FAQs

Insurance claims can be tricky to assess. Some claims involve secondary damage caused by smoke or water that is not obvious at first, so it is worth recording it early.

If your home or business has just been badly damaged by fire, flood, storm or another event, it can be hard to take on a complex claim while dealing with everything else. Your insurer’s loss adjuster assesses the claim on the insurer’s behalf; a loss assessor gives you professional representation on yours.

We know how the claims process works. We identify and record the damage in detail and present it to your insurer with the supporting evidence.

A Loss Adjuster is a claims professional employed by your insurance company to investigate the claim, scrutinise the policy conditions and to adjust the claim pay-out in line with policy cover. The loss adjuster is paid by the insurance company and acts on behalf of the insurance company.

A loss assessor is appointed by the policyholder and acts for them. We prepare, present and negotiate insurance claims and manage the claims process for you. Trevor Kelly Insurance Claim Solutions Limited, trading as Insurance Claim Solutions, is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland (Reg. No. C423441).

Make sure everyone is safe and, if it is safe to do so, take reasonable steps to stop further damage, such as turning off the water. Notify your insurer or broker as soon as possible, as your policy requires. Photograph the damage before anything is moved, keep receipts for any emergency repairs, and keep damaged items until your insurer or its loss adjuster has seen them. You can contact us at the same time: we can inspect and record the damage, advise on limiting further damage and, once appointed, deal with your insurer on your behalf.

You can contact us as soon as you suffer a loss, at the same time as you notify your insurer or broker. We can then assess, photograph and document the damage. Recording the loss carefully helps you present the claim clearly to your insurer.

Yes. One call to us and we will arrange to visit within 24 hours. In addition to the property reinstatement, we can also help in the assessment of lost stock, increased cost of work, business interruption and trading losses.

We carry out a free, no-obligation first survey and take your claim on a no win, no fee basis.

A lower payment can have several causes, such as under-insurance (where the average clause may apply), excesses, policy limits or exclusions. We can review the settlement with you and explain how it was calculated.

Home insurance generally covers for “accidents”. Burst pipes and tanks after freezing, but often does not cover for gradual damage from small leaks that might be considered lack of maintenance. Give us a call and we can check your policy against the damage you have.

Many home insurance policies cover sudden water damage, such as a burst pipe or storm damage to a roof. Cover depends on your policy wording, and gradual leaks or wear and tear are often excluded. We can check your policy against the damage.

Timescales depend on the insurer and on the size and complexity of the claim. We keep you updated as the claim progresses.

Your insurer pays you directly once settlement terms are agreed. How long that takes depends on the insurer.

Our fee is due when you receive money from insurance company.

A detailed list of insurable perils is listed in your policy booklet. However you also need to consider the exclusions and special conditions, which are often set out in the small print. Call us and we can review your policy and the damage with you, free of charge, and explain what may be covered.

You, the policyholder receives the payment directly from the insurance company. Loss assessors do not commute or handle the settlement funds.

Any claim made on the policy is likely to have an impact on your no claims bonus, each insurer will differ. It is important to weigh up the benefit of the claim and the potential impact. We can advise of the potential impact to your policy on an individual basis. The onus is on the policyholder to advise any future insurer of previous claims.

Loss assessors do not carry out the reinstatement works themselves. We can help you obtain quotes from contractors and, if required, project manage the repairs. Check your policy conditions on approved repairers before you appoint anyone.

Burst pipes can be a financial headache for home owners. Fortunately, home insurance typically covers unexpected burst pipes and the water damage that results. However, generally you won’t be covered if the damage results from a slow leak that went unfixed for months.

Saving a few euro by under-insuring your property can cause a big problem if you need to make a claim.

Insurance companies apply a mechanism called The Average Clause and is calculated as follows.

The following example is for illustration only.

• Let’s assume that Value at Risk of your house, as outlined by the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland, is €300,000 (this depends on a number of factors)
• Your Sum Insured as specified in the Insurance Policy is actually €200,000. You are therefore under insured by €100,000
• Let’s assume that a fire occurs and nearly half of your house is destroyed.
• As per builders quotes, to have it re-built/repaired it will cost you €120,000. You therefore file an insurance claim for €120,000
• Unfortunately, as the Sum Insured is only €200,000 instead of €300,000, the insurance company assumes that you are responsible for 33% of the risk on this property. They are therefore only liable to pay 67% of the claim (this is the average clause)
• In result you lose €40,000, just because the property was under insured.

This also applies to the contents section of your policy.