Frequently Asked Questions

All you need to know about Home Insurance Claims

How to register a claim


Who do I phone to register my claim?

Your claim will be registered directly with your insurer, their contact details can be found on your Policy Summary, you will need to know who underwrites your insurance policy to ensure you contact the correct company.

Sign in to access your Policy Summary if you have registered for online access to your policy documents.

Questions you'll be asked when you register a claim


What questions will I be asked when I call to register a claim?

You will be asked what happened and when it happened and what action you've taken so far. Then you'll be asked what you're claiming for and the approximate cost(s) involved.

Providing information to support your claim


What information will I be asked to provide to support my claim?

It is helpful if you keep receipts, guarantees, instruction manuals, valuations or photographs for your most valuable items in a safe place as these may help to support a claim on these items. By valuable items we mean jewellery, watches, paintings, collector's items and any items/sets of gold or silver.

You may also be asked to provide estimates or invoices for claims involving repair or replacement of items. If the claim involves a building repair, normally two estimates are required for comparison purposes.

If the incident involves theft or criminal damage, or if any property has been lost outside of the home, you should inform the police immediately and make a note of the police incident number.

Approved suppliers and specialists


Who are the approved suppliers and specialists and what do they do?

All insurers have a national panel of approved specialists and suppliers who may be appointed to inspect damage or replace goods on your insurer's behalf. Full details of the specialist or supplier and the next steps for your claim will be discussed with when you report the incident.

Insurers also have a team of Claims Advisors, who manage the settlement of your claim and may visit you at home to discuss your claim in detail.

Policy excesses


What is a policy excess?

The policy excess is the part of each claim that you agree to pay – your insurer will cover the remaining amount. Details can also be found in the Policy Schedule.

Your insurer may deduct the amount of the policy excess from the settlement of your claim, or alternatively the appointed specialist or supplier will collect this amount from you on our behalf.

How to work out if a claim is covered by your policy


How will I know if my claim is covered by my policy?

Wherever possible, your insurer will let you know during your first call whether your claim is covered by your policy.

It may help you to read through the Policy Booklet along with your Schedule of Cover before ringing to report your claim.

My house is suffering from subsidence


What should I do if I believe my house is suffering from subsidence?

Subsidence is the downward movement of the ground supporting your house which usually results in the appearance of small diagonal cracks to the weaker parts of the home. These cracks normally appear above and below windows and doors. Contact your insurer directly and they will advise on the steps you need to to take.

New-for-old cover


Is my policy 'new-for-old'?

Yes, your policy is a 'reinstatement' or 'new-for-old' policy. This means that all items (except clothing, pedal cycles and household linen) will be replaced with the new equivalent without any deduction for 'wear and tear'.

For example, if you have damaged a television that's five years old, we will replace it with the latest available equivalent model.

Length of time to settle a claim


How long will it take to sort out my claim?

Some claims are more straightforward than others – when you call to register your claim, the claims advisor will give you an indication of the timescales involved.