Making a Home or Contents Insurance Claim

Firstly, you will need to check:

• Buildings insurance cover
• Contents insurance cover
• Buildings and contents insurance cover
• Personal possessions cover (e.g., if loss occurred away from home)

If you are unsure, this information can be found in your policy documents. We will need the following to help you start your claim:

• Your policy number
• Details of what happened and when
• Original receipts for any lost or damaged items
• Photos, videos and description of any damage
• Crime reference number (if you’ve been a victim of theft or vandalism)

The above is not an exhaustive list. Your insurer may ask for information to support your claim such as receipts, invoices, photos or details of where and when the item was purchased. Also, please do not dispose of the damaged item as it could help settle your claim faster. 

If you are unable to provide documents to support your claim, it will delay the processing of your claim and may limit the amount the insurer will pay or result in your claim being turned down.

When you’re ready, you can call us on 01624 808080 and we can guide you through the next steps.

Whenever you make an insurance claim, you usually need to pay an excess. The excess is the amount of money that was set and agreed when you first took out the insurance policy.

The amount of excess applicable to your policy is shown on your policy schedule. It’s important to check your excess before starting a claim, as it could help you decide if you want to continue or not. For example, if the excess is more than the value of the item you’re claiming for, then you may consider whether it is in your best interest to go ahead and claim.

Once you know have checked your excess and you still want to make your claim, just call us on 01624 808080 and we can guide you through the process. 

Not automatically, however your claims history is a factor when insurance companies calculate your insurance renewal premium. Other factors that affect the price of property-related insurance include:

• Inflation – especially changes to the cost of building materials and contractors
• Severe weather risk, especially flooding

First thing is to check your policy documents to see what cover you have, especially if you have lost something away from home. If your policy includes personal possessions cover, then please get in touch.

If your policy is a CTH Household policy, then for items valued less than £2500 we have an express claims service.

Contact us on 01624 808080 and we can guide you through the next steps. 
 

The first thing to do is to check your policy documents to see whether you have accidental damage cover. If you have accidental damage cover, then you can make a claim if you have damaged something at home.

It's worth checking your excess amount to ensure the value of the claim isn’t likely to be lower than any excess payable. 

That way you can make an informed decision on the claim. It often helps if you could take photos of the damage as you may be asked for proof if you decide to claim.

Once you have checked the level of cover and excess on your policy, please call us on 01624 808080.

Thankfully, burglary on the Isle of Man is rare, but it does occasionally happen. If you find your home has been being burgled it can be a very upsetting experience. You will have a lot to think about, but please try to remember three important things:

1. Try to remain calm and call the police immediately. You will need to take a note of the crime reference number as the insurance company will need this for any insurance claim.
2. Keep safe. Until the police arrive, try not to touch anything, as this may destroy valuable evidence. Once the police have been, if you need to make urgent repairs - for example at point of entry/exit then that’s fine.
3. Make a list of what’s been stolen, then double check items, as you may miss some things at first glance.

Once the area is safe and police have been, please call us on 01624 808080 and we’ll start the claims process.

The first thing you should do is turn off your water at the stopcock to stop the flow of water into the house. This will help prevent further damage. You should also:

• Switch off your electricity until the area is safe.
• Turn on all your taps – this will help reduce pressure in the system.
• Open your windows and doors. If you have a dehumidifier, then use it in the area to start the process of drying the area.
• Take photos or videos of any damage (this will help if you want to claim)

Once the area is safe, please call us on 01624 808080 and we’ll start the claims process.

As your broker, we will liaise with your insurance company and keep you updated on your claim. For your claim to progress as quickly as possible, providing any requested information including receipts for lost/stolen items, estimates for any repair work etc will help speed things up. 

Please bear in mind that for repair work, it can take time for contractors to provide estimates and carry our works, so you may have to be patient. 

Most insurance policies have an ‘Unspecified Item Limit’, which means the maximum amount the insurer will pay out for any single item. If you have individual items worth more that this limit, then they should be itemised on your home policy schedule.

It is important that you let us know of any items with a value more than the ‘Unspecified Item Limit’ and we will be able to advise whether these items should be specified and update your policy accordingly.

Please note that adding specified items usually increases the overall level of cover and therefore may affect your premium.

You must inform us of any changes like moving home, renovating your property, or if you are renting your property or leaving your property unoccupied. Please refer to your policy schedule for specific guidance or let us know by calling us on 01624 808080 or email info@cth.insure.

Usually bicycles and accessories are covered, but you will need to check your policy for details and cover limits. However, if the value of your bicycle is over the limit shown in your policy, then it will be necessary to add your bicycle as a specified item.

Please call us on 01624 808080 or email: info@cth.insure for further information

It is important that contact us before carrying out any improvements or renovations to your home, especially if they involve significant works, changes to the floor plan or building structure. By not advising us or your insurer, you could invalidate your policy and any works undertaken would be unlikely to be covered. 

"Buildings" is considered as being your property and any permanent fixtures and fittings. More information about this can be found in your buildings insurance policy wording.

Contents are considered to be your family possessions, furniture and “household goods”, which you or your family own, or are legally responsible for. This will include any specified or other “high-risk” items. More information about this can be found in your Contents Insurance policy wording.

Subsidence is when the ground that your property sits on sinks, and this puts your home at risk of damage as the foundations of your home can also sink, resulting in movement. This can cause cracks in your walls and floors.

Buildings insurance usually covers you for loss and damage caused by subsidence, heave, and landslip, with some exclusions applicable to this cover. 

If you feel your home may be suffering subsidence, then please contact us on 01624 808080 or email info@cth.insure to discuss the best course of action.

Firstly, you will need to check:

• Buildings insurance Cover
• Contents insurance Cover
• Buildings and contents insurance Cover
• Personal Possessions Cover (e.g., if loss occurred away from home)

If you are unsure, this information can be found in your policy documents.

What we will need to help you start your claim:

• Your policy number
• Details of what happened and when
• Original receipts for any lost or damaged items
• Photos, videos and description of any damage
• Crime reference number (if you’ve been a victim of theft or vandalism)

The above is not an exhaustive list. Your insurer may ask for information to support your claim such as: receipts, invoices, photos or details of where and when the item was purchased. Also, please do not dispose of the damaged item as it could help settle your claim faster. If you are unable to provide documents to support your claim, it will delay things and may limit the amount the insurer will pay or result in your claim being turned down.

When you’re ready, you can call us on 01624 808080 and we can guide you through the next steps.
 

It's important to check your policy documents, as terms of cover will vary between policies and insurers. Building insurance policies will usually cover reasonable costs of alternative accommodation if your home is not habitable due to an event occurring that is covered under your insurance policy.

If your policy does include this cover, then you will be covered for the reasonable costs of temporary accommodation for you, your family and your pets, while your home is being repaired.

Please call us on 01624 808080 to discuss further.