AIBU To Think That There Are No Decent Insurance Companies?

[UpaladderwatchingTV]

We're in the process of buying a new house and have to have building insurance in place at the point of Exchange of Contracts. We've been looking around for a reputable company, and have checked out loads on Trustpilot, but they all seem to have rubbish reviews about when it comes to paying out, and customer service seems to be none existent. AIBU to think that none of them are to be trusted and it doesn't matter who you use, as they're all crap, OR does anyone have an insurer that they feel has given not only decent customer service, but have paid out without a long and protracted battle to get what you're owed? If so, PLEASE name them, as I'm getting desperate to chose someone now, as we're going to be exchanging any day now.

NFU mutual are very good

People don’t tend to review insurance companies that they’ve had a good, straightforward experience with. And whether or not a claim is paid out is more likely to depend on the policy coverage rather than the insurer itself. Even general, domestic insurance like this is heavily regulated - if the insurer is obliged to pay then invariably they will - it’s the policy coverage that causes the issue.

I’d focus more on ensuring the policy covers what you want, rather than trying to find a trusted brand to blindly rely on.

Worked in insurance. They are out to get you.

People tend to hate insurance companies because they don't read their documents and don't really understand what is covered and what isn't. So when they make a claim, and it's rejected, they will write a bad review because there is no other recourse for them. Insurance is tightly regulated, and if there is ambiguity, the decision falls to the benefit of the policy holder. Co-op are excellent, so are Aviva and as someone else mentioned NFU. I have my house insurance with Sheila's Wheels, which are part of the Admiral group, and have found them to be excellent too. I've worked in all aspects of insurance, from sales, to underwriting, to claims, and honestly 99% of complaints are generated by people who believe they should be covered for something that is explicitly excluded by the policy.

Also the claims experience is often not with the insurer, but the loss adjuster they farm it out to. But they too are bound by the terms of the policy.

Tbf, the t&cs are painful. People are somewhat lazy to be sure, but companies do their utmost to get out of their responsibilities.

@Chickenkeev I can honestly say that's not true. At claim stage, it's either covered or its not. I was a loss adjuster for all the big companies for years and I can honestly say I couldn't have cared less whether or not it was covered and if the LA or the Ins fuck it up, the Ombudsman takes a fee from the insurance company just for it being passed to them, so it's in their best interests for things not to go that far. Complaints are taken extremely seriously, and insurers are under strict rules and time lines for these things.

@Chickenkeev I do agree the terms are painful but if you're going to read anything it should definitely be the exclusions.

I think the suspiciously cheap insurance companies need to be avoided. Direct line and Admiral have been excellent for us.

NFU Mutual and Aviva have been excellent for us.

OP, have you considered an Insurance Broker ?
they fine toothcomb your needs matching t&c

/in order to make the premiums cost effective and will also provide advice on how to minimise risk, ie from fire blanket in the kitchen, to front door security, then act as agents should you make a claim. Good luck with the house/move.

I think that we might be naive in thinking that if you have a policy that states you can replace new for old and like for like, you will get the equivalent value that you paid in the first place. You don’t.

Another vote for NFU Mutual. Have the house, car and dog insured with them, and previously a horse (who had many claims!). Always paid out.

Having worked for an insurance company previously, my experience is that many people don't really understand what insurance is for and what it covers. They then get very upset when a claim is turned down for perfectly fair reasons

My DH has spent all his professional life working in insurance claims and loss adjusting. He always says the problem is that a) you never meet people when they are having a good time. They are always unhappy to begin with, so the best you can normally get them back to is OK - incredibly rarely happy no matter how good the service. And b) people mostly don't understand insurance. New for old on your TV means replacing the TV you had - not the one you would buy now, or how much you paid for it.
Anyway, if you want amazing service, Hiscoxs is the place to go. You pay a premium, but the service is personal and the staff have the time to treat you how they would like

I was a household claims manager. First thing we taught new staf... your here to pay claims.
House insurance isn't always black and white. Every thing in your home and it's building will wear out. We don't cover maintenance, poor workmanship or gradual things. Many complaints are about this.

We also don't cover things that are specifically excluded like damage to your car. Or you haven't bought the cover for, IE you haven't bought accidental damage cover. I once had a complaint because a man's SIL gave birth on their carpet and he hadn't bought accidental damage!

Other wise, we paid out. It's quicker, cheaper and easier for us to do so. Yes we made fraud checks, but I used to spend over £100million per year.

And as someone said we provide a new for old system so we often provided replacement goods, because we get a discount for buying in bulk

I can honestly say that the Halifax have been absolutely incredible whenever we needed them, including after a house fire which resulted in most of what we owned being written off.

If it hadn't been for them I don't know where we would be. They organised everything. The companies they brought in to asses the damage, clean the house and redecorate were all incredibly professional. They made some interim payments while things were progressing, and the final payout was what we expected without quibbling.

The day after the fire an independent loss adjuster turned up and offered to 'help'. I told him to get lost, and dealt with the Halifax directly. I'm so glad that I did.

I would recommend them each and every time.

I would add to my post, we did not try to sneak improvements into our claim - we just wanted to get back to where we were before the fire (or near enough) so we didn't overstate the replacement costs of anything. I think that was one of the reasons we were happy with the settlement.

This has been a really interesting exercise, and I'm honestly SO grateful to all of those who have explained the various reasons why people tend to be unhappy with their insurers. I'm also grateful to those who have recommended companies, and feel we can now look at these companies with fresh eyes. Thanks also to ThelmaBorden for your kind good wishes regarding the move.

Also, shortly after moving into our house my partner gave birth in our front room (shortest labour ever - we didn't even make it to the car)

We had to claim for a new carpet.

The assessor came in, took one look at the bloody mess, said 'yes, that's fine', and ran away

Love the Halifax