How To Claim On Your Home Insurance Policy

By Author: Foster Carr
Total Articles: 30
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If your home has sustained damage or been burgled, then the first thing you have to do is notify the insurance company, and the police if necessary. Let your insurance agent know roughly what has happened to your property, and then they will talk you through the next steps that you have to take. Keep the name and telephone number of your insurance agent on your person, so that you can contact them at any time.

Keep track of all the communications that you have with your insurer regarding the claim, as this may be useful to you further down the line. Take pictures or video clips of the affected areas of your house using a digital camera, such as the one on your mobile phone, as this may also prove helpful.

1. It is also a good idea to keep a written record of everything that is damaged or missing, and keep this about your person so that you can add to it if you notice anything else that is missing or damaged.

2. You should also make any temporary repairs that you deem necessary, as it is up to you to prevent the damage to your property from getting worse. For instance, if you have a leak, then you might want ...
... to put a bucket under it to prevent further water damage to your property. If you need to buy anything in order to do this, be sure to keep receipts.

3. Go around the property with everyone that lives there and take note of anything that anyone notices is missing or damaged. If your policy includes new for old replacement cover, then you will be entitled to brand new replacements for your old items, so even if something was on its way out, such as an old sofa or TV, be sure to mention it.

4. It can take a little bit of time to process an insurance claim, so be patient. If your claim is not serious, it may take quite a long time to process as most insurance firms deal with claims on a priority, rather than a first come first served, basis.

5. Now, all you have to do is wait. Insurance claims can take a while to get through, and are handled on a priority basis, so that people who have sustained more severe damage to their property are handled first.

Stay in contact with your agent while you are waiting to find out how your claim is progressing. If you are unhappy with the service you are receiving you should file a complaint with the financial ombudsman service, who will then take it up with your insurer. If your policy includes loss of use cover, then you will be entitled to receive extra money for accommodation if you cannot stay in your house until your house has been repaired or investigated by the police.

Whatever you call home, whether it's a three-bedroom semi, or a penthouse apartment, Kwik Fit's panel of leading insurers find you the best price for home insurance.