How long will it take for my insurance claim to be settled?

There is no easy answer to this question as it will depend on the complexity of the claim; however a relatively straightforward claim should not take very long to settle at all.

Property Claims

The insurance company will normally ask for a claim form along with some repair estimates if the property is only damaged, or replacement estimates if property is beyond repair. They may also ask for some evidence of value and ownership – such as a receipt or a copy of a bank statement.

Once the estimates have been supplied the insurers will be able to give the go-ahead within a few days unless they decide to appoint a loss adjuster to come and view the damage for them. Even if this happens there is no reason why the go-ahead can’t be given quickly after the loss adjuster has seen the damage and we will ensure this happens for you.

Once the repairs are complete and the invoice has been provided settlement should follow soon after.

Centor also have the advantage of delegated authority on certain property claims with Aviva. This allows us to provide an even faster service for your claim.

Liability Claims

Liability claims do take longer to settle than property claims. The reason is there is normally an injury involved so it takes time for all of solicitors to deal with the case and medical evidence to be collected.

The insurers will normally ask for documents about what has happened or they may appoint a liability adjuster to investigate. Once the investigation has taken place the insurers will be able to decide if they think the claim will need to be paid or if can be defended.

Fortunately liability claims tend to run quietly in the background most of the time. Once the investigation is complete the insurers work with solicitors to resolve the case so you should not need to spend time on it.

Centor Claims Service

For any claims the first contact should always be with the Centor Claims Department. Our specialist claims team can advise you how your claim will proceed and what information would be needed.

For further information on this subject please contact David Jacobsen (Claims Manager) on 020 7330 8716.