Making an Insurance Claim

What is buildings insurance?

Buildings insurance covers the structure of your development – the roof, external walls, communal areas and shared systems such as pipework. It protects against damage from things like fire, storm, flood and escape of water.

It also covers most flat-to-flat damage. If a leak from a neighbour's flat damages your ceiling, walls or flooring, that's usually a buildings insurance matter.

It does not cover your own belongings – furniture, flooring you've fitted, appliances. That's contents insurance, and it's down to each homeowner to arrange separately.

If you have a leak or ongoing issue

Stop the leak first. Once the area is dry, remedial repairs can begin. See "Stopping the leak" below for who arranges this. Once the immediate problem is under control, use the steps further down to make a claim.

Where a leak from another flat causes the damage, that owner is responsible for the cost of stopping it and for the policy excess. Repairing the resulting damage to your flat's fabric and fixtures is covered by the insurance.

Where the leak starts in your own flat – a leaking tap, an appliance, or worn seals, for example – you're responsible for the cost of fixing the leak itself. Depending on the policy, the resulting damage to your flat's fabric and fixtures may be claimed under the buildings policy. Damage caused by condensation typically isn't covered by buildings insurance – it's worth checking whether your contents or home insurance covers this instead.

Keeping appliances and seals in good order is usually a lease requirement, and it's in everyone's interest: claims affect the estate's insurance costs, so fewer claims can mean lower premiums for everyone over time.

Stopping the leak

Where the source is a communal pipe or system, we arrange for this to be fixed.

Where the source is another flat, the owner of that flat is responsible for arranging and paying for their own plumber to stop it. If you know where a leak is coming from, contacting the flat directly is often the fastest way to stop it – keeping your contact details up to date with us helps too, in case we need to reach you quickly.

Who arranges your estate’s insurance?

This determines how a claim is handled.

If the insurance is arranged via the broker, Alexander Bonhill, you'll need to contact the appointed claims handler – a separate firm the insurer uses to manage claims, sometimes called a loss adjuster. Details below.

If the freeholder arranges the insurance directly, or via any other broker, you'll need to contact their appointed representative to make a claim.

Not sure which applies to you? Look at your insurance documentation in the resident app/portal, or ask us using the form below and we'll point you in the right direction.

How to make a claim

This process applies where your buildings insurance is arranged via Alexander Bonhill. The insurer appoints a separate claims handling firm to manage your claim: your claims handler has the authority to approve your claim and settle payment directly with your contractor. All you need to do is register your claim, get a quote approved and arrange the work.

1. Register your claim with the claims handler as soon as possible. You'll need your address, the date of the incident, a description and photographic evidence of the damage, and confirmation that the source has been repaired. Where another flat caused the damage, we can help obtain proof of repair for the insurer.
2. Get your claim reference. The claims handler will confirm how the claim will be handled and whether a loss adjuster visit is needed.
3. Get a quote for the remedial works and submit it with photographs or supporting documentation. Your claims handler will confirm how many quotes are required, based on the value of the works.
4. Wait for approval before starting any works. If works go ahead without approval, the insurer may decline to pay.
5. Arrange the works with the chosen contractor once approved.
6. The contractor submits their invoice directly to the insurer or loss adjuster, who settles payment directly with the contractor.
7. Policy excess: If a communal system caused the damage, the excess is covered by the service charge. If another flat caused it, the excess is recharged to that owner.
    

We will direct you to this process at the outset and handle the excess recharge once the claim closes. Your estate manager can't log a claim or obtain quotes on your behalf.

Access for remedial works

Remedial works are often delayed by access – particularly where a flat is let out and the tenant or agent isn't immediately reachable. A last-minute access request is an inconvenience, but a short delay now is far easier for everyone than a repair dragging on for weeks. If your flat is affected, arranging prompt access for the contractor keeps things moving. If you let your flat out, it helps to give your tenant or agent a heads-up in advance.