Sheilas Wheels accidental damage claim

[HelenApple]

Hello. I am new to this site, so please bear with me! I have claimed on my insurance for my television, which was damaged by my son. When I took out the insurance I listed my television as a specified item, as I paid £1,200 for it when I bought it, as it was above the value that they covered individual items for. When my insurance came through, it was listed as being insured for just over £2,000.

 

However I have been told that it is not the monetry value I paid for it when I bought it that counts, but that I will get a like for like replacement. They state that they can give me a replacement television but that the value of this is £386, my excess is £350, so in effect I will be getting £36.

 

I am annoyed, as I specifically insured the television for that which I paid for it - and I will have been paying more to do this.

 

My policy states that they will give me an equivalent replacement - it does not say anything about the specification - which is what they are saying equates to an equivalent. I have tried to argue that an equivalent replacement should be equivalent to what I originally paid for it? Am I wasting my time? If they will only replace it for a television they say costs £386 then I see no point in claiming.

 

I would appreciate any help.

[unclebulgaria67]

Insurers are correct. Insurance is about putting you in the same position as before the accident I.E replacing the TV with one of same standard/specification.

 

What you should do, is find out which TV would be an exact replacement for the one that was damaged. So do some research with outlets that stock your brand of TV and see which TV in the current range, is a current replacement for the TV.

 

Some Insurers will try to offer you a TV which appears to be the same, but when you check this further, is actually a downgrade. It is either from a different manufacturer or does not have the same specification. TV's have come down in price, so the replacement they are offering may be the same.

 

Just because you specify a value, does not mean they have to payout that value. They only have to offer replacement. Also you may not have paid more that the normal Insurance rate for the TV. I suspect given the reduced price of TV's, that when you receive the replacement, you will no longer need to specify a TV and can remove the current specified TV.

[raydetinu]

you will only get a new TV if you had a new for old clause and a bigger premium. Otherwise you will just get its cureent value allowing for usage or a replacement.

Can the TV be repaired?

[GeoffW]

Hi

 

Uncle Bulgaria is entirely correct. If you received a television with a current value of £1200 and that is considerably better than the one you had, then the insurers don't have to pay for one which is better than you had. If you bought a carpet for £500 six years ago and it cost £700 now becuase carpet prices have gone up they have to get you a £700 carpet as long as your sum insured is enough to replace your contents - it works both ways.

 

As Uncle Bulgaria says you must make sure that they are offering you a realistic replacement - make sure that the specification of the one offered is at least as high as the damaged one

 

GeoffW