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FIDO's tips on home insurance

Claiming on your house insurance policy



Here's how you can satisfy your insurer's requirements and maximise the success of your claim:

Things to think about before you claim



What happens if you make a claim?


Your policy may have special conditions about making a claim. Check what the financial consequences will be if you claim on your policy, for example:
1.Will you have to pay an excess towards the claim?
Your insurer usually requires you to pay an excess when you make a claim. If you cannot pay a lump sum, check to see if you can arrange to pay it by instalments.
2.Will you lose all or part of your "no claim" bonus?
If you make a claim, you may have to pay more for insurance next year. Check with your insurer about the circumstances in which you will lose your "no claim" bonus.
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If the amount of your claim is small, it might be worth considering not making a claim and bearing the cost yourself, if you can afford to do so.

What proof do you need?


If household contents have been stolen or damaged, you must prove: You can prove these through:

What if there’s been a disaster?


If your home has been affected by a natural disaster return to your property when it’s safe to do so and make your own initial assessment. If damage has been suffered contact your insurer straightaway so your claims process can start as quickly as possible.

You don’t need to be concerned if your insurance documents have been lost or damaged. Insurance companies keep records electronically and only require your name and address to find your policy.

You need to activate your insurance policy by making a claim – your insurer can’t do this for you.

How much can you claim for jewellery and valuables?


Disputes often occur about the amount an insurer should pay for lost or stolen jewellery or similar goods. If you cannot provide a valuation of an item, the insurer will determine a value from a description (or photos if available) of the item. However, if an item's value is greater than the monetary limit in the policy, the insurer will only have to pay up to that maximum amount.

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 Insurers will only pay the value of the item lost. For example, if you lose one of a pair of earrings, you will recover only half the total value of the pair of earrings even though the remaining earring may be of little use if you cannot find a replacement.


How does wear and tear affect your claim?


Insurance policies cover damage or loss arising from particular events, not damage occurring over time through wear and tear, or because you didn't maintain or repair your property.

Many disputes over claims involve water or storm damage to floors, stumps or roofs of houses, all of which may gradually deteriorate over time. It will help your claim if you can show that:

What is the difference between storms and floods?


Most insurance policies cover damage from stormwater (though to different extents) but don't cover damage from floodwater. You should check the details of your own insurance policy, but as a general guide:

1."Stormwater" is defined as water running over the surface of the land while "floodwater" is defined as water escaping from a water course.
2.In practice, it usually requires expert evidence from hydrologists to help determine whether the damage was caused by "stormwater" or "floodwater".
3.If the damage was caused by a combination of "stormwater" and "floodwater", this damage will not be covered (even if your policy doesn't spell out what happens in this situation).

Read our guides on:

What types of storm damage does your policy cover?
Flood insurance

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