Water leaks can damage your home and if you have insurance then you can make your claim as soon as possible.
Not every homeowner has experienced an unexpected water leak so they did not feel the need for water leakage insurance in the UK. Some may have worries about this fact and do not have plenty of knowledge about water leak insurance claims in the UK.
But making a water leakage insurance claim gets sometimes tricky. You will need to have all the necessary documentation in order and you need to be prepared for a lengthy process.
I have put together this guide to provide you with some knowledge about how to make a water leak insurance claim in the UK including some helpful tips to ensure that your claim goes through.
What does escape from water mean?
The term ‘escape of water’ is used by insurers. Insurers use this term for leaks that come from inside the property. Water may leak from a pipe, appliance, tank, or heating system. According to the Association of British Insurers, one in four household insurance claims is for water leakage.
Above 80% of those happens due to burst or leaking pipes. The most commonly affected areas are the kitchen and bathroom. As concealed pipes run through any portion of your house, water leakage can damage any part of your property.
How do I make a successful water leak insurance claim?
Here are the steps involved in the process of making a successful water leakage insurance claim.
Step 1: Get the leak under control
When you will be claiming your water leakage insurance then you must not carry out any restoration work until the insurer has assessed the situation.
You can take some steps to prevent any further damage such as shutting off your water supply. You will need to get approval from the insurer for anything more than damage mitigation.
Step 2: you need to prepare your evidence:
You need to take plenty of photos and videos of the source of the water leakage. You can also keep any similar evidence that is relevant to your claim. You have to do this immediately.
Step 3: Notify your Insurance Company:
You need to contact your insurance company as soon as possible to notify them of the situation. Most of the insurers have an emergency contact number on which you can make calls.
Step 4: Appoint your help
Within any point of your claim, you are within your rights to appoint a Loss Assessor. A loss Assessor will handle the entire claiming procedure on your behalf. As early as you will appoint a Loss Assessor, the more they can help you.
Step 5: Meet with the Loss Adjuster
As soon as you report the water leak to the Insurance Company, the company will appoint a Loss Adjuster. A Loss Adjuster initiates the claim investigation. A fact-finding meeting will be held in your home with the Loss Adjuster. If you appoint a Loss Assessor then he will also join this meeting or any follow-up meeting on your behalf of you.
Step 6: Loss Adjuster’s report:
After the meeting, the Loss adjuster will prepare a Loss Adjuster’s Report. This report includes all the details of his investigation and findings.
He also provides a recommendation on whether the insurer should pay out. If you are not satisfied with the Loss adjuster’s report then you can challenge the report.
Functioning with a Loss Assessor throughout this entire process ensures that you must receive everything that you are entitled to under the terms of your policy.
Step 7: Carry out Repairs
Many insurers prefer to appoint their builders or surveyors to restore your property. But, you are entitled to appoint independent contractors to repair your property.
If the damage to your property is severe enough to need a surveyor then it is important to appoint a Chartered Surveyor to assess the water leakage damage and writes up the specifications of works of repairs.
Surveyors who are not chartered may not have such experience or expertise for the job. However, you are entitled to appoint your surveyor if you are not satisfied with the assessment that is made by the insurer’s surveyor.
Step 8: Contents claim
If there is any content gets damaged due to the water leakage then you and your Loss assessor can prepare a claim.
Regardless of whether the contents damage is substantial or minimal, you need to prepare your claim as detailed as possible. The claim must include accurate replacement values for all affected damages.
FAQ-
How can I maximize my water damage claim?
Ans: You can maximize your water damage claim in the following ways:
- You need to file the claim as soon as possible as the incident occurs. Some policies have a time limit to launch such claims when the incident occurs.
- You need to keep evidence properly. You can make a record of everything. You can track the date and time of the incident in your record.
What not to say to a home insurance adjuster?
Ans: Loss Adjusters always want to make their work easier. You must not admit any fault in the damage. You should not provide any guesswork regarding why and when the incident happened. You must not make their job easier by admitting them with new theories that may depreciate your claim.
How do you prepare for Insurance Adjuster?
Ans: Before the Insurance Adjuster arrives at your home you need to keep all the documents properly with you. The documents must include photos and videos of the incident, the exact time and date of the incident and you can write down any other details that may be helpful during the further process.
Our Conclusion:
The fact is that many people do not read insurance policy documents until something goes wrong. I recommend that you should always read the documents before contacting the insurance company for making any claim.
Here, in this guide, I have put together the entire procedures of making a successful water leak insurance claim in the UK. Hope, this guide helps you to make your water leak insurance claim.