John Unwin only intended to leave the house for a quick errand and didn’t think to set the alarm at the property, as he would not be out for long. However, whilst out, he bumped into a friend and went for a coffee and a chat.
On return, opportunists had ransacked his home. They drank his beer yet left his expensive wine, stole a laptop, any jewellery they could see, smashed his home office and broke one of his wife’s precious ornaments (one of a pair).
RHG Solutions
- The policy arranged was warranty free so not setting the alarm was not a problem.
Many policies exclude claims when the alarm was not set or when access was through an open window. If you are uncertain about warranties, contact us now.
- A higher single article limit on jewellery meant that the insurance company paid the full value of the lost items without deduction of any excess.
If you have not been asked to supply proof of value for your items there is a risk your policy has an inner limit per item and has an “excess” to be deducted from the amount to be paid. Some policies do not require valuations for all valuables but great care is required.
- An additional amount was also paid for the remaining ornament to compensate for depreciation in the value had they still been a pair.
Loss of value is simply not available from many insurance companies. The damaged ornament could have been paid at its single value £1,500 leaving the remaining ornament now worth £1,500 as a single item, making a total £3,000 possessed. But as a pair they were worth £8,400 so effectively he would have lost £5,400 even though the policy “paid a full settlement”. Should you want to keep the damaged ornament some policies can include cover for loss of value following repair.
- Home office equipment was fully covered so the claim was paid.
Often overlooked, an exclusion of equipment used by those working from home, can hurt.
- In addition to the loss of laptop itself costs to reinstate his credit rating following subsequent identity fraud were covered.
Identity fraud is a massively increasing concern. Personal information left on your laptop or home computer can be made available to the wrong people. You may need more than the value of the machine itself.
- John used the inclusive concierge service to find the right place to go for a few days while repairs were done.
Sometimes, perhaps when your home has just been ransacked, you just want someone else to make the arrangements. Help is available through the right people.
For more details on how we can make sure you are completely covered, contact us now.