Discussion Insurance

[Deleted member 1465]

I'm looking for some practical advice here as I can't get it anywhere else and people on here tend to be nothing if not pragmatic.

I'm trying to get home insurance in the UK.

I have an underlying suspicion that all insurance is a huge con and a mass delusion that we all buy into. I think this after years of car insurance and being more out of pocket from making a claim than avoiding claiming.
So far insurance had always been a legal requisite to me and nothing more. I'd go for the cheapest quote then not use it unless I had to for legal reasons.

Home insurance is different. It's not a legal requirement and if you are going to get it, you want to know it's going to function when you need otherwise there's no point in buying it no matter how cheap a quote you get.

So I've been on the price comparison websites and researched the companies that offer quotes.

But I've seen an alarming pattern.

On review sites like trustpilot, all the positive reviews for a company are reviews of the buying process, often solicited by the company itself. Well or that's bound to be a positive experience isn't it? They are going to be good at taking your money.
Meanwhile all the bad reviews are from people who have made a claim and have had the insurer try to wriggle out of it, usually also with bad customer support and avoidant tactics. The shoe is so often on the other foot when they are paying out rather than taking payment.

So I tried a broker, only to get a quote of double the price for less cover, from a company that still has some bad reviews about the claiming process.
Worth noting that I realise bad reviews are biased and come from someone with an axe to grind and we don't see the full story. Also that it's rarer to see good reviews about an actual claim, people just don't bother usually.

So where lies the Toad of Truth in this Swamp of Confusion?

Does anyone in the UK have any positive stories about home insurance companies based on having actually made a claim?

I asked this question on MoneySavingExpert but got no replies.

 

[Brick In The Wall]

Finding the right insurance for anything can be a pain in the ass. Even selecting the "best" doesn't ensure a payout if something happens.

All of these companies have a "loss prevention" department. As you said they always look for any reason to wiggle out of their obligations.

I honestly don't have any solid advice for you. But I figured I could atleast bump your thread and provide some support that way.

 

[Deleted member 1465]

You never know, I got some good plumbing advice on here.

 

[Brick In The Wall]

You never know, I got some good plumbing advice on here.

I remember your haunted plumbing issues . You did get some solid advice here but I don't remember how it turned out. I'd assume you found a resolution no?

 

[Deleted member 4993]

i only bother with the basic Buildings and contents + legal protection as an add on about £14 it's worth having
previous experience has taught me all the accident / extras cause hassle when or if you need to claim.
just my opinion

 

[Deleted member 1465]

I remember your haunted plumbing issues . You did get some solid advice here but I don't remember how it turned out. I'd assume you found a resolution no?

I was in the process of negotiating with a plumber who also lectured in hydrodynamics who seemed to understand the issue, but wouldn't come out to my area till the summer when his workload dropped off. Then the virus hit. I never did get it sorted.

i only bother with the basic Buildings and contents + legal protection as an add on about £14 it's worth having
previous experience has taught me all the accident / extras cause hassle when or if you need to claim.
just my opinion

Yeah I only need basic cover too. I just want a company that's not going to try and wriggle out of a legit claim but I sense that they are all charlatans.