Claims Guidance - for policyholders

Carmichaels promise that we will make every effort to deal with your claim, fairly, promptly and courteously. We understand that you may be concerned about the involvement of a loss adjuster. We will try to put your mind at rest by answering some frequently asked questions.
 

What is a loss adjuster? 

Insurers appoint loss adjusters in order to assess your claim from an impartial viewpoint, addressing the concerns of both the policyholder and the insurer, with the aim of achieving a fair outcome to the satisfaction of both parties, within the terms of the policy.
 

What can I do before the loss adjuster visits?
Please carry out any emergency first aid measures to prevent further loss or damage. Take photographs before any work is carried out. Have available for our adjuster as much documentation as you can including, where appropriate, contractors’ estimates for all necessary repairs and replacement.

If your claim relates to theft or accidental loss, have available any documentation which proves ownership/value, such as purchase receipts, repair/cleaning invoices, instruction manuals/guarantee booklets, original packaging, valuations or photographs.

Why have my insurers sent a loss adjuster - what's wrong?
Insurance companies usually appoint loss adjusters on any claim over a set value, often as little as £500. Believe it or not, your insurance company does want to pay your claim. In most cases, they do not have staff who carry out external visits so they appoint an outside organisation - such as Carmichaels.

How can you be impartial if you are paid by the insurance company?
We work to the Codes of Conduct published by the Chartered Institute of Loss Adjusters, the General Insurance Standards Council and the Association of British Insurers. These require us to act, amongst other things, with total fairness and honesty. 

Do you get paid for reducing my claim?

No, the level of our charges is based on the amount you receive - not the amount we save.
 

Why have my insurance company sent someone from a different company rather than one of their own people? 

Several reasons: As we are from a separate company, we can assess your claim from an independent viewpoint; we are experts whose sole business is the handling of insurance claims; and because we can offer practical advice and help during what sometimes can be an extremely harrowing experience.
 Since you work for an insurance company, should I have someone to represent me?
 We would suggest that you don't do this until you have had a chance to meet one of our experienced loss adjusters and discuss how we can work together to progress your claim. You can then decide.
 

What type of questions will you ask?
We want to understand what has happened and will ask you to explain in as much detail as you can remember. It may help to make some notes to assist your memory. We will also ask about your previous insurance history. It will save time if you can have available details of your insurances for the previous five years including the name and address of the insurance company(ies), the policy number(s), and details of any claims made, whether paid or not.
Your insurance broker may be able to help you gather this information together.
 

Once my claim has been agreed, what happens next? 

Once a figure has been agreed with you, we will issue our report recommending payment. Where we arrange replacement or repair, payment will be made directly to the supplier. Otherwise, payment will normally be made to you. Cheques are issued by your insurance company, normally via your insurance brokers.
 

What action can I take if I am not happy?
We hope this will not be the case. If you are dissatisfied, we would encourage you to write to one of our Partners setting out your problem. We promise to listen to what you say and to investigate, quickly and fairly. We will then contact you with the aim of resolving any outstanding issues. If we cannot agree a way forward, your policy document will, normally, outline the procedure which must be followed.
 
At the end of your claim, we will send you a post-paid Customer Satisfaction Form. Please do take the time to complete and return this form as it will help us to improve our service to all policyholders.