How To Make A Claim. What Are The Steps Involved?

In the event of DAMAGE at your rental property

Contact the Emergency Services immediately and ensure occupants are safe and out of the premises – this will likely happen before you (as Landlord) are notified in any event…

In the event of making a claim for Damage

When it comes to making a claim, be ready with full details and evidence of the damage when you call your insurer. Have your Landlord’s / Property Owner’s insurance policy to hand. This will help speed the process along.

Note that (for minimal damage) it could often be cheaper to pay someone to fix any damage without claiming on your insurance as your premium could rise as a result of making a claim, and this may affect your no claims bonus/discount entitlement. Also, your policy excess may reduce any amount you are entitled to claim considerably.

Helpful Pointers:

• Be fully aware of the damage to your property – you may need a local builder or tradesman to assist you here
• Notify your Insurer / Broker without delay – when the Insurer’s Loss Adjuster (LA) contacts you, liaise with them in good faith and provide whatever details are requested. You may be required to complete a claim / incident report form at this juncture
• You may appoint your own Public Claims Loss Assessor (PLA) to represent you at your own cost. You may decide to do this due to the size / severity / complexity of the damage or for other reasons. Your PLA will liaise with Insurers LA and deal with most matters themselves with your input
• Record the damage – take photographs / footage of the damage and any goods damaged / do an inventory
• Mitigate any further loss e.g. turn off relevant services at the mains / secure the property

• Ask the tenants to move items to a safer place

or

• If the property becomes temporarily uninhabitable, please liaise with your Insurers to discuss alternative accommodation. However, Landlord’s are under no obligation to re-house tenants in these circumstances.

• If the tenants have to temporarily leave the home, confirm with the tenants that the necessary repairs will be carried out within a reasonable period of time, and advise them of the date that the works are due to be completed.
• If the tenants have contents insurance, they should check their policy to see if they are covered for any damage. There is no obligation on a Landlord to insure a tenant’s personal belongings. You should advise the tenants once they move into the property that they should take out Insurance cover for their own contents
• Liaise with Insurers Loss Adjuster and your own Loss Assessor (where relevant) to further the claim to a conclusion.