owners are aware of their right to appoint their own property claim representative – a Loss Assessor. By appointing a Loss Assessor, you have someone on your side throughout your claim. They translate policy clauses, negotiate the settlement, refute reasons to reduce or decline your claim and help you return your property back to normal as swiftly as possible. All the stress that you could have experienced by handing your claim alone is instantly taken off your shoulders.

Through no fault of their own, vulnerable adults may find it difficult to fully understand the information presented to them when they make a property insurance claim. This makes them even more likely to fall victim to insurers who blindly accept claim delays. Gary Rogers, director of Property Claim Assist states that “there are so many vulnerable adults in our society. These include the elderly, disabled, bereaved, indebted or those who struggle with numeracy and literacy, to name just a few. Anyone within the vulnerability spectrum should be entitled to gain a fair and full settlement with ease ”.

According to the Financial Services Authority (FSA), “[Vulnerable] consumers may not be able to understand the information they are sent or may struggle to communicate their needs to firms”. The very fact that vulnerable adults may not understand certain information could mean that they accept delays without question and have their suffering prolonged for no good reason. If vulnerable adults do see an issue and feel unable to express concern, they are left in a huge position of disadvantage.

By appointing Property Claim Assist, you have access to professional, experienced and committed support to obtain full and fair settlement under your property insurance policy. We understand the importance of supporting policyholders, particularly those that are elderly or vulnerable. Our director Simon Colburn, points out that “Making a claim is generally difficult, time-consuming and causes undue stress and anxiety. Without being fully able to understand an insurance policy, and all the loopholes and small print it contains, vulnerable claimants often accept delays as ‘part of the process’. This means they are likely to give up and accept settlements well below the true and fair value of the claim”.

We are highly experienced in helping vulnerable adults. We take the stress of managing your property claim entirely off your shoulders, a godsend at such a challenging time.

In the US, appointing a loss assessor for your property insurance claim is common practice. Unfortunately, the UK lags behind. The British consumer is being kept in blissful ignorance when it comes to the difference between loss adjusters and loss assessors. This is mainly because it does not benefit insurers to spread the word.

The team at Property Claim Assist work tirelessly to move claims forward by contacting insurers and being a persistent voice – even if it means calling your insurer daily. We won’t stop until you get the full and fair settlement under your current policy.

Sometimes hearing from someone who has been in a similar position to yourself can be a great relief. This is especially true when their experience of the claims process was a positive one overall.

“The perfect example of an organised, persistent and caring loss assessor. Every single time I have had a question or concern, Simon had already dealt with it. Always one step ahead. I do not write many reviews but Property Claims Assist definitely deserves one. Simon and Gary, I cannot thank you enough.”

Check out more of our great reviews here.

By drawing on the systematic flaws in the insurance industry, we hope to educate policyholders across the country. Particularly on exactly why appointing their own loss assessor is so beneficial during the claim process. We truly care about our customers. Our director Gary Rogers says, “I feel a great sense of pride seeing our clients return back to their property. Removing their stress and anxiety and obtaining what they are rightfully entitled to means a lot to me personally.”

Our professional loss assessors are on your side. We can’t change that you’ve suffered property damage. We can make the claims process as kind, supportive and straightforward as possible.

To speak directly with the experts who genuinely care, simply call us on 0333 577 2720.