Matty's Caddy Posted 4 September, 2013 Share Posted 4 September, 2013 Getting seriously peed off with my home insurance. 9 days ago, bank holiday Monday night, the fridge freezer door wouldn't shut so I decided to remove excess ice carefully with a serrated bread knife!! (I know) Came down Tuesday morning to find it off and rapidly defrosting....DOH!! Looked inside and realised I'd damaged a pipe. So I ring Santander insurance and confirm that I'm covered for accidental damage. They tell me that they want to send a firm out to inspect the damage to see if it is repairable. Great!! (Sarcasm) Weds santanders contractor phones me to tell me that their contractors are going to phone me to make an appointment Thurs, they phone me to tell me they can come out on Monday to inspect it. They turn up Monday and then inform me they have 2 days to get the report back to the insurance company. This doesn't include the day they came out, even though they came at 8am!!! Is it me or are they taking the wee? It will be 10 days tomorrow without a fridge before I find out if they'll allow me to go and purchase another or god forbid they want to repair it. How much longer am I expected to go without a fridge. Advise please. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hutch Posted 5 September, 2013 Share Posted 5 September, 2013 Advise please. Don't cut the pipes in your fridge with serrated knives. HTH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trousers Posted 5 September, 2013 Share Posted 5 September, 2013 Do customer service research before becoming a customer of Santander. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dubai_phil Posted 5 September, 2013 Share Posted 5 September, 2013 Well, Matty has a point, he thinks he has paid for something and discovered he is being ripped off screwed around by a BIG CORPORATION. As Trousers says do your research first. As we always say, pay peanuts get monkeys. Ah yes the British Obsession with getting the cheapest price Oh sod it can't think of many more cliches. So I'll just say. An annual process and plan to reduce the level of stock in ones fridge or freezer to allow for a De-frost is always a wise course of action. Which no, sorry NONE of that waffle can stop me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Window Cleaner Posted 5 September, 2013 Share Posted 5 September, 2013 Getting seriously peed off with my home insurance. 9 days ago, bank holiday Monday night, the fridge freezer door wouldn't shut so I decided to remove excess ice carefully with a serrated bread knife!! (I know) Came down Tuesday morning to find it off and rapidly defrosting....DOH!! Looked inside and realised I'd damaged a pipe. So I ring Santander insurance and confirm that I'm covered for accidental damage. They tell me that they want to send a firm out to inspect the damage to see if it is repairable. Great!! (Sarcasm) Weds santanders contractor phones me to tell me that their contractors are going to phone me to make an appointment Thurs, they phone me to tell me they can come out on Monday to inspect it. They turn up Monday and then inform me they have 2 days to get the report back to the insurance company. This doesn't include the day they came out, even though they came at 8am!!! Is it me or are they taking the wee? It will be 10 days tomorrow without a fridge before I find out if they'll allow me to go and purchase another or god forbid they want to repair it. How much longer am I expected to go without a fridge. Advise please. Moral in all this, don't defrost your freezer with a sharp object, they won't pay if they find out you know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THINWHITEDUKE Posted 5 September, 2013 Share Posted 5 September, 2013 (edited) Thought you seemed a bit tense these past few days, but your darts have improved sh@g! Edited 5 September, 2013 by THINWHITEDUKE forgot the swear filter! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matty's Caddy Posted 5 September, 2013 Author Share Posted 5 September, 2013 Well, Matty has a point, he thinks he has paid for something and discovered he is being ripped off screwed around by a BIG CORPORATION. As Trousers says do your research first. As we always say, pay peanuts get monkeys. Ah yes the British Obsession with getting the cheapest price Oh sod it can't think of many more cliches. So I'll just say. An annual process and plan to reduce the level of stock in ones fridge or freezer to allow for a De-frost is always a wise course of action. Which no, sorry NONE of that waffle can stop me £1200 a year buildings and contents, I don't call that peanuts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buctootim Posted 5 September, 2013 Share Posted 5 September, 2013 you're k mad / ripped off unless you live in a mansion or in Liverpool. I pay £240 pa combined for £500,000 buildings and £50,000 contents Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matty's Caddy Posted 5 September, 2013 Author Share Posted 5 September, 2013 Yeah thought that sounded alot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hutch Posted 5 September, 2013 Share Posted 5 September, 2013 I don't know you, obviously, but 50 grand sounds as if you're woefully underinsured. I suggest you do an inventory, it's a bit of an eye-opener. