Horrific experience with Davies Group/Modus Underwriting. Any advice?

[TruthSeeking]

I bought my current Home Contents Insurance a few months ago from Intelligent Insurance and paid annually, upfront.

 

Last month I lost my laptop and iPad after leaving one of my bags behind in a store. I returned to the store and periodically checked to see whether the items had been handed in. I also called the police to report the loss. The following morning I contacted my insurance company to make a claim. I was asked to explain what had happened and to email over receipts proving ownership of the lost items as well as photos of the boxes the items had come in. I did all this straight away.

 

Then I heard nothing at all for 8 days. Finally I was told a Loss Adjustor from Davies Group would be ringing me to "interview" me. The phone interview with the Loss Adjustor lasted for around one hour. The Loss Adjustor requested an increasingly over the top array of documents. He accepted he'd already received ample evidence proving I owned the two lost items. He now asked for receipts and bank statements to document which grocery shops I'd visited to buy groceries in PRIOR to losing my items. Bus and train tickets proving I was in the area. Further receipts proving I was in the shop where I lost my laptop. And various other documents. I sent everything he had requested and answered all of his increasingly bizarre questions.

 

A further three or so days later, the Loss Adjustor emailed me to say he'd sent his report over to the underwriters and they'd sort out settlement of the claim.

 

That was over a week ago. I've now been told, today, all of the following by Davies Group:

 

"We've not received instructions back yet from your underwriter"

"Actually we have received instruction from your underwriter but we can't tell you what it says."

"We may need to pursue further lines of enquiry."

"We may require further communication."

"It could take up to 40 or 50 days to give you an answer."

"We can't tell you yet whether we will accept your claim."

"We've no idea when we will have an update."

"The person dealing with your claim is in a meeting."

"The person dealing with your claim isn't in the office this week."

 

WHAT ON EARTH?

[unclebulgaria67]

Make a formal complaint to your Insurers head of claims in writing. Send it recorded delivery.

 

If you have supplied information to verify the loss situation that happened, they should just sort out replacement of the items. This is provided they find no evidence of non disclosure e.g previous claims history not advised to them.

[TruthSeeking]

I already made a formal complain in writing to the insurer and have complained over the phone as well. The people I bought the insurance from, Intelligent Insurance, seem concerned and claim they are investigating Davies conduct. The underwriter, Modus Underwriting, could not care less though.

[Mwynci]

I already made a formal complain in writing to the insurer and have complained over the phone as well. The people I bought the insurance from, Intelligent Insurance, seem concerned and claim they are investigating Davies conduct. The underwriter, Modus Underwriting, could not care less though.

 

Intelligent insurance are fobbing you off, they will have little clout.

 

If you've already complained to the underwriters and got nothing, it's time to go to Lloyd's (of London, not the bank) - google their procedure and contact them. They may pass it back to the underwriters to look into if there is still a bit of their process left, but the underwriter will deal with it knowing Lloyd's are breathing down their neck.

[unclebulgaria67]

Because Modus are probably just providing underwriting capacity and don't deal with any admin on the policy as such.

 

Intelligent Insurance should sort this out for you.

[TruthSeeking]

I've just noticed a number of other complaints about Davies Group in this forum. How do they get away with it?!

[unclebulgaria67]

I've just noticed a number of other complaints about Davies Group in this forum. How do they get away with it?!

 

They deal with huge numbers of claims and they are really only bothered about meeting their contract with the Insurers. Policyholders don't like being investigated for making claims, feeling they are being accused of something. Also you get arguments about work needed.

 

Always complain to your Insurers, as they are the ones paying Davies.

[TruthSeeking]

Intelligent Insurance are appalled with the way it's being handled, or so they say. They've said that given it's a relatively low value straightforward claim they've no idea why it's taking this amount of time and that they don't understand why I was asked for proof of travel and proof of grocery shopping at the initial interview.

[Mwynci]

I've just noticed a number of other complaints about Davies Group in this forum. How do they get away with it?!

 

they are cheap.

[unclebulgaria67]

Intelligent Insurance are appalled with the way it's being handled, or so they say. They've said that given it's a relatively low value straightforward claim they've no idea why it's taking this amount of time and that they don't understand why I was asked for proof of travel and proof of grocery shopping at the initial interview.

 

I think you will find that Davies group know a lot more about the claims process they have agreed with the policy underwriters than Intelligent Insurance.

 

If you tried to distance yourself from the claim you are making. If you worked for a claim assessment company and someone was claiming for a lost laptop and ipad, left behind in a shop by accident, i think you would be asking pertinent questions. The reason for asking the questions is why someone would be so absent minded to leave such items in a shop. Most people with items of such value would be very aware of carrying such items and would be very alert to keeping them safe.

 

It might help for you to come across as understanding why a claims assessor is being suspicious about a claim and to be as helpful as you can. So far you appear to have done this and you come across as having suffered a genuine loss. The claims process is designed to test those with claims that are not genuine in some way.