Home insurance claim FAQs
- After I have notified you of my claim, what happens next?
- Will I need to complete a claim form?
- Will I have to pay anything towards the cost of the claim?
- Are there any limits on the settlement of my claim?
- How will my claim affect the No Claim Discount on my policy?
- Do I need proof of ownership / purchase for the items I'm claiming for?
- Can I have a cash settlement?
- Who will deal with my claim?
- Will I be kept informed of the progress of my claim?
- If you appointed a recommended supplier, what will they do?
- If I use a recommended supplier, will I need to wait for authorisation?
- Can I contact your recommended suppliers direct?
- Do I need to let you know when I have arranged a date with the supplier for the repair / replacement?
- Do I need to have confirmation in writing before I proceed with repairs / replacement?
- How long will it take for the items to be repaired / replaced?
- If the recommended supplier has not contacted me to arrange repair or replacement, what should I do?
- What should I do if I have agreed a repair or a replacement with a recommended supplier and this has not been completed / received?
- What happens if I am not happy with the repair carried out or the replacement goods supplied by your recommended supplier?
- What happens if I am not happy with the progress of my claim or the service the suppliers are providing?
- Can I use my own supplier?
- I need to send you documentation or an estimate to support my claim. Where should I send it?
- A loss adjuster has been appointed to deal with my claim. What will they do?
- If the loss adjuster agrees a cash settlement for any part of my claim, who will issue this?
- What are the opening hours for Sheilas' Wheels Home Claims?
- Who should I contact if I need emergency assistance outside the claims department opening hours?
- Who should I contact if I have a Pest emergency?
- Who should I contact if I have a Family Legal Protection emergency?
- Who should I contact if I have a home emergency and I need a repairer?
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After I have notified you of my claim, what happens next?
- If we arrange to make a payment on your claim, we will aim to issue the cheque to you within 5 working days of us agreeing to do so.
- If we have arranged for one of our recommended suppliers to contact you, they will do so within 2 working days. They will discuss with you what happens next. The phone numbers for the suppliers instructed will be given to you when the claim is registered.
- If we have appointed a Loss Adjuster due to the circumstances of the incident, they will assess your claim and will contact you within 2 working days to discuss what happens next. The phone number for the Loss Adjusters dealing with your claim will be given to you when the claim is registered.
- If we have asked you to provide us with evidence of your claim, we will aim to make our decision as to what will happen next within 5 working days of receiving your evidence.
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Will I need to complete a claim form?
No - Not initially. When registering your claim we will record full details of your claim on our computer and telephone systems. You may be required to fill in a form if we require further information from you to help process your claim.
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Will I have to pay anything towards the cost of the claim?
You will be responsible for the excess shown in your Policy Schedule. Depending on the nature of the claim you will either need to pay this excess directly to the supplier or we will deduct it from any payments due to you.
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Are there any limits on the settlement of my claim?
Full details of the limits for your policy are shown in your Policy Schedule.
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How will my claim affect the No Claim Discount on my policy?
The effect of your claim on the No Claim Discount on your policy is explained in your Policy Booklet.
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Do I need proof of ownership / purchase for the items I'm claiming for?
Depending on the items being claimed for and the circumstances of the claim, we may be able to settle your claim without evidence. However, in most cases, we will require evidence.
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Can I have a cash settlement?
We will discuss and agree with you how your claim will be settled. In some cases, we may issue a cheque in part or full settlement of the claim. Full details of our settlement options can be found in the policy wording.
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Who will deal with my claim?
We will allocate your claim to one of our handling teams. Their telephone number will be given to you when the claim is registered.
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Will I be kept informed of the progress of my claim?
The claim handler will review your claim at regular intervals and contact you if necessary. The timescales referred to in Question 1 above provide a guideline for the settlement of your claim.
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If you appointed a recommended supplier, what will they do?
The recommended suppliers will contact you within 2 working days. For claims under the contents section, the supplier will tell you whether they will inspect and then repair the item or whether they will replace it. For claims involving damage to buildings, our supplier will normally provide us with a written report for consideration only.
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If I use a recommended supplier, will I need to wait for authorisation?
