Getting a bad feeling about Norich Union.

[spine_iv]

Hello to you all.

My parents house has recently been flooded and we are now trying to figure out what happens next.

They have contents insurance with Norwich Union and cannot find the original paperwork (lost to the floods). However they have found last years policy details and at that time the cover was for 30,000 contents insurance.
To cut a long story short I spoke to the loss adjuster last night and she is quoting a max figure of 17,199 although our inventory list is for over 24,000 and counting. The company they arranged to clear the house is to be paid out of the 17,199 as well.
The company they arranged is called Rainbow and they are telling us that its going to cost approx 3,000 just to clear the house!!!!!!!!!
I now realize why the customer service has been exceptional, and that they are only too pleased to help with everything. They are playing fast n loose with the money that should be going to my folks to replace their life.

I'm getting angry, and very suspicious!

Can anybody pre-warn me of things I need to be aware of to protect my parents claim.
Any advice greatly appreciated. I can give lots more detail if needed but am trying to keep the original post short.

Many Thanks

Glenn

[spine_iv]

OK, bit calmer now, heres a brief rundown of whats happened so far.

*House flooded
*Scramble around in house and find bits of insurance policy
*Father phones and informs Norwich union.
*Customer service great, nothing too much trouble, NU arrange Rainbow to come round and clear house etc.
*Rainbow arrive and give advice, give boxes, and inventory sheets for us to complete. Tell us to put aside things that we would like restoring.
*We pack everything we can save
*We complete inventory sheets,and prices as best as we can.
*NU arrange Loss adjuster to come round to go through inventory sheets.
*Rainbow bring back inventory sheets signed and agreed. (he did this at home and not in house???)
*Rainbow come and fill up one skip with damaged stuff.
*Loss Adjuster arrives, goes through list, everything seems fine.
*Skip still not taken away.
*Loss adjuster calls me, tells me list is totaling at 24k so far and will likely hit 28k. Then tells me parents are under insured? Tells me max claim will be £17,199, and rainbow are to be paid out of this.
*Ahhh, me catching on, penny dropping.
*Tell parents and ask them to find out how much rainbow are going to charge. (realize now this isn't all part of the service, rainbow have been sub-contracted by NU to clear, store and restore)
*Rainbow tell father that storage is going to be £10 a day!!!!!!(I'm certain that this must surely be wrong, £10 a week surely)
*Rainbow tell father we have saved money by completing inventory sheets ourselves. Tell father that clearing house is going to cost aprox £3k !!!!!!!!
*£3k for 4 skips!!!!! I'm outraged!
*Father gets local quote for storage £25 a month.

So here's me now getting very angry and high on the overuse of apostrophes.
A £30k contents insurance, max payout at 17k and was going to be charged a fortune for clearance and storage.


I need to protect my parents, they have lost everything, I can't let them down. I could do with some advice.
Sorry for the rant.

Cheers

Glenn

[feater]

Hi there.

I'm in exactly the same position as your parents.. When you say that rainbow cleared the house do you mean to remove all the furniture and hack off plaster, etc?

[spine_iv]

Hi feater
Sorry to here your in a similar predicament.
No they have separate contents and buildings cover, although both are with NU. It gets kinda confusing, but I'm only getting worried about the contents insurance at the mo. I'm thinking I'm going to be similarly suspicious of the buildings cover now too.
Rainbow were appointed by NU (I'm assuming with my fathers agreement, although it was never mentioned that there fees would be deducted from the overall claim at the time.)
They were tasked with clearing the house of all contents, some for the skip, some for storage, and some for restoration. I'm assuming they were also tasked with drawing up the inventory list also, but we did that ourselves, thankfully.
NU have also sent round the buildings loss adjuster and he has appointed crawfords, now I am wary about how friendly they were too. HE couldn't praise NU enough, unsurprisingly if he is allowed to write his own cheque if given the work. The more I think about it the more cynical I become.
I would quite willingly pay for some good advice from an independent source.
Trouble is who to ask, we have already had the ambulance chasers round offering to help deal with insurance companies, but they are just in it for themselves as well.
I'm angry at the amount of people who are quiet literally queuing up to benefit from my parents misfortune.
Dam vultures!

Glenn

[feater]

3k just for clearing the house, how much did they deligate to recovery and if they are unable to will you get that cost back? These are things I will most certainly be asking.

I asked about hacking off plaster etc as I'm going down the route that I'm trying to push some of my claim onto buildings insurance and this is obviously a much higher payout than my contents... I was also advised to get my own quotes for the building work rather than use NU's sub contractors.

