Stolen Cooper S

[IanD1965]

I worked for the Prudential 40 years ago
When we had a customer claim come in to the office, we all had specialists to hand , they took CARE and really tried to ease the pain and worry for the customer.
These days , they get all the details and then pass it over to the legal department to see how they can get out of paying anything. So , to avoid this scenario, do things like
Have your alarm serviced regularly by a specialist, have your chimney swept regularly again by a specialist, keep all receipts. The insurance companies only answer to the shareholders. Hope this chap gets his car back in one piece.
I’m off my soap box now.

[steve1071]

These days , they get all the details and then pass it over to the legal department to see how they can get out of paying anything.

I’ve worked in the game almost 40 years, on both sides of the fence, and that is simply not true

[Peter Laidler]

I think that your short answer deserves a bit more clarification Steve. Much as Ian gave previously. To be honest, and it's only an opinion, Insurance companies are not famous for being liberally minded when it comes to giving money out.

And you try taking one on in some form of litigation - and see what happens

[kit of bits]

I was insured with flux when my house caught fire and I lost the pick up.
they did make me jump through hoops and about 9 different departments there was lots of trick questions and lots of talking.
when I got to the engineer to approve the valve he was very human and approved it straight away saying it was probably worth more than the agreed value, they paid out in full plus the total loss add on policy of 25%.
What’s even more impressive is I’ve still got 4 cars insured with them and they haven’t increased the price since.
As for house insurance, don’t get me started!
Just to add Apple tags are excellent little trackers for about £25 each..
D

[steve1071]

I think that your short answer deserves a bit more clarification Steve. Much as Ian gave previously. To be honest, and it's only an opinion, Insurance companies are not famous for being liberally minded when it comes to giving money out.

And you try taking one on in some form of litigation - and see what happens

What clarification do you want? I pointed out that the statement that insurance companies these days pass claims to the legal department to work out how not to pay is simply wrong. I’ve run claims departments in the past and they do not even have legal departments. I could count on one hand the number of claims that have gone to a ‘legal department’ in the last 14 years where I have been a broker and on the ‘other side’.

Of course insurers dot the i’s and cross the t’s when a sizeable claim comes on. After all it’s essentially a one sided contract where one party is privy to all the information that contract is based upon ie the policyholder, but in my experience once liability is agreed insurers are generally fair on quantum, as kit of bits found.

There are of course a few crap insurers, often based off-shore that give the industry a bad name, which is why I bang on about not buying on price, and look at who is carrying the risk should a claim occur. Stick to one of the big boys, tell no fibs on your proposal form and should the Pooh hit the fan you will be good.

The declinature rate of claims is in single figure percentages. Think of that number when there’s plenty of crooks and scammers that see conning insurers as faceless and justifiable.

Perhaps you could give me evidence where your opinion comes from?

[steve1071]

…..and if anyone ever needs any advice on policy cover or claims feel free to message me, more than happy to help.

[kit of bits]

…..and if anyone ever needs any advice on policy cover or claims feel free to message me, more than happy to help.

I did ask Steve for help and he did big time I can’t thank him enough.
My quality supermarket sold house insurance looked good at face value and wasn’t cheap, behind the seens it was off shore and the documents took some professional reading Steve did this and maximised the pay out. I’ve now learned a lot and bought quality insurance elsewhere..
The reinstatement of the house with the cowboy builders employed by the loss adjuster was the biggest problem and took two years, I think the total pay out for house,car and contents was the best part of £250,000.
D

[Exminiman]

Thanks for the info, so is it best to avoid any "Supermarket" polices ie Tescos, Waitrose, who ever....?

I have to say, our house insurance is not "off the shelf" for various reasons and so you cant buy it via a comparison website.

That looks like a blessing in disguise now, as recently we had an issue with a tree falling over and damaging a fence etc..our neighbour suggested we make a claim (hadn`t crossed our minds) and to our surprise it was covered

Separate issue, but wasn`t there am issue with an Irish Insurer, being ultra cheap, but then never paying out ? Think we had our vans insured with them for a while...

[mab01uk]

However, as often happens with car insurance, if you do claim for something like a tree falling over and damaging a fence etc on a house policy, does that mean your insurance renewal and quotes from other insurers go up for following years, sometimes amounting to more than the original claim was worth?

[Exminiman]

Surprise, surprise the premium didn`t go up, but this was the first time we had claimed (for anything in about twenty years..)

But you are right, part of the reason we had not claimed previously is we were concerned about premiums rising...

[steve1071]

Thanks for the info, so is it best to avoid any "Supermarket" polices ie Tescos, Waitrose, who ever....?

I have to say, our house insurance is not "off the shelf" for various reasons and so you cant buy it via a comparison website.