No. If we use a recommended supplier for contents claims, we will normally give them authority to inspect and then repair the item or replace it up to an agreed cost level. If the costs are more than this limit the supplier will contact us for further authorisation.
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Can I contact your recommended suppliers direct?
Yes. The telephone numbers for the suppliers instructed will be given to you when the claim is registered.
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Do I need to let you know when I have arranged a date with the supplier for the repair / replacement?
No. If you use one of our recommended suppliers, they will notify us. If you use your own supplier, it is a matter between you and them.
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Do I need to have confirmation in writing before I proceed with repairs / replacement?
No. If we have already discussed and agreed how the claim will be handled, you can take the next steps without written confirmation. However, all our calls are recorded for training and monitoring purposes and can be referred to if necessary.
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How long will it take for the items to be repaired / replaced?
The supplier(s) handling your claim will contact you directly to arrange the repair / replacement of the items. If you have any questions about the progress of the repair / replacement, please contact them directly.
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If the recommended supplier has not contacted me to arrange repair or replacement, what should I do?
Initially, you should contact the supplier on the telephone number given to you when the claim was registered. If they have not received the fax we have sent them asking them to contact you, please ask them to contact us and ask for the instructions to be faxed again.
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What should I do if I have agreed a repair or a replacement with a recommended supplier and this has not been completed / received?
Initially, you should contact the supplier to discuss when the repair will be completed or when you should expect to receive the replacement goods. If you are still not satisfied, please contact the claims handler dealing with your claim.
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What happens if I am not happy with the repair carried out or the replacement goods supplied by your recommended supplier?
Initially, you should contact the supplier who carried out the repairs or supplied the item(s). If you are still not satisfied, you should contact the Home Claims Department on 0845 604 4215 who will be able to assist you.
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What happens if I am not happy with the progress of my claim or the service the suppliers are providing?
Initially, you should contact the supplier who is carrying out the repairs or replacing the goods. If you are still not satisfied, please contact the claims handler dealing with your claim.
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Can I use my own supplier?
Yes. If you use your own supplier, you will need to send us two ‘Fully Costed’ repair / replacement estimates which must include all prices for the individual items / materials and labour. Once we receive these, we will then liaise with you or your supplier(s) to agree and authorise the repairs / replacements. We will aim to do this within 5 working days.
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I need to send you documentation or an estimate to support my claim. Where should I send it?
You can send us your documentation or estimate by post, fax or email. The details for each of these methods can be obtained from the claims handler dealing with your claim.
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A loss adjuster has been appointed to deal with my claim. What will they do?
The loss adjuster will control the claim costs and ensure that matters are progressed effectively. The loss adjuster may appoint suppliers to repair / replace items where appropriate or ask you to get estimates. We will review your claim with the loss adjuster on a regular basis to ensure that matters are progressing. The loss adjustor will also assess if the claim is covered by the policy.
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If the loss adjuster agrees a cash settlement for any part of my claim, who will issue this?
The loss adjuster will tell us the agreed cash settlement and then we will send you the cheque.
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What are the opening hours for Sheilas' Wheels Home Claims?
Our home claims department is open Monday to Friday from 8.00am to 6.00pm and on Saturdays from 9.00am to 1:00pm. Their telephone number is 0845 604 4215.
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Who should I contact if I need emergency assistance outside the claims department opening hours?
You should call our 24-hour claims line on 0845 604 4215.
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Who should I contact if I have a Pest emergency?
If your Policy Schedule shows that you have bought our Pest Cover, you should call the 24-hour Pest helpline on 0845 604 4225. They will then arrange the treatment subject to policy cover and limits.
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Who should I contact if I have a Family Legal Protection emergency?
If your Policy Schedule shows that you have bought our Family Legal Protection cover, call the family legal advice helpline on 0845 604 4225. They will arrange the most appropriate advice for you subject to policy cover and limits.
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Who should I contact if I have a home emergency and I need a repairer?
If your Policy Schedule shows that you have bought our Home Emergency cover, you should call the 24-hour home emergency helpline on 0845 604 4226. They will then arrange the repair subject to policy cover and limits.
Disclaimer
The answers to the above questions are indicative only. Timescales may on occasion take longer, depending on individual circumstances. Conditions and timescales are not legally binding.
April 2012
