Water insurance claim damage: £120,000 cash settlement

After a period of torrential rain, the guttering and drainage system in Mr & Mrs K’s substantial and luxurious house in Birmingham simply couldn’t cope. Water poured into the property in three different places, causing significant damage to the entrance hall, TV room and indoor swimming pool complex.

Initially Mr K decided to handle the claim himself, but he soon realised that dealing with the insurer’s loss adjuster was going to be extremely difficult. His very busy life meant he didn’t have sufficient time to deal with the claim, but more than that he appreciated that he didn’t have the necessary knowledge or expertise. When the loss adjuster offered a derisory £30,000 cash settlement, Mr K knew this simply was not enough. He therefore decided to appoint Morgan Clark to handle his claim.

The claim 

Morgan Clark immediately brought in specialist surveyors who put together a comprehensive specification covering the re-instatement of the property.  According to Mr K, “they opened my eyes to what I could claim. I had absolutely no idea that the cover extended as far as it did”.

Morgan Clark compiled an exhaustive claim for a cash settlement which included not just buildings and contents but also payment in lieu of moving into alternative accommodation. It was proving impossible for Mr K to find somewhere for his family to live locally: any property of a similar standard to his damaged house would have cost a prohibitive £10,000 a month to rent.

The results 

After intense and extended negotiations, the insurer’s loss adjuster agreed to Morgan Clark’s total claim for a cash settlement of £120,000: four times the original sum offered. According to Mr K, “when I look back I realise the loss adjuster was a rogue. It goes against common decency after we’d gone through such a traumatic incident to then be offered a fraction of what we lost.”