Getting help from a loss assessor to fight your insurer can sometimes be the best policy. A loss assessor, who works as your advocate, can be vital when insurers dig in their heels and reject your claim. This article tells a real story with a happy ending, thanks to the help of a loss assessor.
"Drew and Elizabeth Thomson suffered every homeowner's worst nightmare two years ago when a fire swept through their house, causing £500,000 worth of damage, and their insurer's first response was to deny liability. The couple had rented out their six-bedroom home in Billingshurst, West Sussex, after Drew, who works in the semiconductor industry, was relocated to Austin, Texas. The Thomsons found themselves facing questions as their insurer's legal team "became aggressive as they looked for any opportunity to reject our claim".
Meanwhile, the couple were paying the mortgage on a home that was no longer habitable, and was becoming increasingly damaged because no repairs could be done. "We were forced to hire a local lawyer as it quickly became obvious that we couldn't handle this situation 5,000 miles away," says Drew.
The couple then took on a loss assessor. They work as the policyholder's advocate, handling all the legal work, and working with other professionals such as surveyors, contracts and solicitors. Many loss assessors work for free, provided you agree to use their network of surveyors and specialist contractors to repair the damage, as this earns them a management fee. "Our loss assessor knew what to look for and understood policy wording, vital in getting the insurer to accept liability," Drew explains. Once Morgan Clark had won a payout it appointed contractors to reinstate the property.
As Drew adds: "Everyone signs up to these policies in good faith, but when they claim all that may count for precious little. Without expert help, I don't know how we would have got through."
The Financial Ombudsman Authority resolved 223,229 complaints in the year ending 31 March 2013, double the 2007 total, finding in favour of consumers in half the cases. While PPI mis-selling is partly behind this sharp increase, there is another worrying trend: financial services companies such as insurers and banks, are increasingly digging in their heels and refusing claims.
More than one in five final ombudsman decisions were for general insurance, such as household, motor and travel insurance. Banking, PPI, investments, mortgages and pensions were the other main sources of appealed cases. If you feel unfairly treated by a financial services company, your first step is to complain to the business concerned.
If it doesn't satisfactorily resolve your complaint within eight weeks, contact the Financial Ombudsman Service. Do this within six months. The service acts as an independent adjudicator and is free and informal. If dissatisfied, you can still pursue legal action. You may need to appoint a loss assessor or solicitor if your claim is for more than £150,000, the maximum the ombudsman can award.
Don't give up, says building industry worker Alan Wisbey, 61, who lives in Sevenoaks, Kent. He suffered serious leg injuries after falling down a flight of stairs at work in 2010, but when he made a public liability insurance claim the insurer offered him just £5,000. He got in touch with specialist personal injury solicitors Slater & Gordon on a no-win, no-fee basis. "Suddenly, I had somebody on my side." Four years later, Wisbey's claim is about to be settled. He will get £90,000 compensation and his lawyer's costs were paid by the insurer.
Angrypolicyholders.com is a support group for people whose claim has been rejected. It was set up by Chris Hargreaves, a chauffeur from the Greater Manchester town of Bury, who spent two-and-a-half years battling Scottish Provident after it rejected his income protection claim following serious illness. The claim was eventually paid after he launched a one-man Twitter campaign that attracted 13,000 followers.
"Insurance companies have money and expertise at their disposal but if you fight them, you can win," he says."
At Imperial Claims Consultants, we help the insured (be that residential or commercial) with managing all aspects of their insurance claim. Our services are of no cost to the insured, provided they use our panel of certified contractors. We are available 24/7 and we truly care about our customers. We always make sure you get the best deal and we can provide a wide range of services that go from claims handling to disaster management works, drying and building reinstatement works.
Loss assessors can truly help you fight your insurer, whenever your claims are rejected. At Imperial Claims, we always make sure you receive the amount that you deserve for the claim.
Source - https://www.theguardian.com/money/2014/mar/16/help-fight-insurer-reject-claim
