Personal Insurance - Emergency and Claims Advice

Should you suffer an emergency, if you have a home or commercial insurance policy with us, check your policy as this may have emergency telephone numbers to cover certain situations. This can include help for things like roof or window damage, plumbing and power issues, security problems and suchlike which may be a risk to you or your home. We list some insurer emergency contact numbers here, but recommend you have your policy number to hand, as well as the name of your insurer.

In any case, if you suffer a loss or damage, please ensure that you take any necessary temporary steps to make your property secure and to prevent any further loss or damage occurring. In respect of any accidental losses away from the home or any theft, policies often stipulate that this should be reported to the police immediately.

Whilst we can offer no guarantees about what an insurer will pay for, we will always ask an insurer to consider paying the cost of any reasonable steps that have been taken to prevent further damage occurring that would normally be expected to be covered by your policy. This will not normally extend to any improvements you may make.

For example:

• If you experience a burst pipe, if appropriate and possible, turn off the water supply to your home or business and call a plumber to stop any leak. Some work carried out by a plumber may be covered by your policy depending on the type of policy you have but, generally, the cost of repairing a leak is not. If there is chance of further damage occurring if prompt action is not taken; for example, water damaged items getting worse if they are left wet, please seek advice from a professional drying company about appropriate steps that may need to be taken. In some cases, a permanent repair may be easier and more cost-effective than a temporary repair followed by a permanent repair.

• If you have suffered a theft, malicious damage or loss, do report this to the police and obtain a crime reference number. In the case of a loss, we recommend to check places you may have visited where the item may have been lost.

• After a storm, take a good look around and inside your property, taking photographs or other recordings of damage, along with date and time. Some insurers may ask to look at damaged items, so it is important to keep these to one side. And in the meantime, do check your policy for an emergency number or use your own contractors to sort out any emergency temporary repairs that are needed. As soon as you can, contact our claims team to discuss, and keep a record of all receipts, invoices etc.

• If your property has been flooded please try to stay safe. Do not use electrical equipment or the gas supply until they have been checked by a qualified tradesman and in the interest of your safety you may have to consider evacuating to alternative accommodation.