United utilities, no liabily????

[c_allen]

Hi all, i'm hoping for some advise,

 

Saturdays night we had a power cut, when the lights went out i was just putting my wine down and spilt it over the laptop & my OH's phone, i rang them today and they say they're not liable for accidents, as it was a unforseen fault that caused the power cut and was told to claim off my house insurance, surely ALL accident are caused by something unforseen, that is the nature of accidents, which is why you get insurance, in case of something "unforseen".

But why should i have to claim of my insurance, pay the excess and the extra cost of next years premiums, when the accident was caused by them, surely they must be insured against accidents.

I have asked them to send me a copy of my contract and also anything to do with what you can or can't claim off them for, as i said to them on the phone, "it may be company policy not to pay for accidents caused by them, but who's to say that the company policy is the end of it, surely they MUST be responsible for something".

 

anyway all comments are welcome, thanks

[flyingdoc]

It is a job for the house insurance I am afraid.

 

I once was working at home - spent about 5 hours on a project, just as I was about to save it all power went out and I lost everything.

 

went outside and saw an electrician working on a post - he told me cheerfully that he had switched all the power off so he could fix a fault.

 

I asked him if he had enjoyed his parents wedding!!!!

[c_allen]

Thanx Flyingdoc For Your Non Sarcastic Answer:)

Edited December 10, 2008 by freakyleaky
Removed innaporpriate remark

[Clare_L]

Sorry, im with ADT on this one, what is the point in having house insurance then???

[ATD]

Oh I'm sorry if you found it sarcastic,you did after all say

anyway all comments are welcome, thanks

Nonetheless, perhaps some constructive advice would make amends...

 

Don't have liquids near electrical devices!

 

EDIT

Edited December 10, 2008 by freakyleaky
Removed insults.

[c_allen]

yes clare i'm with him too now I've got the answer,

 

I THOUGHT IT WAS A VALID QUESTION, IE, I DIDN'T KNOW THE ANSWER, SO I ASKED TO FIND OUT THE ANSWER, AFTER ALL THIS IS WHAT THIS SITE IS FOR IS IT NOT????

3 YEARS AGO I'D OF SAID THAT CLAIMING BANK CHARGES BACK WAS RIDICULOUS.

 

I'VE HELPED LOADS OF PEOPLE ON THIS SITE BUT EVEN WHEN WHAT THEY SAY WAS WAY OF THE MARK, I PUT THEM STRAIGHT WITHOUT PUTTING THEM DOWN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

ANYWAY IF THATS THE SORT OF ANSWER YOU GET TO A QUESTION THEN THIS SITE NEEDS MODERATING A BIT BETTER,

 

theres never any need to ridicule people who ask for advise. a simple yes or no would have done, no need to take the p*ss

[42man]

Please avoid the mickey take..... sure we are all entitled to an opinion, but it does nothing to help the original posters situation.

[42man]

It might be a good idea to call your insurance company just to ask them about your situation...do you have any (free) legal coverage....I know the Co-ops dividend card has free legal advice as an added value service on it....and indeed somebody in the debt forums got some good legal advice using that free service....

[Clare_L]

I dont think the intention was to take the p**s, certainly not from me. I just get a bit frustrated that we have come so Americanised in the thinking that if something goes wrong then we have to "sue" or seek compensation for everything these days. We need to start taking SOME responsibility.

[freakyleaky]

I dont think the intention was to take the p**s, certainly not from me. I just get a bit frustrated that we have come so Americanised in the thinking that if something goes wrong then we have to "sue" or seek compensation for everything these days. We need to start taking SOME responsibility.

Absolutely but the op was just getting the wrong end of the stick. He wanted to know where to claim for his damaged laptop. He thought it might be the electric company. He now knows from the answers given that he has to claim via his house insurance.

[Clare_L]

Well that may be, but I read it differently. The op states that accidents are unforseen, rightly so, so how can you say someone "caused" an accident. Who is to say the electric company "caused" the loss of supply. Could have been workmen in the area hit a cable, so seek compensation from them? Its like when people "trip" over paving slabs, do we not look where we are going anymore? Sorry if im getting the wrong end of the stick here but I saw it as a get out from claiming off insurance. No offense was meant.

[flyingdoc]

I agree clare but I would qualify this with the caveat that most people mis use the word accident.

 

For instance - Man gets into car drunk and crashes - says he has had an accident - this is not really true as although he didnt intentionally crash - it was certainly a forseeable consequence of his actions.

 

same with the paving slabs - someone allows the paving stones to become so badly maintained that there is a sizeable lip, then it is forseeable that someone else will trip over it.

 

These are not accidents - these are incidents which could have been avoided.

 

I do agree that we appear to be becoming more american in our attitudes towards litigation but I think you would be surprised at how may people DONT sue - the fact that claims companies are constantly banging on where theres blame theres a claim just makes it look worse than it is..

[c_allen]

no i wanted to know who i should claim of, i certainly wasn't taking united utilities word for it, if i beleived everthing some company told me i wouldn't bee £10,000 better off by getting my bank charges back!! so i checked!!!!

 

If i was new to this site and received a reply like that i would never come back, and never claimed my charges back!!

 

THERE WAS NO NEED FOR A REPLY LIKE THAT, all it can do is damage the the image of this site, and the people on it.

[flyingdoc]

who was it that said that the only stupid questoin is the one you dont ask?

 

Its quite correct. What is obvious to one will be obscure to another. It is our role to clarify without ridicule and as Clare says, a new person receiving an answer that makes them feel stupid may not only not return, but dissuade others from asking for advice also.

 

that would totally negate the purpose of this site...

[freakyleaky]

The important thing here is to remember to be as factual as possible with any help or advice you give out.

Sarcasm is not the way forward.