The Role of a Surveyor in an Insurance Claim

If you make a claim on your home insurance, your insurance company will follow a number of steps in order to decide how much compensation you should be paid, if any. This process will involve investigating and validating the claim, assessing the total loss caused - for example, the amount of damage a fire or flood has caused to your property - and calculating the costs incurred due to this damage.

The complexity of insurance claims means a number of other people may become involved at various stages in the process, especially if the property needs a lot of work or there is some kind of dispute. One such person is a surveyor. This blog from Simon Levy Associates outlines the role of a surveyor in home insurance claim cases.

What does a surveyor do during an insurance claim?

In the event of a home insurance claim, a surveyor may be sent to assess the damage to your property. This will be done prior to any repairs being carried out. Their role is essentially to carry out a physical examination of the damaged property in order to assess the loss suffered and action needed to repair the damage.

The surveyor will then prepare a ‘schedule of works’ report, which is presented to the insurance company and be put out to tender. Contractors will be given the opportunity to bid for the work and, so long as the contractor’s bid is competitive, the homeowner will be able to appoint the firm they are most comfortable with.

Appointing a surveyor

The surveyor should act independently of the insurance company and offer impartial guidance on any action required. While in many cases your surveyor will be appointed by the insurance company, it is ultimately up to you who works on your property. For the purposes of impartiality, we recommend that you find and appoint your own surveyor.

There is no obligation to appoint your own surveyor, but doing so can give you peace of mind. It can go a long way to help ensure that the insurance company is abiding by their obligations, acting fairly and in accordance with external regulations, and that the work carried out at your property is of the highest standard.

If you’re making a claim on your home insurance, Simon Levy Associates can help you get the result you deserve. Our trustworthy and reliable team can assist you in liaising with the insurance company, as well as specifying the appropriate scope and quality of repair work to be carried out and ensuring that any necessary work is administered, overseen, and certified. We’re committed to making your home insurance claim as straightfoward as possible. Get in touch today to find out more.