How can I make a foolproof insurance coverage declare for flood injury attributable to Storm Bert? DEAN DUNHAM replies

My house was flooded during Storm Bert, resulting in a fair amount of damage. 

I contacted my insurer, but it said it will send out an assessor to determine ‘if I’m eligible to claim’. 

What does this mean, and is it trying to wriggle out of paying up?

By email.

Washout: A reader is rightly concerned his insurer will try to wriggle out of its responsibility after their home was flooded by Storm Bert 

Dean Dunham replies: When your insurance provider sends out an assessor, it is sending a professional to evaluate the damage to your property and determine whether it falls within the terms of your insurance policy.

The assessor will inspect the extent of the damage caused by the flooding, review your insurance policy to ascertain if the damage caused is covered and ultimately determine if your claim is valid and how much you might be entitled to. 

Insurance providers also use assessors to ensure that claims are legitimate and to identify fraud.

I have five tips for making a successful insurance claim for flood damage to your home.

1. The assessor will inspect your gutters and the drainage on your land and will want to know that these have been kept clear. Be ready to answer this question as this is a common excuse for insurers to cite when rejecting a claim, as they say your negligence in failing to keep these clear contributed to the cause of the flood.

2. Obtain weather reports from reliable sources like the Met Office to show a storm occurred in your area at the time of the damage. It might sound ridiculous given the media coverage of Storm Bert, but saying a particular storm was not present in your area is another common excuse insurance providers use when denying claims.

3. Gather evidence of the damage to your property and personal belongings, including where possible photos and videos.

4. Create a detailed inventory of all damaged items, including their approximate value. This will help speed up the claims process.

5. Keep a record of all communications with your insurance provider, including phone calls, emails and letters. Ask for written confirmation of any agreements or decisions.

New TV was too big for my front door  

I ordered a television, but when it was delivered it did not fit through my front door due to the bulky packaging. 

I asked the delivery team to remove it from the packaging, but they refused and would not leave the TV as I had opted for an installation. 

The retailer has now charged me a £200 failed delivery charge via my credit card. Can it do this?

By email.

Dean Dunham replies: Before you take any further steps you need to satisfy yourself that the television would indeed have fitted through the door outside of the packaging. 

The online advert will provide the measurements of the TV so you will be able to confirm that it would have fitted. If you are right and it fits, your next step is to tell the retailer and to ask three key questions.

Firstly, where in your terms and conditions does it place an obligation on me to check that the TV will fit through my door while inside the packaging? Secondly, when did you tell me the dimensions of the TV in the packaging?

Thirdly, if your terms do state that it is my obligation to make sure the TV will fit through the door in its packaging, how did you make this ‘key term’ prominent to me prior to me making my decision to purchase the TV?

If the retailer cannot confirm and prove that prior to you making your purchasing decision, it highlighted a term in its conditions placing the obligation on you to ensure the TV will fit through your door ‘in its packaging’ and provided you with such dimensions, it will not be able to demand you pay a failed delivery charge and will have to re-deliver the TV free of charge.

If this is the case and the retailer still refuses to reverse the failed delivery charge make a chargeback claim via your credit card company, explaining all I have said above and concluding that the retailer had no contractual right to levy the charge so you are entitled to the money back.