Home Insurance Claims

Everything classed as covered under Buildings Insurance is likely to be everything that you would have to leave behind if you were to move house, so in other words, everything that’s fixed. For example, a fitted bedroom would remain, so this element would likely be covered under Buildings, but a free-standing wardrobe would be covered under Contents.

It’s often the case that both sections of the policy apply to certain claims. For example, if you experienced a theft claim, you may need to claim under your Buildings cover for the cost of repair or damage to any broken windows or doors, and claim under your Contents cover for the replacement of any stolen items.

Claims are handled by the insurer, not by Gallagher directly. Your insurer’s claims team is there to help you and make the process as easy and quick as possible. They will need specific information about your claim and will also ask you some detailed questions to help them handle your claim efficiently and to prevent fraud.

You should notify the police as soon as possible if something is lost or stolen, or if your property has been purposely damaged. The police may provide you with an incident reference number which the insurer may require. It’s important that you do not negotiate or settle any claims made against you by another party – the insurer is there to do that for you. Do not admit or deny responsibility for anything relating to your claim as this could affect your claim.

1. Locate the insurer and policy number which you can find on the “Need to Make a Claim” section of your home Insurance Schedule, and your policy number.
2. Use the Claims contact information we have provided below to find the telephone number of the insurer you need to contact. Remember, if you have purchased any of the additional products available, your insurer may be different to the one you have your main policy with.
3. Telephone the insurer as soon as possible after the incident has occurred so that your claim can be dealt with quickly and efficiently.

When you make a claim the insurer may organise to repair, reinstate or replace the damaged property. If this isn’t possible, the insurer may pay for the loss or damage in cash. Where they can offer repair or replacement through a preferred supplier, but they agree to pay a cash settlement, the payment will reflect any discounts they may have received had they replaced the property (in other words a cash settlement may reflect a lower amount than the full cost of repair or replacement). If an equivalent replacement is not available then they will pay the full replacement cost of the item with no discount applied. The sums insured will not be reduced by any claim.

The insurer may appoint an approved supplier to act on their behalf to validate your claim. The approved supplier is authorised to arrange a quotation, a repair, or a replacement where appropriate.

When you claim for the replacement of an item, the insurer will make a reduction for wear and tear (unless you can prove they are less than three years old) for the following items:

• Clothes
• Furs
• Household linen.

For all other Contents, no reductions would be made, and 'replacement as new' will proceed as long as the item being claimed for is not in a damaged condition (unless as a result of the insured event for which you are claiming) and the full value of the item(s) does not exceed the maximum claim limit.

The insurer will not make a reduction for wear and tear for any elements of a Buildings claim provided that the full value of the Buildings does not exceed the maximum claim limit and they have been maintained in a good state of repair.

This is the maximum amount that can be paid in a claim for a single item. For the purpose of applying single article maximum claim limits, the insurer regards each matching pair or set of the following as a single item:

• High-risk property
• Furniture
• Sanitary fittings
• Soft furnishings
• Other fixtures and fittings.

The maximum claim limit under the Buildings and Contents sections will not be reduced if you make a claim.