MAKING A CLAIM

Here you’ll find a guide on how claims process works & how to make a successful claim.

We know how stressful it is if you need to make a claim. We work hard with our insurer partners to make the process as easy for you as possible. If at any point you need some support or assistance, we’d be happy to help.

Step 1: In the event of an emergency, check any Home Emergency cover you may have, as this may be a more suitable policy for you to claim on. For Household Home Emergency Claims, please call: 0333 234 3483. For Landlord Home Emergency Claims, please call: 0333 234 3485

Step 2: Check your policy wording, which give details of what is covered and what is not covered. If you have any questions, we’d be happy to help

Before you make a claim, here’s a checklist for what you might need

Your Policy Number - which can be found on your policy schedule
Details of what happened, when and any items you are wanting to claim for. To help prove your claim your insurer may ask you to provide things like receipts or photographs.
Report any lost, stolen or maliciously damaged property to the police first and ask them for a crime reference number as you will be asked to provide this

Step 3: Please contact the insurer at your earliest opportunity. If you are unsure, your insurer can be found on your Policy Schedule.

Depending on your insurer, some claims are handled by a dedicated claims company on their behalf; however, this should not impact how your claim is handled or the service you should expect to receive.

Insurer Claims Number

Insurer	Product	Claims Number
AXA	Your Home, Your Essentials, Your Let Property	0330 024 6842
Covea	Your Home	0330 024 2255
Covea	Your Let Property	0330 024 2266
Geo	Your Home, Your Essentials, Your Let Property	0345 074 4760
LV=	Your Home, Your Essentials	0800 032 2585
Prestige	Your Home	0800 032 7327
UK General	Your Home, Your Let Property	0344 412 4258

Step 4: Your claim will be settled either by repairing, reinstating, or replacing the lost or damaged property

If you’re claiming for a large loss such as a flood, fire or subsidence, the insurer may send a loss adjuster to your home to survey the damage caused.

Where property cannot be replaced or repaired your insurer will pay in cash the amount of the loss or damage.

Where your insurer can offer repair or replacement through a preferred supplier but agrees to pay a cash settlement, then payment will not exceed the amount that they would have paid the preferred supplier. If an equivalent replacement is not available then your insurer will pay the full replacement cost of the item;
An approved supplier may be appointed by your insurer to act on their behalf to further validate your claim and they are authorised to arrange a quotation, a repair or a replacement where appropriate;
Any permanent repairs made by our approved suppliers are guaranteed.

Common Claims Questions

What is my excess?

Excess is the first amount of any claim for which you are responsible.

The standard excess for First2Protect products are:

Your Tenants Contents	£50
Your Essentials	£200
Your Home	£100
Your Let Property	£100

There are a couple of scenarios where a different excess may apply. Claims for escape of water/subsidence/special terms may be more and these will always be displayed on your Policy Schedule

If a claim is made under more than one section resulting from the same incident, only one excess will be deducted. In the event that the excess amounts differ, then the higher of the two will be deducted.

Will a claim affect future insurance premiums?

How will a claim for matching sets, suites or carpets be handled?

An individual item of a matching set of articles or suite of furniture or sanitary ware or other bathroom fittings is regarded as a single item. Your insurer will pay you for individual damaged items but not for undamaged companion pieces.

If the individual damaged items cannot be repaired or a replacement found we will also pay up to 50% towards the undamaged part of the set or suite of furniture, sanitary ware or bathroom fittings.

Where carpeting is damaged beyond repair only the damaged carpet will be replaced; not undamaged carpet in adjoining rooms.

Why might a claim not be paid?

There are some common scenarios which might impact a claim being paid. By sharing this, we hope that you better understand what your policy is and isn’t designed to cover.

You should ensure that any property covered this policy is maintained in good condition. Property insurance is designed to cover unexpected loss or damage which means that the majority of policies will not cover ‘wear and tear’.

What is wear and tear?

Wear and tear is damage that naturally and inevitably occurs as a result of normal wear or ageing. There are different ways that wear and tear can occur. For example:

A kitchen appliance that has stopped working
A roof tile loosening over time, causing rain to leak in
A pipe leaking due to rust and corrosion
Build-up of rising damp and mould
Gadgets no longer turning on

How to reduce wear and tear within your property

Cleaning appliances regularly can ensure they last longer. – Where possible, follow the manufacturer’s warranties and servicing guidance.
Inspect the roof regularly for broken or slipped tiles and where required, ask a professional to carry out the remedial work.
Check accessible pipes often for rust and corrosion.
If you notice damp and mould starting to form, hire an expert to locate and fix the source to prevent it from becoming worse. – Mould can also carry a health risk so make it a priority.
If you notice a problem with a gadget, such as a flickering TV screen, check if it is still under warranty. – Doing this could potentially save you a lot of money in the long run.

Having the right level of cover

It’s really important that you make sure that the amount you insure represents the full value of your property on an ongoing basis.

Things you should think about are:

Over time, as you buy more things, you may need to increase the overall value of your contents cover.
Specific items, such as jewellery, may also increase in value from the time you took out the policy.

To calculate what cover you need

For buildings, this means the full cost of rebuilding your property
For contents, this means the full cost of replacing all the property at today’s prices. You might find it helpful to walk room to room and list down what it would cost for you to replace your items as new
Remember that items that are fixed to the property would be considered part of your buildings insurance. If you are unsure, this is clearly defined in your policy wording.