When you make a merits against an insurance policy for a loss or damage, your insurer's primary goal is to either repair, rebuild or supplant your property equally quickly equally possible and to the best quality possible under the policy'south terms and weather. In some circumstances you lot may be offered a cash settlement.

Many insurers take preferred suppliers of repair and edifice services. Others will allow you to choose your own.

Contractors

Many insurance companies build strategic relationships with building firms, motor vehicle repairers, specialist suppliers and project managers. These contractors are selected because they come across the insurers' requirements for capacity, quality and operation.

If your insurer selects a contractor to repair or rebuild your holding, that business firm will take signed a contract with the insurer promising that the work that the insurer has approved, is carried out speedily and to the standards that the contractor has agreed to deliver.

Sometimes firms subcontract work to a local company and will guarantee the piece of work is done to the required standard and usually inside very tight timeframes.

Once your chore has been approved and has been allocated to the insurer's contracted company, that business will ofttimes use local tradespeople and suppliers. These subcontractors will need to encounter the insurer's standards and requirements for quality, chapters, cost and availability.

If repairs are performed by a visitor that was authorised by the insurer, then under the Full general Insurance Lawmaking of Exercise, the insurer is responsible for the quality of the workmanship and materials.

So, if the repairs are faulty or incomplete so the insurer is responsible for fixing this.

If yous take a complaint about whether the work has been timely or whether the repairer or architect has conducted itself appropriately, you can besides tell your insurer. This can be addressed through the insurer's complaints handling procedure.

If your insurer allows you to choose your ain repairer, be enlightened the insurer may not exist prepared to guarantee the work or service performed by that provider.

What is an assessor?

Unless you have a simple merits, your insurer is likely to arrange for a specialist assessor (also known as a claims adjuster) to investigate the extent of the loss or damage (in some cases the insurer may transport a architect or tradesperson) and recommend repairs, building works, replacement of items, or a cash settlement.

The assessor will have a good cognition of what situations are covered by your policy, and the maximum corporeality your insurance covers. Sometimes the claims aligning is done over the phone or an assessor may appraise the damage in person earlier arranging for repair quotes.

In a complex claim, an assessor might speak to yous well-nigh the claim and might follow upwards on constabulary, emergency services or other records. The assessor might as well telephone call in an architect, engineer or builder to brand sure that the repairs are advisable.

Though assessors are responsible for making sure that your claim is covered under the policy, their job involves interpreting the wording of the policy and then organising for appropriate action to take place.

Sometimes that might involve negotiating a lump sum settlement with you lot – which is a single payment of coin – rather than a repair or replacement. Y'all may wish to consult a lawyer or a trusted advisor before accepting whatsoever lump sum settlement.

If you are non happy with this process you can seek to resolve your issue through the insurer's internal dispute resolution process.

Existence alert to scams

Opportunistic con-artists often set their sights on disaster victims who are waiting for insurance payments.

Most repair scams have one common characteristic – they are unsolicited. If a seemingly concerned repair worker approaches y'all offering to fast track your repairs, exist on baby-sit and ask to see identification.

Your insurer will be able to tell you if it has sent workers to your belongings.

How to protect yourself from scams:

  • Contact your insurance visitor and seek advice about the repairs process under your policy
  • Contractors and assessors authorised by insurers will normally notify customers in advance before repairs or inspections are scheduled to have place. If a contractor or assessor approaches y'all unexpectedly, ask to see credentials, and if you are not satisfied contact your insurance company to make certain they are appointed past your insurer
  • If you remain suspicious, ask to encounter the contractor or assessors' driver's licence and write downwards the licence number and their vehicle'due south licence plate number
  • Before hiring anyone, get all the details of a job in writing and only piece of work with contractors who are licensed and insured
  • Pay with a credit bill of fare or a cheque rather than cash. Don't hand over any form of payment directly to a contractor or assessor requesting greenbacks, unless authorised by your insurer to do then
  • If y'all're unsure, contact the constabulary