How to make a Home Insurance Claim
Making a home insurance claim is never pleasant, but at LV=, we're here to help make the experience as quick and hassle-free as possible. In the event of an incident, our friendly advisers in our UK based call centre are on-hand to offer assistance on the numbers below.
Claims Departments | Telephone Numbers | Opening Times |
|---|---|---|
First Report - Buildings & Contents | 0845 640 5630 (Press option 1) | 24hrs, 7 days a week |
Existing Contents Claims | 0845 640 5630 (Press option 2) | 8am – 5.30pm Mon – Fri |
Existing Buildings Claims | 0870 609 0880 | 24hrs, 7 days a week |
Need to make a claim? Follow these simple steps
- Call as soon after the incident as possible
- Give us as much information about the incident as you can
- Speak to us before you make any arrangements for replacement or repair
- Don't forget to report to the police if theft or loss is involved
- Send to us immediately all communications from other people involved
Without our consent, you must not:
- negotiate or admit responsibility
- make any offer, promise or payment
- make your own arrangements for repair or replacement
We are entitled to:
- have total control to conduct, defend and settle any claim.
- take proceedings, in your name or in the name of any other person claiming under this insurance, at our own expense and for our own benefit to recover any payment we have made.
Frequently asked Home Claims questions:
What is my policy excess?
Do I have to pay the excess?
How do I claim my excess back?
How will a claim affect my premium?
How soon do I need to report an incident to the police?
How long will repairs take?
Do you have approved suppliers and specialists?
Is cover New for Old?
What is the matching sets and suites clause?
What is my policy excess?
An excess is the first portion of a claim which the Insured is responsible to pay and is individual to each policy.
Do I have to pay the excess?
If your schedule shows that you have to pay an excess, you must pay this.
How do I claim my excess back?
We would look to recover the excess if it is a non-fault incident and we have the third party's details.
How will a claim affect my premium?
Because not all claims are within your control, Home Insurance does not include a No Claims Discount. The frequency, type and value of claims made may affect premiums and as such, each premium is calculated on an individual basis and you will be notified of any changes prior to your renewal date.
How soon do I need to report an incident to the police?
Inform the Police as soon as possible and provide us with the crime reference number. All claims for money (including vouchers) must be reported within 24 hours of discovery.
How long will repairs take?
Repair times vary depending on the severity and nature of the damage involved.
Do you have approved suppliers and specialists?
We have an approved panel of tradesmen and suppliers working throughout the UK who we may appoint to inspect damage or replace goods on our behalf. Appointment of our tradesmen or suppliers will be discussed with you by our claims advisers over the telephone.
Is cover New for Old?
Yes, all items will be replaced on a like-for-like basis with new items of equivalent specification, features and functions. The only exceptions to this are clothing and linen which are subject to indemnity for wear and tear (this is assessed on an individual basis).
What is the matching sets and suites clause?
We will not pay for the cost of replacing any undamaged item or part of any item just because it forms part of a matching set or suite of furniture; sanitary fittings, personal possessions or other fixtures and fittings. Additionally, we will not pay for the cost of replacing matching flooring in separate rooms.
Important Information
LV= Complaints Process
At LV=, you are at the forefront of our minds in everything we do and we always endeavour to provide you with the best possible service. However, we recognise that sometimes things can go wrong. When they do, we want to know so we can take ownership of the problem and sort them out as quickly as possible for you. In this event, please contact our Home Claim Consultants to register a complaint where necessary.
LV= Fraud Prevention Policy
At LV= we take our responsibility to provide high quality, competitively priced insurance cover for our customers very seriously. We want to offer competitive insurance products to honest customers, and deal with all genuine claims as quickly as possible, with the minimum of fuss. However, a small number of people are prepared to make false or inflated claims.
As these false claims affect the cost of insurance for honest customers, we are committed to identifying any fraudulent activities and forwarding these to the Police for action.To help us to meet these aims, LV= makes use of some of the latest technology to check all new policies and claims to help identify any unusual activities.
Some of the registers we make use of are:
- The Claims and Underwriting Exchange (CUE), which is run by Insurance Database Services Ltd. The CUE database is used by the majority of the UK's leading insurers and contains details of most Motor and Household insurance claims.
- Insurance Hunter, this is a central insurance anti fraud system to which other insurers also have access. This database is designed to combat activities such as identity theft and money laundering.
