Ensure a better chance of legitimate claims payments

17th July 2013

South Yorkshire homeowners and motorists urged to engage with their local broker to ensure a better chance of legitimate claims payments Sheffield broker IFM Insurance based on Tapton House Road today urged South Yorkshire homeowners and motorists to actively engage with their local broker to ensure a better chance of legitimate claims payments from insurers.

This follows a survey by consumer magazine Which? among its members that found 12% of household customers and 5% of motor customers who made an insurance claim in the past two years had it fully or partially rejected.  The survey involved 4,800 members with home and car insurance about their experiences when making an insurance claim. At the same time an investigation by Which? found that only one-third (32%) of its members said they trust price comparison sites to find the best price, regardless of the supplier. According to IFM, many consumers who take out policies direct or online may lack the professional expertise to fall back on if a claim starts to go wrong.  What's more many consumers may not have the experience or knowledge to negotiate claims payments themselves. Brokers know how to evidence and support negotiations through their understanding of policy wordings, relevant case law and their relationship with the insurer. Mark Barlow, Managing Director of IFM of said, -Buying insurance direct might seem the cheapest option but might end up costing you more than you think.  This research demonstrates the value of using a broker can bring particularly at point of a legitimate claim being repudiated by an over eager underwriter. A good broker should help you achieve a better chance of a fair outcome for consumers.  What's more a good broker will have the knowledge, technical understanding and experience in negotiations with insurers, loss adjusters and the like. Something that is very difficult for individuals acting on their own to be able to do.