I know what you mean. I was advised by Rainbow to just pack up all of the damaged clothing and they will dry clean. Got very stroppy and refused to do that even though they said "you'd be suprised at what we can restore.." Yep I was thinking and if you can't then I have to claim to replace it anyway and you still get paid! Why did you need seperate buildings loss adjuster by the way?

[emilyakamary]

Hi Guys - really sorry to hear of your problems!!
Dont know if this might be of use to you??
http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk...ghlight=beccus

[spine_iv]

The property is actually a basement flat with 4 other flats above.
So all the owners decided to get a policy in common. this was to stop any arguments if one flat should catch fire and burn the lot down or if one had a leak and ruined the flat below there would be no complications etc.
The buildings policy is for 700k so they should not have any issues having the flat restored, but then again I thought a 30k contents policy would have been sufficient also.

emilyakamary
yes i saw the post from becca, I'm hoping that she gets chance to read my post, however it looks like she is here on official business and will be expected to be guarded with her comments.
I don't need customer relations, that has been exceptionally good from NU and everyone who has been directed my way from NU.
But if she would like to answer lets start with why I'm being told that a 30k policy would at best realize 17k.
And why NU would appoint a company to help, that would do their best to get a very big slice of that.
Getting angry again, gotta go.

Glenn

[feater]

You might want to check out this link http://www.financial-ombudsman.org.u...news/30/30.pdf.. it looks at flooring, fitted units etc so this may help reduce their contents claim and get more from buildings claim, especially if a new kitchen is required.

Also have your parents been offered alternative accomodation in the meantime.. this is seperate so shouldn't be part of their claim amount. My previous insurance was for 55,000 for contents..which I cancelled in feb.. NU is only covered for 15,000.. must have been having a optomistic day when I agreed to that.. you can imagine how gutted I am! Must be the same for your parents. It's like being burgled but your stuff still being there.. it's very weird and not something I'd wish on anyone.

Going to keep an eye on your thread but hopefully things will work out for them.

Good luck

[beccus]

Glenn

I'm very sorry your parents are having so many problems at this stressful time, I can do my best to get answers to your questions on Monday when I am back in the office - I'll need to investigate and see what I can find out for you. If you'd like to send me more details then please drop me an email to rebecca.sibley@nowich-union.co.uk.

Becca

[spine_iv]

Thank You Becca

It is nice to see that NU are here on the board trying to help.

Once again I would like to reiterate that the level of customer service has been very impressive, I'm probably more angry at the flood than anything else.

I have e-mailed you some details and hope that you get chance to have a look and offer any advice as appropriate.

Regards

Glenn

[fuzzywuzzy]

Hi Spine IV
I'm so sorry of your position at this time, i have had dealings with NU but no where near the size of your claim.

I had to prove the wrongful sell of a policy and insist on a refund. Although NU knew they were in the wrong, they still made me take it along way before they paid out, as this company loves to have your money.

There seems to be some very nice staff in NU, and with out one employee I would have thrown the book at them, and if beccus is any thing like the lady who helped me I'm sure you will now get somewhere.

But it does seem that its NU policy to not be so caring regarding a persons position in a dispute. So I do feel sorry for the people that work for them, as these people have to work in the conditions that NU choose to run their business.

I hope you get some good support in helping for your parents.

Fuzzy

[spine_iv]

Bit of an update
Rainbow only charging £6 odd plus vat per week for storage, so thats OK
The Loss adjuster is not from Norwich Union but from Cunningham Lindsey, and its her that is quoting the £17,199 figure.
My parents now have a copy of the contents policy what says "up to £50,000".
My bad feeling about NU may have been misplaced and should more likely be aimed at the loss adjuster, however I'm reserving judgement as the loss adjuster says she has been in contact with NU and they have quoted her the £17,199 figure.

Will update later

Glenn

[feater]

Really doens't make any sense at all. Did Becca find out anything for you regarding the limitation that seems to bear no relevance to the amount insured?

[spine_iv]

Hopefully final update.
Just got off the phone from the loss adjuster, after faxing her a copy of the policy summary.
She has agreed that the sum insured is £50,000 and appologised for any confusion and distress caused. Apparently a simple communication error between her and NU.

I am so relieved!

The main thrust of this post and its title can be ignored now, with the exception of the great customer service offered by all.

I could still have done without the confusion and worry though.

If things progress in the way they seem to be heading now, I shall be knocking on Norwich Unions door when its time to renew my own policies.
Still along way to go yet though.

Glenn

[beccus]

Glenn
I'm so glad things seem to be going the right way for your parents, I hope that they can put these horrid events behind them and move forwards.

Becca

[12thdomino]

Despite the my thread on insurance cost rises

I have been there and Norwich Union were very helpful and we had few problems which is why I'd advise all people to get insured

But with the profits made think its wrong to put charges up