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How much time do you have to file a home insurance claim?
Published July 9, 2019
If you’ve suffered a fire, flood or burst pipe in your home, you’ll probably need to make a claim on your home insurance. It’s likely that you’ll be in a state of shock but, when dealing with such an incident, it usually pays to contact your insurance provider promptly. But how long exactly do you have to file your home insurance claim?
If it’s your first time making a claim on your home insurance – or any insurance, for that matter – you’re probably wondering how quickly you need to act. The short answer is that insurers like to handle claims as soon as possible, particularly for larger incidents like fires, floods and burst pipes. As well as usually being some of the most complicated types of home insurance claims, they can also take longer to resolve. For that reason, it’s always best to put in your home insurance claim as quickly as possible – provided you’ve followed the necessary steps to ensure the home and everybody inside is safe.
How long do you have to file a home insurance claim?
In the UK, there’s no standardised time limit for making a claim on your home insurance. Instead, it will depend entirely on your own home insurance policy. According to Which?, most insurers in the UK allow up to 180 days for homeowners to make a claim on their home insurance, but this can vary from one insurance company – and one policy – to another.
If your property has suffered a fire, flood or other damage for which you need to make a home insurance claim, it’s best to double check your policy as soon as possible. Even if you think you know the terms, it’s better to check and be certain than to take any chances. Make sure you check for any clauses that could affect the time allowed to register your claim, too.
Increasing your chances of a quick resolution
Even if your insurance company allows you a long time to put in a home insurance claim, it’s still best to report the incident as quickly as possible. As soon as you’re able to, you’ll need to contact your insurer and let them know that you wish to make a claim. Make sure you have secured any dangers, but do not move anything unnecessarily and take photos or videos of any damage to support your claim. It’s also a good idea to start getting any paperwork such as receipts and other documentation you may need ready at this time.
Once you’ve contacted your insurer, the claims process will begin. Every insurance claim is different, so you may want to employ the help of a Loss Assessor to help you manage the process and take away much of the stress. A Loss Assessor will help manage every step of the insurance claim, from liaising with the insurer to dealing with Insurance Adjusters. Get in touch to find out more about how our experienced Loss Assessors can help you with your home insurance claim.
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