Making a claim on your home insurance

Our top tips for homeowners making a claim on their home insurance policy are: 

• Understand what you are insured for. Make sure you have read your policy so that the cover meets your needs. Home insurance policies can vary, including if you are covered for accidental damage, or for damage to possessions away from your home. 
• Keep your insurer's claim contact details handy so you can claim as quickly as possible. Most insurers have 24 hour emergency helplines, so you can get advice to get your claim moving as quickly as possible. 
• If necessary, arrange temporary repairs to stop any damage getting worse. If you can, call your insurer emergency helpline first for advice. Keep any receipts as these will form part of your claim. 
• Do not rush to any throw damaged items away, unless they are a health hazard, (such as rotting food) as your insurer may want to inspect them. Your insurer can quickly advise you on this. If you do need to throw items away, take photos of them and a sample of the fabric/carpet. 
• Remember that home insurance is not a maintenance contract. It is designed to cover a range of risks such as flood, storm damage, fire, theft as set out in the policy. It will not cover problems from wear and tear or poor maintenance