How to Make a Successful Home Insurance Claim

If you’ve suffered a devastating event such as property damage, know that you’re not alone. In fact, 1.23 million home insurance claims are made per day and of these claims, around four out of five are accepted by insurers.

No one wants to be in a position where they have to make a claim. So, when you add in the possibility of having your claim rejected, matters soon become worse. Property Claim Assist director and expert loss assessor Gary Rogers states that “The insurance claim process can be incredibly difficult to navigate, especially if you’re not an expert in insurance jargon nor an experienced negotiator. The anxiety and stress can leave you feeling like you have the weight of the world on your shoulders.”

That’s why we’re here to share our advice on how to maximise your chances of making a successful home insurance claim.

Before diving into why home insurance claims are often rejected, it’s worth mentioning that the likelihood of your claim being accepted is largely determined by your insurer.

Some insurers have high claims acceptance rates including Gresham Insurance and UK Insurance Ltd, both of which had an acceptance rate of 98.75%. Other insurers such as Brit Syndicates Limited have much lower acceptance figures at around 80-82.4%. When you’re looking to buy an insurance policy, our advice is to always do your research. It’s the only way to ensure that you are getting the right cover for you.

Most of us purchase home insurance to protect our properties should the worst happen. Remember that your policy might not cover every type of damage. For example, if you suffer damage caused by an earthquake you may require separate insurance. The bottom line is that if you try to claim for damage that isn’t covered by your policy, you can expect your claim to be turned down.

If your claim has been denied for this reason, our advice is to appoint a Loss Assessor to examine the small print of your policy. They will then check to see whether or not you are in a position to make a claim. If they conclude that you are not, they will advise you to update your policy. This will protect you from the same incident occurring again.

Axa found that 59% of homeowners believe their insurance will pay out for all weather-related claims regardless of the cause, but this is not the reality when it comes to improper maintenance. To make a successful home insurance claim, most home insurance policies will state that your home must be kept “well maintained”. So, if for example, your roof tiles fall off in a storm, a loss adjuster may come to the conclusion that the damage was a direct result of improper maintenance, rather than the storm itself.

If you’re making a home insurance claim, it is essential to be as detailed and accurate as possible.

Your insurer can turn down a claim if they believe that something you’ve done (or haven’t) directly led to the incident that triggered the claim. For example, if you suffer property damage due to a fire, but your smoke alarm doesn’t work, a loss adjuster is likely to reject your claim or minimise your settlement. This is because working smoke alarms could have prevented the damage in the first place.

The first step to make a successful home insurance claim is to act fast. Once you have alerted your insurer of the damage, begin to collect evidence to support your claim. It’s a good idea to take photographs of the damage and locate receipts of broken items. These could prove crucial later down the line.

Every home insurance policy contains terms and conditions. Typically, these may include the requirement to have (and use) certain types of locks on exterior doors and windows. Another is not leaving the property unoccupied for long periods. To make a successful home insurance claim, make sure that you always adhere to your insurer’s terms and conditions.

Don’t exaggerate in the hope that you’ll gain a higher settlement than you deserve. Honesty is always the best policy when making a claim. If your insurer finds out you’ve been dishonest at any point during the process, they have the right to decline the whole claim. This can lead to financial struggles and difficulty getting insurance in the future.

Insurers never inform you of your right to appoint your own loss assessor simply because it doesn’t benefit them.

A loss assessor is someone you have the right to appoint. They level the playing field and represent you within the property claim negotiations. Their job is to help you make a successful home insurance claim and achieve a fair and full settlement under your current policy.

Loss adjusters often exploit those who are unable to understand insurance jargon.

Our director Gary Rogers warns that “policyholders are usually powerless to argue with their loss adjuster because they are not experts in insurance terminology”. Simply put, you’re a layman or woman trying to speak the same language as someone who has endless experience under their belt. This means that finding the right words, understanding the jargon and formulating a line of argument for your case can be extremely difficult. An adjuster will use this to their advantage. A loss assessor will explain confusing technical terms clearly, making sure you fully understand the process.

Negotiating an insurance claim settlement can be extremely daunting, especially when you’re not an expert. It can also take a lot of time and energy, leading to increased levels of stress and anxiety.

A loss assessor will help you make a successful home insurance claim by negotiating with the loss adjuster on your behalf. They will take it upon themselves to argue your case and battle to get the settlement you deserve. Our team has years of experience in claim negotiations and are experts in mitigating problems with loss adjusters. The vast majority of policyholders do not achieve anywhere near their rightful settlement by going at their claim alone. Appointing a skilled Loss Assessor to be in your corner counts.

Loss adjusters are aware that insurance policies are deliberately ambiguous and use this to their advantage. Insurance companies look to pay out as little as possible. So, it makes sense that they would hire talented adjusters to find loopholes in order to minimise your settlement. A reputable loss assessor will be savvy to all the tricks used by loss adjusters.

If you want to find out more about the tricks of the loss adjuster read our article here.

At Property Claim Assist, we are dedicated to helping policyholders like you make a successful home insurance claim. With our support, you’ll achieve the best settlement possible and get back on your feet as swiftly as possible. See how we’ve helped others in a similar position here.

To speak directly with a loss assessor, call us today on 0333 577 2720.