Norwich Union household insurance

Hi all,
In January I had a brand new kitchen complete with lovely laminate flooring. Three months later we noticed that the flooring was starting to resemble a mountain range so started looking for a leak which was eventually traced to the dishwasher. It had obviously been going on for some time and had damaged three units as well as the floor. I phoned Norwich Union who completed details on the spot and told me a company called Asprea would be in touch.
This company called the same day (Friday) and arranged for the surveyor to call on the following Tuesday afternoon, after 1 pm as I wouldn't be home until then. I therefore really rushed to get home in time only to find the surveyor had arrived at 12 and the card he left had an incorrect phone number on.
Through the head office I arranged a second visit for the following Friday, which was cancelled because the surveyor was ill, and rebooked for the Tuesday. He did turn up that time, took all the details and said the builder would be in touch. I enquired about using the builder who had originally fitted the kitchen but was told I would have to pay up front and then get the money back and as the damage was in four figures, I couldn't afford to do it.
The builder phoned early on the Friday morning (now 2 weeks since I claimed) and came out the same day, but couldn't start work immediately as we were going on holiday the day after. He phoned again the day we got back and arranged to start work the following Monday. I was at work when the job was 'finished' on the Tuesday, but was on the phone to Asprea immediately I got home with a list of 12 faults, the most serious of which was that the laminate flooring had been put down so that grout lines didn't match and it didn't go far enough into the doorway so there was an inch and a half gap when the door was closed.
The manager of the building firm came out the following Tuesday and agreed all the necessary remedial work which was booked for the Thursday and Friday of the following week, and has now been completed to our satisfaction.
The point of this is that the whole process took 8 weeks, and even allowing for our holiday, this is ridiculous for such a small and relatively simple claim. I dread to think how long 'proper' flood claims are going to take! Also the standard of the original work was simply not good enough and I can't believe the workmen ever thought it could be acceptable, and it wasn't because they were in a hurry! The whole kitchen only took a week and a half to do in January, but they took two days just to replace a tiny bit, then another two days to do most of it again.
Even now, the flooring particularly is not quite right and certainly hasn't been laid as well as it was originally but I just can't face the disruption of emptying the kitchen yet again. I know, because I asked at the time, that my builder would have been able to do the work straight away (and I would have given them a key to do it whilst we were on holiday) and it would have been done properly first time. I also know now that they would have waited a month for payment if necessary, but there would still have been no guarantee of getting the money out of Norwich Union that quickly.
The moral of this story - Norwich Union customer service excellent, Asprea not so good, particularly at keeping appointments, the builders I wouldn't ever allow in my home again.