Maintain Your Property or Insurers Won't Pay Out
Policy holders that fail to maintain insured items may find it hard to get their claim approved, says Alexander Forbes Insurance.
A claim for water damage caused by a rainwater leak, for example, is likely to be rejected on the grounds that a house should be able to withstand regular rain and the damage therefore must be the result of improper maintenance.
Driving without a licence or with worn tyres may also result in a vehicle insurance claim being rejected. It is also unsurprising that claims made for damage caused whilst driving under the influence will be also be ignored.
Home contents insurance claims are likely to meet resistance when alarm systems are defect, or policy holders have falsely claimed to have safety features like burglar bars or safety gates.
When negotiating an insurance policy, the insurer will assess and price the risk according to the information provided by the individual requesting cover. Safety features like burglar bars reduce the risk of a burglary and therefore the risk and cost to the insurer. When that risk is changed, due to a lack of maintenance or due to a false claim by the policy holder, claims are more than likely to be rejected.
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