Insurance job quotes advise

[catchyjem]

I had water damage to my property earlier in the year and put in an insurance claim. The insurer has now advised that as they are working to a 4 month backlog due to Covid, I would be quicker getting 2 quotes locally and getting the work done rather than wait for their contractor to get round to us. I've managed to book appointments with 2 local companies but what I want to know is at what point do I tell them it's an insurance job? Or should I have mentioned it already? I haven't done this before!

I told them upfront when I had work done following an escape of water. I think a couple of them actually asked, since an escape of water is pretty much always going to be covered by insurance in the first place. It won’t be unusual to them. Has the insurer’s surveyor been out yet? Once the quotes have been submitted to the insurer and the insurer has agreed with the scope of works costed, its no more difficult for the contractor to invoice the insurer and get paid than it is for them to bill a private client. And as the contractors I got quotes from admitted, many contractors quite like an insurance job because insurers are less likely to quibble over relatively small amounts of money than people who are paying the bill themselves and want it as low as possible.

Thanks! That's really helpful. The insurer hasn't sent a surveyor and don't seem to be sending one. Perhaps as it's a relatively small job? They have asked me to get 2 quotes and they have asked for a lot of detail so i know I'll have to talk about this with the companies. I suppose I'm worried that they think I'm a time waster or something!

You’re no more or less likely to be a time waster than anyone else and trades are used to being called out to give quotes and not always getting the job after, regardless of who’s paying. If you’ve told them it’s water damage then I’d be surprised if they weren’t already assuming it’s an insurance claim, so if they’ve agreed to come out to quote it’s fine.

Thanks so much!