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buctootim Posted 5 September, 2013 Share Posted 5 September, 2013 Yeah thought that sounded alot Go on moneysupermarket.com or one of the other comparison sites. Depending on where you live and how old you are it can be as low as a tenth of what you're paying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buctootim Posted 5 September, 2013 Share Posted 5 September, 2013 I don't know you, obviously, but 50 grand sounds as if you're woefully underinsured. I suggest you do an inventory, it's a bit of an eye-opener. Some people say that but I can never see how. I have decent stuff but no expensive jewelry or handmade furniture. I work on £5,000 per room and £10,000 for the lounge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hutch Posted 5 September, 2013 Share Posted 5 September, 2013 I've moved my entire household in containers around the world a couple of times in the past few years. You need a full priced inventory for waybills import/export taxes, insurance, etc. Sit down and work out how much it would cost you to buy every item of clothing in all the wardrobes and drawers in your house, brand new, today. There are 4 adults in my house, and I reckon our clothes, including shoes etc, would be way over half your total contents. Your insurance company won't argue with you, they will just pay you out 20% of your claim. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buctootim Posted 5 September, 2013 Share Posted 5 September, 2013 I've moved my entire household in containers around the world a couple of times in the past few years. You need a full priced inventory for waybills import/export taxes, insurance, etc. Sit down and work out how much it would cost you to buy every item of clothing in all the wardrobes and drawers in your house, brand new, today. There are 4 adults in my house, and I reckon our clothes, including shoes etc, would be way over half your total contents. Your insurance company won't argue with you, they will just pay you out 20% of your claim. I guess that would be the difference. Its only me and two kids - lego probably accounts for about half the value. My work clothes are decent but some of my casual / leisure stuff borders on shameful. I still wear a t shirt an old girlfriend gave me 18 years ago. I take your point though - it doesn't cost that much more to whack up the total to £100,000 contents and a housefire that wipes out everything would be expensive if under-insured. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horley CTFC Saint Posted 5 September, 2013 Share Posted 5 September, 2013 Blame all the barstewards who make fraudulent claims - thats why they send an inspector/loss adjuster out these days - oh and I doubt its Santander that are the insurers - you need to check out who actually underwrites the policy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matty's Caddy Posted 5 September, 2013 Author Share Posted 5 September, 2013 Yeah it's somebody else and they use contractors!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Boy Saint Posted 5 September, 2013 Share Posted 5 September, 2013 Blame all the barstewards who make fraudulent claims - thats why they send an inspector/loss adjuster out these days - oh and I doubt its Santander that are the insurers - you need to check out who actually underwrites the policy Aviva Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tony13579 Posted 6 September, 2013 Share Posted 6 September, 2013 I defrost the freezer with the steam iron Lol My wife's shoe collection would account for...... 100x £50= £5000 We pay just under £300 for a 350k bungalow with hallifax If you are doing contents it includes furnishings. I recon on £2000 to pay someone to decorate , carpet , curtains light fittings one room. Sofa £1000 each beds £500-1000 don't forget all the crap like a vase of dead sticks , extension leads, wifi routers you got for free but you will have to pay for. Pens, scissors ,string batteries. If you had start from zero you would spend £80 filling the odds and ends draw in the kitchen. How many days would it take to decorate every inch of your home and garden? Multiply that by £150 then add all the materials. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hutch Posted 6 September, 2013 Share Posted 6 September, 2013 ...or move to Africa, and the Utility Company will defrost your freezer for you every couple of months free of charge. I've already lost the contents once this year (and we've got 2 freezers!). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wes Tender Posted 6 September, 2013 Share Posted 6 September, 2013 £1200 a year buildings and contents' date=' I don't call that peanuts[/quote']As many others have said, that's way over the top. Most overpay because they don't recognise that the building insurance value is only the cost of rebuilding the house, not the sale value of the property which includes the land. Because Insurers are keen to encourage new customers, they offer significantly lower rates to them and effectively penalise their existing loyal customers, who then become mugs for just accepting the renewal premium without asking for other quotes. Screen scraper sites like those recommended on Money Saving Expert make it simple to find lower quotes. Insurers have become tight-fisted bastards and if you were making a claim for accidental damage, they will try and get out of paying it and then only pay a fraction, citing wear and tear. And then the renewal premium will go up next year and when you search around for another insurer then, you'll be asked about your claim details. I speak from bitter experience, so excuse me if I have a low opinion of insurers. Why don't you look at this in a philosophical light and buy a new fridge / freezer for about £350/£400 and reason that by switching insurers you will save yourself much more than the cost of the new product and at the same time gain some satisfaction that you will never give those sharks any more of your business for the rest of your life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matty's Caddy Posted 9 September, 2013 Author Share Posted 9 September, 2013 Ok. Monday lunchtime and I still haven't been contacted by Santander to tell me if its beyond economical repair or not. I feel the need to complain to somebody but who? Insurance ombudsman? Trading standards? Could so with a few pointers if anyone knows, thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now