Claims – How to make a claim
The main reason you buy home insurance, claiming enables you to repair or replace your home and belongings should the worst happen.
- Digital cover check and claim submission.
- 24/7 home emergency line.
- Expert claims handlers.
- Clear communication during the process.
- Achieving the best outcomes – read customer reviews about claims.
You can be sure that, should the worst happen, you’ll have the benefit of talking to an experienced claims team. Every member of the team is committed to reacting quickly and keeping your claim moving forward.
HOW THE CLAIM PROCESS WORKS
Before you make a claim it makes sense to read through your Policy Booklet and check your Policy Document to understand what you are covered for. This is really important to understand as any claim you make will, in line with industry practise, be noted on your policy and may be shared with other insurers, even if your claim is unsuccessful. This could influence the price or availability of insurance offered to you in the future.
Log in to check your Policy Booklet and Policy Document and submit a claim online. Alternatively, call our claims teams on 0330 660 0660.
Once you’ve told us about an incident, our claims team will review the details you’ve provided to confirm whether your policy would cover this incident and explain next steps.
Depending on the type of incident, we may ask specialist third-party suppliers to calculate the value of your claim and carry out repair work. We’ll arrange for our approved suppliers to get in touch with you when or if they are required.
As soon as we’ve checked that your claim is covered by your policy, we’ll get the process moving. The time it takes to settle your claim will depend on the incident. For example, claims involving a single household item, such as a TV, are normally settled very quickly. Claims involving major repair work, or a property rebuild, are likely to take several months.
SETTLING YOUR CLAIM
When your claim is approved, we’ll work with specialist suppliers to repair your property and get things back to normal. If you’re making a claim for your belongings, we’ll arrange to repair or replace the affected items.
Depending on what has happened, you may be able to request a cash pay out to replace or repair your building or contents instead of us carrying out the repair or replacement. We’ll let you know about this once your claim has been reviewed and we’ve agreed on the repair or replacement value.
TO MAKE A CLAIM, YOU NEED TO TELL US:
- Your policy number.
- The exact date the event occurred.
- What happened and the actions you’ve taken so far.
- What’s been affected as well as their value (if items of contents have been stolen or damaged
When you’re ready, log in to submit your claim online or call our claims hotline
Your Questions Answered
An excess is the portion of a claim that you’re responsible for paying. It’s either deducted from your settlement or collected from you if we arrange a repair or replacement. You can find out what excesses you’ll need to pay by logging in to make a claim and selecting your policy in the “Check my cover” section. Your excesses are also listed in your policy documents.
There are three types of excess:
- Compulsory excess – A fixed amount that applies to most claims, based on the type of damage. If your claim includes both Buildings and Contents, a compulsory excess will apply to each.
- Special excess – A higher excess that applies to specific events like flood, escape of water, subsidence, landslip, or heave. If both Buildings and Contents are affected, only one special excess applies.
- Voluntary excess – An extra amount you choose when buying your policy to lower your premium. If your claim includes both Buildings and Contents, the voluntary excess applies to each.
- Exception: voluntary excesses do not apply to Flood Re claims.
You can find your excess amounts in your Policy Schedule or by logging in and selecting your policy in the “Check my cover” section.
Examples:
Example 1 – Claim for one type of damage
Romesh claims for accidental damage to his buildings.
- Compulsory excess: £249
- Voluntary excess: £150
Total excess: £399
Example 2 – Claim affecting both Buildings and Contents
Sam’s theft claim involves damage to both buildings and contents.
- Buildings excess: £249 compulsory + £150 voluntary
- Contents excess: £149 compulsory + £50 voluntary
Total excess: £598
Example 3 – Escape of water affecting both Buildings and Contents
Frankie’s claim is for escape of water.
Voluntary excesses: £100 for Buildings + £100 for Contents
Total excess: £700
Special excess: £500 (applies once)
There are several reasons why your claim might be rejected:
Inaccurate or withheld information
The cover we offer you is based on the information you provided when buying or renewing your policy. If this information isn’t accurate, we may reject your claim. That’s why it’s important to take the time to answer our questions as accurately as possible and check your policy details at renewal.
Wear and tear
Wear and tear is not covered under Homeprotect policies. To avoid your claim being rejected due to wear and tear, it’s important to carry out regular maintenance on your home.
Contents not specified
Some items of contents need to be specified on your policy to be covered. If you make a claim for an item that should have been specified on your policy, we’ll likely reject your claim. More guidance on specified items can be found in your policy booklet.
Partial pay out
We might refuse to pay the full amount of your claim if you’ve under-estimated the total value of your buildings or contents cover (known as ‘being under-insured’).
You should first submit a complaint here and give our complaints team eight weeks to respond. If you’re not happy with the outcome of your complaint, you can ask the Financial Ombudsman to investigate what’s happened.
More details on how to make a complaint to the Financial Ombudsman can be found here.
In the event of a claim, you may be asked to provide evidence of value and ownership, such as purchase receipts or valuation certificates. It’s essential to provide this documentation for any high-risk items that you’ve specified on your policy, such as jewellery or watches.
When you make a claim, the incident details you provide are shared with other insurers in line with industry practice. This could influence the price or availability of insurance offered to you in the future as insurers often set their prices based on previous incidents you’ve had.
That’s why it’s important to understand your cover before submitting a claim. You can check your cover by logging in here and entering the details of an incident. We’ll give you guidance on what you’re covered for to help you decide whether to submit a claim.