Rejected Home Insurance Claim: What Should I Do Next?

Have You Had Your Home Insurance Claim Rejected?

Making an Insurance Claim takes up valuable time and energy, as you must fulfil all your insurer's requirements to settle your Claim.

You pay your policy, believing your insurer will cover the cost if the worst happens. On top of an already strenuous situation, the last thing you need is a delayed or refused payout due to a rejected insurance claim.

Thousands of property owners in the UK deal with repudiated insurance claims yearly, with rejected home insurance claims increasing by up to 57% between August and November 2022*.

Direct Line Insurance also recently admitted it had underpaid some of its customers, highlighting the importance of having your Insurance Claim prepared and presented correctly. 

Read on to learn the most effective ways to turn your Claim around and get the compensation you're entitled to. This removes the stress and inconvenience of worrying that you have prepared and presented your insurance claim correctly. They will examine your home insurance cover policy, studying the cost of repairs.  

Can An Insurance Company Refuse To Pay A Claim? Understand The Reasons Behind A Rejected Insurance Claim

Your rejected insurance claim is likely due to one of a few common reasons. Once you're aware of the reason, you can investigate and appropriately respond to your Insurance company to get your Claim back on track.
Insurance claims are rejected because you request coverage for items not included in your policy. Therefore, it's important to understand your policy and what is and isn't included. This consists of the excess, policy limit, and any terms and conditions regarding exclusions.
Other common reasons for a rejected insurance claim include:

Other common reasons for a rejected insurance claim include:

• Insufficient information: It is essential that you disclose everything when you purchase buildings and contents insurance.

• Ensure you update all building and content information to avoid any incorrect information.

• lack of due care,

• Lack of due care, wear and tear, failure to update insurance details such as change of address, or

• failure to follow the correct claims procedure, e.g. inability to submit information within the specified period frame.

Examine The Small Print Of Your Rejected Insurance Claim

After learning the reason for your rejected insurance claim, the first step is to check your policy documents thoroughly.

Where in your policy does it outline what you are covered for?

If your policy does not include details regarding the issue your insurer is now refuting, make a note. If your insurance company doesn't explain why it is denying your Claim and not paying, it doesn't have a good reason. You can confidently argue against its decision.

Note any complex or confusing language. Such ambiguous language could be interpreted in various ways, leaving the specifics of your cover debatable. In this case, your insurer cannot decline your Claim based on such details.

Has your insurer made a mistake? The only way to know is to familiarise yourself with all of the finer points of your policy. Go through it thoroughly and make sure you fully understand it. Your insurer may be counting on you, misunderstanding the guidelines, or failing to check the details.

Enlist the help of a professional who will be on your side and fight your corner, such as Oakleafe Claims Loss Assessors. We are experts at understanding insurance claims; we can guide you through the particulars of your policy so that you're in the best position possible to turn around your rejected Claim.

Negotiate With Your Insurer About Your Rejected Insurance Claim

Know that you can negotiate with your insurer, even after they've sent you a rejection of your Claim. Their decision does not have to be final. Say so if you can find a good reason to counteract their argument. Many insurance customers need to be made aware that they can negotiate or amend the reason for their rejection to change the outcome potentially.
Your insurer may refuse your Claim due to insufficient or incorrect information. If this is the case, ask them what specific information they require and offer to provide the necessary details. Tell them how it was made and explain your misunderstanding if there has been a genuine mistake. If further information is needed, offer more information and evidence to support your Claim.
Your insurers' first response to your claim application need not be the last say on the matter. Do everything you can to correct mistakes, explain misunderstandings, and provide supporting evidence. Your insurer should consider your response; they'll most likely give you a time frame to respond to their decision. Take the opportunity to have your say; you could persuade them to reconsider your Claim.

Make An Official Complaint About Your Rejected Insurance Claim

• When all else fails, or your insurer does not allow you to negotiate their decision about your Claim, make an official complaint. Your insurer must follow the guidelines for their conduct as an insurance provider. They have a duty of care to their policyholders and are accountable to the FCA (Financial Conduct Authority) regarding their behaviour towards consumers.
• Since December 2018, all insurers have had new accountability rules. If you have been unfairly treated, say so with a formal complaint.
• Complaining through written correspondence is always a good idea so you have proof of all communication between you and your insurance provider. Letters or emails can offer you this security.
• Keep all letters in a safe place, organised in chronological order, so you can retrieve them easily when you need to refer to them.
• Make a copy of all letters you send out to your insurer. Ensure all emails are saved to a secure file and backed up so they're not lost or deleted.
• When contacting your insurer in a written format, include the date, full name and policy number every time. Make it clear you're making a complaint so there's no misunderstanding about the reason for your communication.
• Insurers have a time frame within which they must respond to a complaint. If you're unclear about making a complaint, they may not adhere to such guidelines; if you fail to respond, they can get away with it.
• Explain exactly what your insurer has done wrong and what you expect them to do to put things right. Outline the steps you're prepared to take if your insurer does not respond satisfactorily.
• If you decide to complain to your insurer by telephone, keep a record of the date and the name of the person you speak with, along with all that is discussed. Also, respond to all communication with your insurer within a reasonable time; often, time limits will be placed upon response time. If you fail to keep to these, your Claim may be closed as 'settled' by default.

One of the most common Insurance Claims is water damage caused by a burst pipe. In this instance, the first step is to turn off the water supply. The next step we recommend is to hire a Loss Assessor to handle your Claim professionally. This will help you stay in control and get your full entitlement quickly and smoothly.

Conclusion

Many insurance claims are turned down or outright denied every year. It can be startling to learn that the company you faithfully pay premiums to, believing they will support you when you lodge a claim, has rejected your request.

Understanding your policy in depth is essential to reversing an unfavourable insurance claim decision. Allocate time to read through your policy; this could help you clarify unclear provisions, identify potential errors, and challenge certain stipulations they've confronted you with.

Remember, negotiation is always possible; the insurer's decision isn't the final word. Enlist the help of a professional like Oakleafe Claims, who have been handling Claims since World War 1 and who will ensure you stay in control throughout the process, resulting in you receiving the settlement you are fully entitled to.

*statistics credited to the FCA via The Sun