Property Owners Lack Confidence To Challenge Insurance Claim Outcomes

A recent survey featured in The Irish Times has highlighted a clear issue for Irish property owners: many people feel stressed by the insurance claims process and lack confidence when it comes to challenging the outcome of a claim.

The article, which references research carried out by Amárach on behalf of OMC Claims, points to a wider concern around confidence, communication and support during property insurance claims.

When a property insurance claim is settled, many homeowners and business owners assume the insurer’s decision is final. In reality, if a settlement does not reflect the full extent of the damage, the policyholder may be entitled to question it, seek clarification or challenge the outcome.

According to The Irish Times article, fewer than 60% of surveyed policyholders said they were happy with the outcome of their claims process. More than half said they did not have the confidence to challenge the insurer’s decision. Confidence was a particular issue for homeowners, with only 47% saying they felt confident enough to challenge the outcome of a claim.

For business premises owners, confidence was higher, but the process was still widely seen as stressful. The article reported that 80% of business premises owners surveyed said they found the insurance process stressful.

These findings reflect what we regularly see in practice.

“The insurance process can be really stressful for people, as highlighted by this research,” said Liam Ryan, managing director of OMC Claims.

“A significant number of respondents indicated that they have not felt adequately covered by past payouts, particularly business owners. However, many policyholders do not feel confident enough to challenge the settlements offered – that’s where loss assessors can play a key role.”

Property owners can feel under pressure when dealing with policy wording, insurer reports, repair scopes, drying costs, reinstatement costs, exclusions, underinsurance concerns and settlement offers. Without independent support, it can be difficult to know whether a claim has been properly assessed or whether important items have been missed.

You can read the full Irish Times article here

At OMC Claims, we work for the policyholder, not the insurer. Our role is to assess the damage, review the policy, prepare the claim, document the full loss and negotiate with the insurer on behalf of the customer. Where a settlement offer is unclear, reduced or disputed, we help policyholders understand their position and challenge the outcome where appropriate.

You may benefit from speaking to a loss assessor if your insurer has reduced your claim, delayed a decision, rejected part of the claim, disputed the cause of damage, questioned repair costs, raised underinsurance concerns or made an offer that does not appear to cover the full loss.

Getting advice early can help avoid missed items, poor documentation and unnecessary delays. It can also give you more confidence when dealing with the insurer’s appointed representatives.

OMC Claims can review your claim, assess the damage and negotiate with your insurer on your behalf.