What's the home insurance claim process in the UK?

If you’re reading this blog, chances are you’ve experienced sudden, and potentially extensive, damage to your property and you’re looking for a quick guide for what your next steps should be. 

If this is you, here’s our top-level summary of the key steps in the home insurance claim process:

Urgent advice: How to make a claim on your home insurance

Step 1 - Call the police (if necessary). 

Step 2 - Call us! We’ll complete an assessment of the damage within 48 hours, providing everything you need to submit your claim to your insurer (or appoint a loss assessor to deal with it all on your behalf). 

Step 3 - Contact your insurer to submit your claim. 

Step 4 - Share evidence (or ask your loss assessor to take care of it). 

Step 5 - Get your repairs approved and your claim agreed. 

Step 6 - Get your property fixed by our team. 

Alternatively, if you’re looking to learn more about the claims process in the UK, how it all works and some of the pitfalls you might potentially face on your claims journey, we’ll address these and other key topics in the following sections: 

• When should I claim on my home insurance? 
• How do I make a home insurance claim?
• How long does a home insurance claim take? 
• I need someone to help me with my property claim and repairs. Can you help?

When should I claim on my home insurance?

Most insurers will allow up to 180 days for you to submit a claim following an incident at your property. However, the general rule of thumb is the sooner you contact them, the better. 

Ideally, you want to report the claim before you arrange any repairs or replacements, but after you’ve had an accurate assessment of the damage carried out, to make sure the damage is definitely covered by your policy. If you’re in need of a survey following damage to your property, get in touch with our team. 

If the question is whether or not you should claim on your home insurance, some events are a no-brainer. Your home insurance policy is in place to protect you in the event of flood, fire, storm, water leak, accidental impact, or break-in, so if any of these has happened and you’ve been left with extensive damage, you should definitely consider submitting a claim. Most insurers have 24-hour emergency contact numbers for this reason. 

However, claiming for other scenarios might be dependent on your circumstances. For example, your home insurance policy might cover damage to or loss of an expensive item, such as a laptop or bike, or provide coverage for the services of an emergency locksmith. In this case, it’s always worth reviewing your policy to understand the cost implications of making a claim on your home insurance before you go ahead and make the call. 

How do I make a home insurance claim?

Whilst every home insurance claim is different, there are a number of steps that every homeowner goes through when making a claim on their home insurance.

Step 1: Check everyone's safe and do what you can to prevent further damage 

Before anything else, make sure that you, your family, and your home are safe. If there’s an emergency (like a fire or break-in), your immediate next step should be to contact the emergency services.

Once you know everyone’s safe and you’ve had a response from the emergency services, there are some small actions you can take to try and prevent further damage to your home. But first, try to take photos to document the damage, as this can later be used as evidence for your insurance claim. 

• If it’s a leak that’s caused the damage, turn off the water supply. 
• If you’ve been broken into, try to implement a quick fix that will keep the weather out (like boarding up a window or fitting a temporary lock to your door). 
• If you need to buy urgent items or make temporary repairs, be sure to keep the receipts for your purchases, as you may be able to include these costs in your insurance claim.

Step 2: Review your policy (or ask for help from an expert)

Before you contact your insurer, it’s worth checking over your policy documents to fully understand your coverage. Be sure to look out for: 

• What events are covered in your policy (e.g. theft, fire, escape of water, storm damage).
• Any exclusions or updated definitions of terms (for example, different providers classify “storm damage” in different ways, and almost all will exclude gradual wear and tear from the coverage they provide).
• Your excess (the amount you’ll pay towards your claim). 
• Any special endorsements on the policy, such as a flat roof condition or an unoccupancy clause. 

Reviewing your policy and getting to grips with what it covers will be helpful when it comes to submitting your claim. If there’s anything in your policy you’re unsure or concerned about, consider bringing an independent loss assessor on board. They’ll be able to explain the details of your policy, anticipate any challenges that might be posed by your insurer, and act on your behalf to secure a favourable outcome from your claim. 

When you work with our team, involving an independent loss assessor is usually part of our standard process. We’ll attend your property to assess the damage and introduce a loss assessor at the very earliest stage, so you can rest assured knowing you have the support of an expert to call upon throughout the claim process. 

Your loss assessor will work tirelessly on your behalf, communicating directly with your insurer so you have one less thing to worry about. Then, once your claim has been settled, we’ll get to work on repairing your property — and all at absolutely no cost to you. Get in touch to find out more about how it works.

Step 3: Contact your insurer

Most insurers will expect you to get in touch as soon as possible following an incident at your property. When you do, make sure you have the following information to hand: 

• Your policy number. 
• The date and time of the incident. 
• A clear description of what happened, and the damage that’s been caused. 
• Any evidence you’ve managed to collect (photos, receipts, police reference numbers, etc.). 
  
  

Step 4: Provide evidence and documentation

When you work with us, most of the work involved with this step is taken care of for you. After attending your property to assess the damage, our team will provide a report to submit to your insurer (in a format they’re familiar with), along with any photographic evidence gathered by you or a member of our team to demonstrate the damage. 

If you’ve decided to go it alone, you should expect your insurer to ask for proof to back up your claim. This might include: 

• Photos or videos of the damage. 
• Receipts, invoices, or valuations for lost or damaged items. 
• A crime reference number (if applicable). 

As experts in the insurance repairs sector, we’re experienced in supporting homeowners through the stress of submitting their insurance claim and we know how challenging this time can be when you already have so much on your shoulders. 

Being organised really pays off here, so if you’re worried about taking on the stress of securing a favourable settlement, our team is just a phone call away and here to support you with everything from communicating with your insurer to completing the repairs to your property. 

