To ask why would they do this?

[marigold34]

Myself and my husband made a claim (our first) on our home insurance. They sent out an assessor and asked us for copies of our previous insurance details.
After two weeks they decided that we weren't actually covered for and declined our claim. Aibu to think why did they bother sending out an assessor if we weren't covered or is it the norm?

Did you ask them why?

Eg claimed for umm, a ruined carpet …. assessor can see its fair wear and tear and a pot of paint has been accidentally split.

Eg, small fire, the assessor can see it was cigarette

….and so forth . So as opposed to an accident it was negligence or fair wear and tear.

If it was a burglary, maybe they saw that the locks were not of the correct specification?

I hit the side of my house with the car by accident damaging the brick work and some of the interior from the impact. I was honest with them from the beginning about what happened. They sent an assessor a few days later so I started to relax thinking we were covered. They then sent out a letter saying we weren't covered as I did the damage myself.

If you hit a building with your car, even if it is your own house, you would probably need to claim on your car insurance.

That's what I was advised but I have the same car and home insurance and neither are willing to help.

They might have needed to assess in case you didn't resolve the damage and, to use an extreme example to make my point - in 6 months time your house fell in. The assessment may have shown that it was from the previous crash.

Also, even if you're not covered they will still amend your bill next year as you're less trustworthy!! Its awful but was on Watchdog a few years ago.

That makes sense @PoliticalBiscuit thank you

I'd appeal that decision. Accidental damage is usually covered by house and car insurance. If the company led you to believe you were covered you might have a case that you were misled. Or it might be they are just trying to wriggle out of something they should be paying. I don't think you've anything to lose by appealing.

It's definitely being appealed will let you's know outcome although it might be some time. I was lead to believe accidental damage was my son pulling the tv off the wall not ideal but not something that costs thousands and probably something we would just replace ourselves. We've looked at 6 policies across the board and ours is the only one that wouldn't cover us.