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Original poster

Feeling fleeced by our insurers

29 replies

kazza446 · 04/06/2019 23:25

Husband found a radiator pipe leaking. Turned it to stop the leak but accidentally opened it, causing black crap to explode all over newly painted walls & carpet. Called our insurers for advise and was told not to clean the carpets but to dry as much as possible and await call back within 48 hours. Never receive any call within 24 hours. Just checked my email with one plain email saying we aren’t covered on our accidental policy as diy or faulty workmanship aren’t covered. We’ve left carpets as advised so no the black crap has well n truly dried in and now they say we aren’t covered!! Any advice. I feel totally fleeced by the insurers 😡

OP posts:
Original poster
kazza446 · 04/06/2019 23:26

Terrible grammar and spelling! Sorry!! It’s been a long day !!

OP posts:
Rafflesway · 04/06/2019 23:39

If you haven't already, Kazz, I would Google, "How to get rid of xxx from carpet."

We have had some real carpet catastrophes over the years - DH spilt a full carton of takeaway curry, saffron based, on a beige carpet. Also, a vase full of lilies dropped on same carpet which really badly stained from the crushed stamens - and have always found a successful solution via Google and/or YouTube.

Insurers nowadays seem to look for the slightest excuse not to pay out which is why we no longer take out accidental cover. It is so much more expensive and there will always be some reason why you aren't covered, plus the excess amounts hardly make it worthwhile unless you buy seriously expensive furniture. 🤔. We just take out standard cover but not including accidental cover.

If your walls are just painted, hopefully a magic eraser should bring that off. Good luck!

Original poster
kazza446 · 05/06/2019 07:45

We have managed to repaint the walls. The black sludge has covered with 2 coats of paint. It’s mainly the carpet which is wool. The pressure of the water has meant it’s gone about 7ft, across the hall into my study. I tried soapy water as soon as it happened on my study but it’s just gone a sooty black colour. Told the insurers this and they said to not touch it so it’s ground in. My only option is probably to pull the ground floor segment up and put wooden flooring down I guess. So annoyed.. I changed insurers this year. Thought a 5 star rating would mean they’re reliable. Obviously not. I’m going to ring and complain today because they’ve said we aren’t covered for diy jobs. Nothing in the policy says that. Company was one call insurance in case anyone is considering insurance. I wouldn’t bother if you are 😡

OP posts:
Original poster
kazza446 · 05/06/2019 07:45

Thanks rafflesway x

OP posts:
longearedbat · 05/06/2019 07:58

Could you try getting a professional carpet cleaning company in? They are pretty good at removing stains.

MoreSlidingDoors · 05/06/2019 08:01

I changed insurers this year. Thought a 5 star rating would mean they’re reliable. Obviously not. I’m going to ring and complain today because they’ve said we aren’t covered for diy jobs.

You didn’t take out accidental damage cover! How is that their fault?!

stucknoue · 05/06/2019 08:01

Have you tried a vax carpet cleaner? Ours works wonders on our wool carpet

dementedpixie · 05/06/2019 08:03

OP does have accidental damage cover but they are classing it as DIY and refusing to cover it

dementedpixie · 05/06/2019 08:04

From OP:
we aren’t covered on our accidental policy as diy or faulty workmanship aren’t covered

happyasasandboy · 05/06/2019 08:07

I may have missed something, but why is this classed as DIY or faulty workmanship? Surely it's a burst pipe Confused

dementedpixie · 05/06/2019 08:09

It's because her dh touched the radiator pipe so they are wriggling it of paying anything

Original poster
kazza446 · 05/06/2019 08:12

Pipe was dripping slightly. My husband went to adjust the valve and turned it wrong way. It exploded!!! We do have accidental damage but reading through the small print it’s not worth anything!!

OP posts:
Original poster
kazza446 · 05/06/2019 08:14

I’ve googled radiator water out of wool carpet and it’s not looking good. I imagine leaving it 24 hours won’t have helped. We were home Monday too. Could have got a carpet cleaner on it straight away if we had known.

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Reallybadidea · 05/06/2019 08:25

They are totally trying it on if he was simply turning a leaking radiator pipe off! There is no way that's DIY. If anything he was attempting to minimise the losses that would have occurred if he had left it to leak until a plumber could come.

I would complain and complain until you've exhausted their complaints process and take it to the financial services ombudsman if necessary.

WrongKindOfFace · 05/06/2019 08:27

Yes, I would definitely complain.

freshstartnewme · 05/06/2019 08:29

How are you being fleeced?

You chose your insurance policy, you didn't choose adequate cover.

BlueberryFool123 · 05/06/2019 08:34

As others have said I would put complaint in.

If not satisfied take to FSO. It’s free and you have nothing to lose. FSO have a wider discretion then courts.

Original poster
kazza446 · 05/06/2019 08:47

Freshstartnewme we had accidental damage cover. My husband was trying to stop a leak from damaging carpet. The insurers are saying we aren’t covered as we were completing diy. A) there’s nothing in the policy that says any work from diy is excluded b) it wasn’t caused by diy it was a leaky pipe!! I’m so annoyed. Perhaps I was naive, I’ve always had accidental damage and never made a claim, I assumed any work from an accident would be covered...

OP posts:
Original poster
kazza446 · 05/06/2019 08:49

Reallybadidea my policy also states they won’t cover any damage caused by delay in seeking repair so I’m guessing if we left it until a plumber could come out we also wouldn’t be insured for that damage. You simply can’t win!!

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Reallybadidea · 05/06/2019 08:51

Exactly! I really don't think they will win if you complain though. I don't think that they have a leg to stand on, especially as it's not even excluded in the policy. They can't just make it up to suit themselves.

rideawhiteswan · 05/06/2019 10:54

That's terrible, however did you actually say to them that your husband turned the valve the wrong way when trying to turn the valve off. I'm wondering if saying that could let them off the hook. But I'm no expert and hope I'm wrong as this seems totally unfair.
Good luck.

BikeRunSki · 05/06/2019 13:14

Telling them that your husband turned the valve the wrong way won’t help. They might class this as “diy” if your DH is not a plumber.

BubblesBuddy · 05/06/2019 13:20

When I use a professional carpet cleaner, they say not to touch anything! So get in a cleaner ASAP. See what they can do. Ours got black treacle out of a pale wool carpet and it was perfect afterwards. (Nanny let DD play with real food in a pretend shop in the lounge! She got my mum to ring me at work about what had happened.)

Reallybadidea · 05/06/2019 13:23

But according to the OP DIY isn't actually excluded in the policy wording.

JeSuisPrest · 05/06/2019 13:35

Personally, I'd try and get the carpet cleaned by a professional - it will probably cost less than your deductible, loss of NCD and increased premiums for the next however many years.

However, if you don't want to do that and you really want to pursue a claim under the policy:

Ask them under which clause they are rejecting the claim?

Ask them for their official complaints procedure - you need to go through this before you can approach the FOS (not FSO).

Argue that the proximate cause of the claim is the leaking pipe, not your husband turning the valve the wrong way. If the pipe had not been leaking, there would have been no requirement to touch the valve. Is the leaking pipe covered under the policy? If so, any consquential damage caused in an efffort to mitigate the damage (as is your obligation as an insured) should be covered regardless of whether it was successul or not.