HOW TO MAKE A HOME INSURANCE CLAIM

If your claim has been passed to one of our suppliers, here are some useful points that you might like to know

• A supplier will be used to help us review your claim and may contact you to discuss it further
• In the event of a large loss or complex claim, for example a house fire, your insurer may appoint a loss adjuster to help you through the claim journey.

Your excess is the amount you pay towards your claim. You will have agreed your excess amount when arranging your insurance policy.

• Please refer to your policy documents for further details of your own specific excesses.
• There are separate excesses that apply under both the buildings and contents policies.
• These will either be payable to our nominated suppliers or deducted from settlement payments.

Depending on your insurance policy, you may have different insurers for your joint building and contents policy with Saga.

This may mean if you are making a claim under both sections of your policy, you will deal with both Insurers who will oversee your claim.

Buildings claims can be made for damage to structural elements in your home, such as the roof, floors and walls.

Contents claims can be made for those items within the household which are not part of the building itself, such as your furniture. Depending on the insurance you have taken with us, it may also include items of jewellery or clothing.

When you contact us we will review your claim. If it is for minor damage we may require further documentation, such as estimates or photographs, to be sent in by post or email.

Upon receipt of the requested documents, we will review them and contact you to give you an update or an outcome of the claim. We might:

• Agree payment over the telephone, or
• Request further information which we will discuss with you and update you on your claim, or
• Pass your claim to one of our nominated suppliers to deal with (this usually happens at this stage because the value or complexity of the claim is such that we feel a supplier is needed to assist us and you in settling the claim).

Please note, in the event that your claim is of a complex nature or you’ve experienced significant damage, i.e. fire/flood, our fully qualified and experienced suppliers will be immediately instructed to help deal with repairs and replacement of items.

When you give us a call, it will help if you can provide us with your name, address and policy number.

We will then ask you for:

• The circumstances surrounding your claim
• Information about what you are claiming for

We may then ask you to send us:

• Photographs
• Receipts and valuations for items you have purchased
• Estimates for repairs
• Other documentary evidence.

In case you were wondering, there are some elements that are not covered by your insurance policy, and some examples are below:

• Breakdown and maintenance of items such as boilers
• Wear and tear or gradually operating causes
• Mechanical and electrical failure of appliances

For further details or more specific information on what is covered by your insurance, please check your policy booklet.

Take a torch up into the loft space and check the following:

• Lagging – Make sure that all water tanks are lagged and that the lagging hasn’t slipped over time, exposing the tank to the cold. The same goes for water pipes, these should be lagged, and no pipes exposed to the air- replace any that has slipped or is missing.
• Damp – Look for any signs of dampness, particularly in areas where the roof slope changes such as ridges and valleys of the roof, around chimneys, and on brickwork to gable ends. If there are any signs – such as darker patches, water staining, white streaks of powdery residue – this could be a sign that rainwater has been entering the roof space and maintenance is required.
• Daylight – Turn off the torch and if daylight can be seen coming through any part of the roof then there is a problem.

• Stop cock – Locate the mains water stop cock (usually under the kitchen sink) and make sure it can be turned on and off easily – if a pipe bursts in the house, this would probably be the first thing to turn off.
• Windows – Go around every window in the house and make sure it closes and seals properly. Look around the internal reveals for any signs of dampness as this could indicate that the sealant on the outside is failing
• Doors – As for windows, check that external doors close and lock properly and check the reveals for any signs of damp. Always be careful when opening doors in high winds (especially doors that open outwards) as they can be damaged if the wind catches them unexpectedly.

The pots should be straight and the mortar holding them in place should also be in good condition. Check the mortar joints between the bricks – none should be missing, cracked or crumbling.

Found around chimneys, above conservatory roofs and where roofs meet walls.

Check that there are no cracks in the lead, it hasn’t slipped and the lead wedges and mortar joints holding it in place are intact and in good condition.

General check for all walls:

• Inspect brickwork for any cracks and wear (mortar falling out, etc.)
• Cladding for any defects
• Rendering for cracks and signs of coming away from wall
• Tile hanging for slipped or broken tiles
• Any signs that gutters or downpipes have been leaking ( damp marks, mould, etc.).

Gutters

An overflowing gutter can cause lots of damp problems over time if it is not addressed.

Moss on roofs dries out in the summer and some can end up in the gutters. Leaves in autumn are also a major cause of blocked gutters, so it is worth having gutters checked and unblocked at least once a year. Also, if there are no leaf guards, then downpipes can block too.

Also check that sections of gutter haven’t come apart and that all the fixing brackets are intact and securely attached to the fascia boards. Plastic gutters are susceptible to “creep” due to the varying temperatures of the seasons and joints can come apart.

Facias and bargeboards

Traditionally these would have been timber and either painted or stained, but more recently, PVCu is the favoured material.

Generally, timber facias/bargeboards will need repainting/re-staining every five years; signs of wear and tear would be flaking paint and split/ rotten wood. If this is the case, then they will be susceptible to damage in high winds and any guttering fixed to them is likely to become loose.

If you have your fascia/bargeboards replaced, make sure that the new material is being fixed into sound wood and not existing rotten timber (this can be the case when old fascia is not removed but covered over).

Roof tiles

The most vulnerable areas of a roof to storm are where the wind is forced to change direction – these are normally the ‘edges’ of the roof, i.e. Ridges, hips and verges.

Ridge tiles

These are normally curved and, as the name suggests, sit on the top of the roof. Check that none are missing and that the mortar they are bedded on is in good condition (not cracked or crumbling)

Hips

These can be similar to either ridge tiles or they are bonnet tiles. They are found on the sloping joints between two roof profiles. As with ridge tiles, check that none are missing or have slipped and that the mortar is in good condition.

Verges

This is where the roof finishes as a straight edge - usually over a gable. Check that no tiles are missing, cracked or have slipped and that the mortar they are bedded on is in good condition.

Generally on the roof, check that there are no missing, loose, cracked or slipped tiles.

Flat roofs

Flat roofs made from bituminous felt need regular checking as they are prone to leaks and water damage.

Things to check for are cracks, heat bubbles, pooling water, de-lamination and joints between the flat roof and walls. You may also want to ensure that the stone chippings (where relevant) have not become displaced as this can expose the felt to the elements, leading to damage. The general life expectancy of a felt flat roof is 10 years.

If timber, check for flaking paint, splits, cracks and rot. Make sure that the sealant between the frames and the walls isn’t missing or cracked.