That looks like a blessing in disguise now, as recently we had an issue with a tree falling over and damaging a fence etc..our neighbour suggested we make a claim (hadn`t crossed our minds) and to our surprise it was covered

Separate issue, but wasn`t there am issue with an Irish Insurer, being ultra cheap, but then never paying out ? Think we had our vans insured with them for a while...

I wouldn't write off supermarket policies, they are usually white labelled and it's hard to see who is the actual insurer. Easiest way is to look at the end of the policy booklet in the complaints procedure, that should tell you. As mentioned before, stick to a known name and you'll be fine.

As my old boss used to say, 'there can be nothing more expensive than cheap insurance'!

As for the Irish crowd, that would probably be Quinn? He was a real disruptor with different methods, often trying to settle claims very quickly using door knockers to cut out the ambulance chasers that plague our industry. His problem was the insurance arm was illegally propping up a lot of his other loss making businesses. There's a great documentary about him 'Bankrupt Billionaire' somewhere on the gogglebox.

[steve1071]

Surprise, surprise the premium didn`t go up, but this was the first time we had claimed (for anything in about twenty years..)

But you are right, part of the reason we had not claimed previously is we were concerned about premiums rising...

Honestly, they're not all bad! Think of it like a bookie, plenty put in and only a few take back out.....It's all about spreading and transferring of risk. Generally if insurers make a small underwriting profit across the account they don't do much with prices across the board.

[Exminiman]

As for the Irish crowd, that would probably be Quinn? He was a real disruptor with different methods, often trying to settle claims very quickly using door knockers to cut out the ambulance chasers that plague our industry. His problem was the insurance arm was illegally propping up a lot of his other loss making businesses. There's a great documentary about him 'Bankrupt Billionaire' somewhere on the gogglebox.

Yes, it was Quinn, so much cheaper than all other quotes, seemed too good to be true at the time, obviously in the end it was.....

[mab01uk]

Just a heads up below seen in the news today, for anyone with a towbar fitted...

"Auto Express said it had been contacted by a motorist who was left with a six-figure bill when his insurer refused to pay out on a claim and cancelled his policy because he had not listed his car's tow bar as a 'modification' when running a quote via comparison website Money Super Market.
We were contacted by a desperate driver after his insurer, Allianz-owned Flow, cancelled his policy following an accident on the grounds that he had failed to list his car's tow bar as a modification when purchasing cover,' explains Chris Rosamond, current affairs editor at Auto Express."
https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/car ... d-car.html

[Herbert]

Insurance companies are a bunch of thieves. They gladly take your money, every year. A few years ago I was told to get a safe, which I did. The next year they wanted me to change the safe as it wasn't "waterproof". Originally they specified that the safe should be fire proof. The second time they said i had too many items of jewellery and now people knew that I had a safe!
THIEVES.

[Exminiman]

Just a heads up below seen in the news today, for anyone with a towbar fitted...

"Auto Express said it had been contacted by a motorist who was left with a six-figure bill when his insurer refused to pay out on a claim and cancelled his policy because he had not listed his car's tow bar as a 'modification' when running a quote via comparison website Money Super Market.
We were contacted by a desperate driver after his insurer, Allianz-owned Flow, cancelled his policy following an accident on the grounds that he had failed to list his car's tow bar as a modification when purchasing cover,' explains Chris Rosamond, current affairs editor at Auto Express."
https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/car ... d-car.html

I thought Allianz were a good insurance company, bit of a suprise

[hanlminiman]

Very interesting article. In early paragraphs of the article there is mention of a 6 figure sum claim and reference to the caravan club so I wonder if the claim included a caravan?
A couple of years ago when renewing my insurance with tow bar declared, I asked if I was involved in an accident would I be covered for the trailer and its load and told yes but I wonder if the classic car insurance, if separate would need to be included as a joint claim. When I renewed my tow car was included on one policy with agreed values for the Minis so the Insurance company had all the detail.
I suggest that if you regularly tow your pride & joy, you ensure that the tow car is correctly insured.

[kit of bits]

I always buy insurance over the phone as it’s a two way conversation, I’m not keen online as you tick the box and take responsibility.

The modifications were one thing flux tried to use against me when I claimed, they listened to there recording and I’d given all the correct information.

Another reason is I’m a foster carer you don’t get paid but you get a fee (this gets the government out of the minimum wage argument)
However you do get paid for your mileage! So is it classed as a job? Best to always have them make a note just in case.

I also declare the tow bar not just for the towing reasons (I’ve never got to the bottom of what’s insured there) but if I have a rear end shunt the car will be damaged in a different way and could cost more to repair.

D

[trevorhp]

https://road.cc/content/news/cyclist-de ... ier-311579
Must read if you have a towbar fitted.
Incredible stance by a mainstream insurance company.
They really don't want to pay it seems.

[Exminiman]

Thanks, that is worrying, just pinged off an email to insurance company to check....Allianz again, seems to be theme (and precedent) developing.