Hi

As the subject suggests, can I insist the insurance company pays me direct as

a result of a claim?

I've had to claim for a burst pipe damage to a kitchen. The insurance company want to pay a builder direct, but I'd rather do the work myself and have the money come to me.

FP

iirc there are 4 ways that you can be reimbursed:

Replacement goods of equal value

Repair of goods

Repayment of goods

An obscure 4th way i can never remember and is hardly ever used... grrrr me!!

Obviously not all methods apply to all claims. However the insurance company is only liable to pay you what they would pay any other builder (and if they have a deal with the builder to pay, say 75% of any normal quote, then they only have to offer you that same price).

However be careful - if the work is messed up by an external builder, or goes wrong again in the future then you could claim on that builder's commercial liability. If you do the work yourself and it goes wrong your insuraqnce company could hold you liable and refuse a further claim.

HI funcky parrot, i an interested in this too.

As i have had an insurance claim for some building repairs and the cheque has arrived in builders name. but he is busy until march like most good builders and he never agreed to the work anyway he just quoted for it.

Can anyone answer this. i want to get the cheque cashed so i can use a different builder and i dont want to wait 5 months for the other builder and the cheque might get lost as i cant cash it.

Here's the official answer straight out of the Chartered Insurance Institute "Insurance, Legal & Regulatory Principles" coursebook! :

There are a number of settlement options open to an insurer which will provide the insured with the necessary indemnity. These are:

1) Cash payment

2) Repair

3) Replacement

4) Re-instatement (that's the very rare one Wulfyn couldn't remember!)

The options available apply only if they are stated in the policy. If they are not, the insured has a legal right to financial compensation.

Therefore, it depends on your policy wording. If you let me know who you're insured with, I'll have a look at the wording online and I'll try and work it out for you.

Mine says insurance to cover the full cost of repairing or replacing your contents.

So can i ask for payment direct to me?

You can do, yes. Where a party other than the insurers nominated repairer is selected, the insurer can require them to be of a proper standard etc and should not without good reason refuse such a request.

Are you self employed or do you work for a repairer? If so hey will probably want to deal with you on a separate issue.

If it is a case that you are simply good at repairs, DIY fan etc, then they can refuse to pay.

At least that's what it was like when I worked in insurance (also CII qualified - well, was!)