Fire damage in thatched cottage

Location Cambridge

Customer Mr & Mrs Hampshire

Mr and Mrs Hampshire suffered a fire at their thatched cottage, which started in the middle of the night when the family were asleep. The accidental fire was caused by a lighter being ignited, which resulted in blankets and pillows catching fire and sadly further escalated.

The family attempted to extinguish the fire using a nearby fire extinguisher, however due to the level of smoke and heat, it was not possible to get into the room. Five fire engines attended the property. The fire brigade extinguished the fire within a short space of time and assessed the thatched roof to ensure there was no further damage. The fire officer did however recommend that a structural surveyor was instructed to ensure that the roof structure was fully intact.

 

The Claim

Mr and Mrs Hampshire appointed Morgan Clark to handle their insurance claim. Mrs Hampshire explained that “without Dan my insurers would have run rings round me at every corner. I have no experience of insurance claims and this was a complex claim. Dan battled hard and got us what I see as very fair compensation for the whole unfortunate saga.”

Due to several conditions and endorsements on the policy, there were initial concerns whether the policy would apply or not, however Morgan Clark managed to provide enough documentation for the claim to be accepted.

Mr & Mrs Hampshire felt they had great support throughout the claim, explaining “‘My team’ as I have grown to call them, have supported us through some challenging times, all with 100% professionalism, and with total support when I was finding all the external delays particularly tough. I know I would not have coped without them to guide us through.”

 

The Results 

Along with a select team of surveyors, restoration contractors and builders, Morgan Clark restored the property back to better than pre-loss condition.

Morgan Clark managed to secure the family alternative accommodation for the duration of the works, as well as a large disturbance allowance payment for the Insurers’ delays whilst the clients remained at home.

Mr & Mrs Hampshire were unfortunately underinsured on their buildings insurance, however Morgan Clark managed to utilise every aspect of their insurance contract to secure enough funding to restore the property. This significantly reduced the rebuild costs the clients would have had to fund themselves. To achieve this, Morgan Clark negotiated cash settlements for certain elements of the claim, which the client could then use to contribute towards the reinstatements.

The settlement was agreed at circa £100,000.

Mr & Mrs Hampshire were pleased with the overall settlement. They stated “Dan has been wonderful and I feel has represented our interests 100% through some very tough going. He has always been kind, courteous and reassuring, particularly through some times I found quite difficult. He definitely worked his magic for me on multiple occasions, and I know the happy outcome we have is due to his hard work.”

More Case Studies

London

Managing Extensive Water Damage in a Period Property

"Morgan Clark was recommended to an elderly and vulnerable client in Wanstead, East London, after their period property suffered significant water damage due to a burst pipe over the Christmas period. The property, a four-bedroom detached house with o..."

Read more

Cambridge

Fire damage in thatched cottage

"Mr and Mrs Hampshire suffered a fire at their thatched cottage, which started in the middle of the night when the family were asleep. The accidental fire was caused by a lighter being ignited, which resulted in blankets and pillows catching fire and ..."

Read more

Cumbria

Flooded bakery in Kendal: £100,000 insurance claim for machinery, st...

"Ginger Bakers is a very successful specialist cake producer based in Kendal, Cumbria, supplying commercial outlets across the country. When Storm Desmond wreaked havoc across the north of England in December 2015, the bakery’s leased premises were ..."

Read more

Cumbria

Flooding at kitchen worktop manufacturer: £1.2 million claim

"Stoneworld is a very successful manufacturer of quartz and granite kitchen worktops, importing expensive materials from across the world and using sophisticated precision cutting machinery. Based in Kendal, Cumbria, it distributes its high-end produc..."

Read more

Carlisle

Using Morgan Clark a second time for flood insurance claim

"When the river Eden flooded in Carlisle in 2005, water poured through David Allen’s substantial five-bedroomed semi-detached home. There was extensive damage throughout the downstairs which was likely to result in an insurance claim of around £100..."

Read more

Doncaster

Flooding – £630,000 business interruption claim

"In 2007, the town of Doncaster was hit by two floods in very quick succession. A large trading estate was very badly affected, including a successful steel processing and stockholding company. Three of its industrial units on the estate were contamin..."

Read more