The role of the insurance surveyor in fire and flood claims

It is important that the correct professionals are appointed to assist with your  fire and flood insurance claims. If there has been a substantial fire or flood and the property is uninhabitable we would always recommend appointing an independent insurance surveyor. Insurers will often try to resist the need for a surveyor – mainly as a cost control exercise – but more importantly the surveyor has a vital role to play in the claims process.

Insurance company suppliers are often branded as “insurance surveyors” but do not possess a formal qualification, are not registered with RICS and are not independent. By branding them insurance surveyors, insurers are hoping that their opinion is respected without being challenged. More often than not their opinion is incorrect and does not detail or provide your full entitlement. Even if insurers do appoint a chartered surveyor, they are not independent as they are paid and work for  the insurer and have an insurance company mindset.

Our experience is that a chartered surveyor can be one of the most important aspects of the claim, and whether you appoint us as loss assessor or not please do consider this further. We use a small panel of independent surveyors who understand the insurance industry and will assist us in acting in your best interests. We can also negotiate their involvement in the claim and always ask the insurers to bear their costs.

If you would like to talk to us further about our services and our panel of chartered surveyors, please contact us on 01273 573888.