We are currently dealing with unprecedented situations, with coronavirus being top-of-mind for everyone. However, whilst any household or individual is fearful of what is and what may be, the emotions run even deeper for those who have suffered a property impact at their home or business and now have to cope with all of the coronavirus risks, on top of what can often be a distressing property insurance claim process.
This winter has seen some powerful storms hit the UK, causing wind damage but also depositing centimetre after centimetre of water on already rain-sodden land. Communities around the Severn Valley and part of East Yorkshire achieved their Andy Warhol 15 minutes of fame for all the wrong reasons, appearing in news bulletins showing the state of devastation and the extent of their property loss. They were not the only ones.
Coronavirus on top of flooded or damaged homes
It is important to emphasise, for those with a greater burden to bear at the present time than most, perhaps because they are having to stay inside a home that has not been repaired, or perhaps because they cannot re-inhabit their home and are having to live in temporary accommodation, that our network of loss assessors are still working remotely to do all that they can. They are fighting the corner of those property owners who need help, within social constraints.
Our team is not wavering in its support of those insured property policyholders who have not found their home insurance claim plain sailing and who are still trying to resolve things, to achieve what they believe is their proper settlement. The team is also assisting commercial property owners, whose claim for property loss is an extra burden to add to those surrounding coronavirus work planning, cash flow control and business survival.
When can you appoint your own property insurance claim loss assessor?
We are frequently asked when it is that a homeowner or commercial property owner who has suffered property loss or damage has to appoint their own loss assessor, if they are going to enact that consumer right. The important thing to realise is that Aspray does not have to have been appointed at the very start of a claim. We frequently receive instructions part-way through a claim, when those who have tried to negotiate with the insurer’s loss adjuster have failed to do so effectively and have not got their point of view across. We also take instructions from home insurance or commercial insurance policyholders who have already had a claim turned down – declined, as it is known in the insurance sector – and who feel that decision unfair and unjust.
Who our property claims managers assist and how they make a difference?
If there is one thing that sets our Aspray team apart, it is commitment to customers. Many of our loss assessors have families and loved ones to look after through this coronavirus pandemic, but what they also have, in absolute heaps, is empathy for others. For many, this is the reason they join us, as they have a personal need to help, make a difference and assist those requiring assistance because those people are vulnerable, alone, unwell, unaware what the insurance jargon means, or simply confused and out of their depth.
Empathy is the steel inside all of our loss assessors who are still instructing and overseeing emergency work and working round-the-clock to make sure they do their best by their customers. The great news also is that there is no charge for our service, if our contractors are used to complete the schedule of works and under our supervision to reinstate the property to its pre-loss condition. These factors together mean that our field-based team earns huge respect from the people they are assisting, which gets passed on to our head office team, who are providing support services from home to help claims get processed, and also working through the epidemic.
First steps to resolving an insurance claim during coronavirus
If you are someone trying to fight the coronavirus battle as well as processing a property insurance claim, whether that is a home insurance or a commercial insurance claim, get in touch if you need our property claims management support. It just requires one call to 0800 077 6705 to get the ball rolling and hopefully help you begin to see the wood from the trees.
Do not think you have to agree to a lesser settlement just because the insurer wants a speedy resolution. This is your loss and you need to be satisfied that your insurance policy has given you back what fate has taken away. Tempting though it may be to get things signed off because of coronavirus, do consider the effect on your finances and whether the property reinstatement plan offered is really what you think your insurance policy should provide.
If you have doubts, the sooner you get in touch, the sooner we can assess your individual situation and provide you with advice as to how you can proceed.
Extra property claims reassurance
We understand that people are particularly nervous about how things are unravelling at this time, so if you need to have extra reassurance, reading some of our customer testimonials and the views of people like you, who we have already helped, just ask, we are totally transparent and ready to give you the information you require. As we said above, please just get in touch on 0800 077 6705, or visit www.aspray.com for more details.
Above all, however, stay safe and do not let the situation harm your mental health, as well as, potentially, your physical well-being.
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