Any insurance claims people/legal bods?

We instigated a claim for a leaking shower 4-5 months ago.

In a nutshell:

The insurance company put a limit of liability on of £800. The quotes we got were both around the £3k mark.

We were therefore forced to use the insurance companies preferred contractor. Even when they came out to look at the job they said it would be £1,800 +.

The general incompetence of the loss adjusters, insurance company meant that work didn’t start until 7 weeks ago.

The contractor installed the shower tray incorrectly, and tried to put the wrong screens up. They also said there was no damage to the floor or joists. It took me hours of telephone conversations (they are based in Bolton, we are in Bradford) trying to persuade them the all the installation needed to come out again.

Eventually they agreed. Last week they came out to rip out and start from scratch. They take out the old stuff, and are just about to stick a new shower tray in when I notice the hardboard it will sit on is rotten. I had to insists they rip it up, only to find rotten joists below. 😯

They were supposed to be coming out to day to complete the job, but didn’t bother phoning to say they wont be coming. I have now had to insist they come at the weekend to complete it.

The insurance company keep saying we have to give them chance to rectify. Even though we can see they are incompetent and negligent.

We have also asked for a not inconsiderable amount of compensation. ie £1k. We think this is perfectly reasonable give that it has taken months, we have both had to take days off work, or take time out of the day to take prolonged phone calls.

They have already said they will not pay for loss of earnings or the increased wear and tear to secondary bath, as this is part of a ‘normal’ claim. Is 5 months and this amount of incompetence ‘normal’?

We have also been told that we can not use part of the extended insurance we pay for that allows for alternate accommodation if you are unable to use your house. We were told that even if we did not have a 2nd bath, a sink is an adequate washing facility for a family for a period of 5 months 😯

We are going to write to the FSA with our complaint. However my concern is have they breached contract? ie have we paid them to provide a reasonable claims service, which clearly they haven’t? Should we be seeking legal advice, or is that kind of what the FSA are for?

Ta

Whinge over 😀

You want this lot, rather than the FSA.

http://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/

It depends how much of what they’re saying is in the small print of the contract you signed with them.

Not sure an £800 liability on the job is right, especially after investigation and finding that joists are rotten etc. Surely they should pay out to put everything right minus your excess unless you opted for some weird limited cover insurance to keep it cheap?

Have you made a written complaint to your insurer as that will be your first port of call. Contact and address will be in your policy wording, Then the ombudsman if you are not happy with the outcome.

Not sure an £800 liability on the job is right

Indeed, in my experience “Limit of Liability” usually means “crack on and don’t worry about about coming back to us before you go over this level”. Just for getting folk in to make sure the situation is under control and the like

As said above, first port of call is to make a formal complaint with your insurer – most will allow you to do this over the phone with their complaints dept. Follow this up with a written complaint.

In my experience this tends to get matters resolved.

Failing that, you can then appeal their initial decision and then go onto the Ombudsman.

Hope you get it all sorted swiftly!

Its kind of an odd one. I have only being dealing with the complaints team, and they appear to be the only ones who get stuff done.

With every conversation I have had with them I have stated they will get a formal complaint at the end.

However today they said they will do no more, and I can only go to the ombudsman.

I said how was this the case when they didn’t have our formal complaint yet…

I think I will ring the ombudsman, I don’t want to send them a complaint only for it then to be thrown back to the insurance company.

“Limit of Liability” usually means “crack on and don’t worry about about coming back to us before you go over this level”.

I agree, but the fact is that £800 limit was not enough to complete the jobs that the loss adjuster agreed needed doing, let alone any subsequent damage found.

They blatantly made it impossible for us to get anyone local to do the work, to the extent we wonder if the Loss Adjust is in bed with the contractor.