Step 5: Bring in an independent loss assessor 

If you’re working with our team, chances are this step has already happened by now. But if you’re tackling things yourself and are facing a large or complex claim, it might be beneficial to enlist the help of an independent loss assessor. 

Some insurers may try to talk you out of this step, but that’s just because working with a loss assessor can often lead to better outcomes in your favour. 

A loss assessor will remain on your side throughout the claim process, acting in your best interest at every step to secure the best possible outcome. They will: 

• Visit your property to assess the extent of the damage. 
• Ask you questions to get a good idea of what happened to prepare your claim for presentation to the insurer. 
• Review your policy to see how much of the damage is covered, looking out for any special conditions, endorsements, and exclusions. 
• Deal with the claim on your behalf, handling all communication and correspondence with the insurer in order to fight for a fair settlement. 

Sometimes, the insurer may appoint someone to act in a similar capacity on their behalf, known as a loss adjustor. Where this is the case, appointing a loss assessor to handle your side of the claim can really pay off, as they’ll be able to take on all of the communications and discussions about your claim, giving you one less thing to worry about. 

Step 6: Time to settle

Once your claim has been reviewed by your insurer, you will have a say in how you’d like it to be settled. Depending on the situation, you could be offered one of three settlement options, each of which has its own benefits. 

Once your insurer has reviewed your claim, they’ll make a proposal for how they intend to put things right. Depending on the situation, you’ll usually be offered one of four three settlement options, each of which has its own benefits. 

Option 1 - Insurer requires repairs quotes 

Quite often, an insurer will ask you (the policyholder) to source your own quotes from contractors who can carry out the repairs work. In this case, you’ll be required to shop around a little, invite contractors to come and view the extent of damage and provide their quotes, which you’ll then submit to your insurer for review and approval (or your loss assessor will do this on your behalf, if you’ve decided to bring one on board). 

Finding reputable and reliable contractors who are available, and even willing, to provide quotes for insurance repair work can be tricky. Thankfully, we’re here to help. 

When you work with Action Insurance Repair, you’ll have access to our team of expert insurance repair specialists, as well as our reliable contractors who operate across all trades and can quote for and complete high-quality repairs. Not only this, but we’ll be there to manage the work from start to finish, navigating various schedules to ensure the work is completed on time and within budget, and you won’t have to lift a finger. 

With the quotes approved by your insurer, we can get to work. Your insurer will send the funds to you or your loss assessor to cover our invoice based on what’s been quoted. But the best part is that this isn’t a full and final cash settlement — if further damage is uncovered while the repairs are being undertaken, we can re-open communications with your insurer and request further funds to cover the variations. 

Option 2 - Repairs are arranged by your insurer

Your insurer may make a recommendation for the repairs to be undertaken by one of the contractors already in their network. In this case, they’ll manage the repairs on your behalf, which can mean less hassle for you, but does present its own downsides: 

• You’ll likely have less say in who carries out the work. 
• The insurer’s timelines might not always match your preferred schedule. 
• There will be limited flexibility if you’d like to upgrade materials or make changes beyond just repairing the damage. 

Read more about the pros and cons of working with an insurer-selected contractor in our blog.

Option 3 - Cash settlement 

Your insurer may offer to pay you a sum of money to cover the cost of repairs or replacements. This gives you a bit more control over how the issue is resolved, but also comes with downsides. 

The pros of accepting a cash settlement: 

• Freedom to carry out the repairs yourself using your chosen contractors, suppliers, or materials. 
• Flexibility to combine the settlement with your own money if you’d like to take the opportunity to upgrade or renovate your home. 
• Useful if you are already in the trade, are good at DIY, or already have a network of trusted tradespeople you enjoy working with.

The cons of accepting a cash settlement: 

• Responsibility of arranging and managing the repairs work falls to you (unless you use a service like ours, which is completely free of charge!) 
• If the actual cost of repairs ends up higher than the insurer’s settlement, you’ll need to cover the difference from your own pocket. 
• Payment timescales can vary, which can delay your repairs.

Option 4 - Replacement of items 

For contents claims (like damaged furniture, appliances, or electronics), insurers often arrange for replacements directly through their suppliers. Again, there are pros and cons to this outcome, too.

The pros: 

• It’s usually fast and fairly straightforward — your insurer will organise everything. 
• There’s no need to chase receipts or shop around. 
• Sometimes you’ll get brand-new replacements for older items.

The cons: 

• Replacement items may not be to your exact taste (e.g. different brand, model, or style). 
• There’s limited choice for replacements if the insurer works with a specific supplier. 
• Sentimental or unique items may be difficult to replace like-for-like.

Which settlement option is best?

In truth, there isn’t really a one-size-fits-all answer. The best settlement option will depend on your personal circumstances and priorities. If you’re looking to minimise stress without compromising on the quality of workmanship or the timescale of your repairs, get in touch with our team, or click here to learn more about how we support homeowners in your position. 

How long does a home insurance claim take?

Unfortunately, there’s no real way of telling how long your claim will take to be assessed and decided. Simple, lower-value claims can be turned around in just a few days, but larger, more complex claims can take several weeks or months to settle. 

Working with a loss assessor can be helpful in this regard, as they’ll be there to regularly chase up your insurer and encourage a faster and fairer settlement.

I need someone to help me with my property claim and repairs. Can you help? 

Yes! We’ve spent over 17 years supporting homeowners in your position with their property claims and repairs, with excellent results. 

If your property’s been damaged, simply contact our team, and we’ll take care of everything. We’ll arrange to attend your property within 48 hours to complete an accurate assessment of the damage. We can introduce you to a loss assessor who can support you in securing the best possible outcome from your claim, and once it’s been approved, we’ll be there to complete all the repairs to a high standard and get you back to normal in no time. 

And the best part is, it won’t cost you a penny! Ready to get started? Book your survey today.