Frequently asked questions

A loss assessor is an independent professional hired by you, the policyholder, to prepare and negotiate your insurance claim with your insurer. You are our client, so we work for you, with your interests at heart.

Our job is to make sure you receive your full entitlement. Without professional representation, many people never receive the full value of their loss.

A loss adjuster is appointed and paid by your insurance company to investigate the claim and recommend a settlement. A loss assessor is appointed by you, works only for you, and manages and negotiates your claim to get you the best possible settlement.

The loss adjuster visits your property and assesses the damage on behalf of your insurer. It's common practice to appoint your own representation at this point. As your loss assessor, we manage every aspect of your claim to obtain the best possible settlement for you.

A loss adjuster is a claims specialist appointed and paid by an insurer to investigate a complex or contentious claim. They establish the cause of the loss and whether it's covered by your policy, then report to the insurer with a recommended settlement.

They aren't appointed to advise you on how best to make your claim, and they won't help you if you want to dispute a settlement offer. The onus is on you to prove you're entitled to more.

If you bought your policy through a broker, they should help as far as they can. Realistically, though, few brokers have the time, resources or expertise to manage a claim, which is why many recommend using a loss assessor who can dedicate their time to it.

At the earliest opportunity. The start of your claim is the best time, because that's when your insurer instructs a loss adjuster to act on its behalf, not yours. If you appoint a loss assessor after the adjuster's report has gone in, it can be much harder to challenge.

Every claim is different, so there are no set timescales. A straightforward, non-contentious claim generally takes between four and six weeks to settle. More complex or hard-fought claims can take longer. We don't get paid until you do, so we progress every claim as quickly and forcefully as we can.

Read our guide to how long claims take.

We handle claims for homeowners, landlords and commercial clients, including fire, flood, escape of water, storm damage, impact damage, theft and subsidence.

We also deal with alternative accommodation and, for commercial clients and landlords, loss of rent, business interruption, and stock and machinery.

We work nationwide. Our Southern office in Cobham, Surrey covers the whole of the South of England, from Kent and Essex to Cornwall, including London. Our head office in Hale, Cheshire covers the North West and beyond.

Wherever your property is, your loss assessor will visit you to inspect the damage and meet your insurer's loss adjuster.

If you appoint us early, we can manage every aspect of your claim. We can:

• secure your property, organise emergency works and arrange alternative accommodation where needed
• identify the full extent of the damage to buildings and contents
• prepare, present and negotiate your entire claim
• deal with your insurer and its loss adjuster so you receive the full amount you're entitled to
• help you appoint specialist surveyors and contractors, and supervise their work through to completion

In some circumstances, yes. A policy is a contract, and an insurer can deny a claim if it believes you haven't kept to your side of it, the loss isn't covered, or it suspects fraud.

That doesn't mean the insurer is right. We can represent you professionally and fight for the claim to be accepted and settled.

Read our guide to challenging a rejected claim.

Underinsurance can have a big effect on your claim. It allows the insurer to reduce the settlement severely, and it can even reject the claim for gross underinsurance. It's more common than people think, because many people insure their property for what it's worth rather than what it would cost to rebuild.

If you're worried about underinsurance, speak to us as soon as possible.

Your first consultation is free and there's no obligation. We work on a no win, no fee basis, so we don't get paid until you do. Call us and we'll talk you through how our fees work for your claim.

Read more about loss assessor fees.

Yes. We're regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA Reg No 308042), and we're members of the Institute of Public Loss Assessors.