What happens after I submit a home-insurance claim?

All insurance companies work differently, so processing a claim and the procedure can vary from company to company. A small claim can pretty much be dealt with straight away, where as a big claim, such as a house fire can take a while to resolve.

How long will it take?

Your insurance company will firstly investigate your claim and the incidents for which you are claiming. If it is for a large claim, such as a house fire then the investigators will need to decide if the fire was caused by accident or was deliberately done by the policy holder. This usually takes around 3 to 4 weeks, but it does depend entirely on the company, some will try to close a total loss case within around 7 days.

If it is a small claim such as water damage, then the following procedure is usually carried out:

•   The insurance company will send round their assessors, which is usually an independent company, who do the work on their behalf.
•   The assessors will then decide on the next plan of action – so say that you have had a flood and the ceiling has come down, usually they will leave machinery at the property to dry the place out.
•   The insurance company will then usually ask you to get quotes for the cost of repair, these costs will usually include redecoration costs.
•   The insurance company will then pay out the money it will cost to get the repairs done – they will either pay this to you or the company doing the work – this depends entirely on the insurance company.

All insurance companies differ, so it is well worth asking your insurance company as to what their particular procedure is. The insurance company usually has a comprehensive list of terms and conditions on procedures, available on their website. For more information on home insurance and related products check out www.insurance64.co.uk.