Experiences of insurance assessors please - already feel I'm being interrogated...

[greenbeanie]

hi all, just wondered if anyone had had any experience of insurance assessors visiting. We have just put a claim in as we have noticed that our rather elderly conservatory is coming away from the wall of the house. Rather scared that it might collapse and injury someone really. I have already been interrogated (or at least that's what it felt like) by the insurers and the company who are coming to do the assessment.

I am dreading the assessor coming - what's your experience been?

IME insurance assessors have always been fine to deal with.

However, I'm not sure why you think the conservatory coming away from the wall is something you can claim against your insurance for. It sounds like it's just to do with the age of it and wear and tear - not something that's normall covered by standard buildings insurance policies.

My sister is an insurance assessor.

She has to check for fraud and to assess whether it is an insured risk under the policy. Sounds to me as if the conservatory is just falling down through age rather than specific cause.

If it is at risk of falling they may pay for it to be taken down but not rebuilt unless it is caused by subsidence. I suspect though if you do claim for subsidence they will refuse to renew your policy and you will have trouble getting another without a specific exclusion for subsidence.

When I contacted the insurers they stated that it would be covered under buildings insurance - I rang to see if it would be or not as I wasn't sure.

I do understand that they have to check for fraud - I was just surprised at how I was questioned having never made an insurance claim before.

yup, know what you mean, we had a break in and they were really quite vicious. but i also know the level of fraud so understand they are just doing their jobs. its a miserable process!