Dispute with home insurance

[Flavio]

Hi world,

I am having a dispute with my insurance company.
The dispute is about me been without any hot water for 6 weeks while they were trying to send somebody over. To cut a very long story short, I still not have any hot water, and my home insurance eventually apologies and when asked for compensation they offered me £200.
I decided to install a new system (I am not expecting them to pay for), but I feel that £200 for 6 weeks without any hot water it's a bit "cold".
I think they are in breach of the term and condition of my policy and I really would appriciate any advise in what figure to accept, or if £200 is adequate.

Thanks

[GoldyR]

Hi Flavio, I can try & offer you some advice. You don't say why you were without hot water? What was your claim for? Have you got your own contractor out to fix your hot water supply? This is always an option & then bill your insurer, if you give me a few more details I may be able to offer you some more useful solutions!

[Flavio]

Thanks for your reply.

The insurance company is aware of the problem. They sent an engineer 2 times over my house.
They always told me that they have ordered the part and they were awaiting the part from manufacturer.

6 weeks later the engineer phone me and told me that they lost all my paper work and they don’t even know what type of boiler I have… and that the part has never been ordered.

After that conversation I have decided to install a new boiler which cost me £4000.

I am now seeking £2000 compensation and I have involved Ombudsman in the matter.

If you have any suggestions or advice please let me know

Thanks again for your reply
Flavio

[GoldyR]

Hi Flavio

It does seem extreme that you have had to wait for so long for hot water again, how have you been managing?!! If the boiler was repairable, then the insurers are usually (dependant on the policy) obliged to repair if this is an option, rather than just replace. Sometimes, it does take a while for parts to arrive etc, but as long as the insurer (or their representative) can prove they did everything in their power to obtain them quickly, then they can't be held at fault.

However, as you state, they lost your paperwork & the part was never ordered - I would count this as severe inconvenience, & feel you should be compensated for this. I think that the insurers should pay the cost of the replacement boiler (after all, you are only claiming for a dmg'd item, you are not financially benefiting from claiming - note that they will only pay for a replacement on a like for like basis though, if you have upgraded your system, they will only pay for replacement of an equivalent boiler). I am presuming that you have made this claim under your buildings insurance policy, & most household insurers outsource repair works to nominated contractors - if the insurer has to pay for a replacement boiler, when the liability was only initially a repair, then the additional cost to the insurer can be recovered from their representatives after they have settled your claim - but this is a side issue.

Re compensation, if you have been without any hot water for 6-months, & this was due entirely to the negligence of the insurer or their representative, then i would agree that you are entitled to financial compensation (although the insurer may argue that paying the cost of a replacement boiler is compensation in itself) - I would imagine that the FOS will deem a reasonable sum to be somewhere in the region of £300-£500, I doubt they will deem £2k a reasonable figure.

I hope this helps a little, without knowing the full facts it's diffcult to give solid advice. Good luck & let me know how it goes.

[intercityman]

Personal the mention of the FSA will get the insurance company nervous. I woirk for a commercial isnurance intermediary. And the FSA are not the people to any insurance comany want to have to deal with

[Flavio]

Thank you for your advice... I will keep you posted on progress (if any)

I can only try, nothing to lose after all.