Occasionally, insurance companies refuse to pay claims and can sometimes reduce the amount they are going to pay you. Usually, this is because of one or more reasons.
- Clauses - You are not covered by a clause in the insurance policy and it would be better dealt with by another insurance policy i.e. home insurance.
- In the event of a write-off - Your claim can also be reduced if your car has been written off and the value of the car is much less than what it would cost to restore it.
- Supporting Information - If you do not have receipts for aspects of your claim for example theft of a laptop or iPod from your car then you are unable to make a claim.
- Theft - Sometimes if an insurance company believes you were at fault for the theft of your vehicle or belongings inside your vehicle then you will not be able to make a claim.
- Untruthful Information - If you have given inaccurate or untruthful information in relation to your claim then you are not able to make a claim.
What can you do?
- Keep a record of all the conversations and correspondence in relation to your claim. This can really help with the success rate.
- You don’t have to accept their offer. You can sometimes negotiate a better deal with your insurer in cases where you believe the sum they are willing to pay out is wrong. This can sometimes work well and you will get what you are owed.
If you are stuck and don’t know how to deal with something and you feel you are being treated unfairly by your insurance company then you can contact the Financial Ombudsman Service who are there to help.
You can either call the FOS on 0845 080 1800 or write to:
The Financial Ombudsman Service
South Quay Plaza
183 Marsh Wall
Or visit the website at: http://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/