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How To Make A Home Insurance Claim
When something goes wrong, good claims stay simple and well-evidenced. Make the situation safe, protect the property from further damage, and capture proof before clearing up. Then contact your insurer to confirm the process.
To make a claim, report what happened, provide details and evidence, and follow your insurer's process until you receive repairs, replacement, or settlement. For theft or vandalism, report it to the police and keep the crime reference number.
Rivr customers can report claims directly by phone or email to the claims team, with separate routes for property emergency and family legal protection.
What to do
- Make sure everyone is safe and deal with immediate hazards.
- Protect the property: stop leaks, switch off utilities where safe, and secure doors and windows.
- Take photos and video before clearing up. Include wide shots and close-ups.
- For theft or vandalism, contact the police and get a crime reference number.
- Notify your insurer and share the details while everything is fresh.
- Do emergency make-safe work, but pause permanent repairs until the insurer has assessed the claim.
Before you claim: is it worth it?
Start with the excess. This is the amount you pay first before the insurer pays the rest. If repairs cost less than your excess, the claim won't be accepted because there's nothing for the insurer to pay.
If the claim value is only slightly higher than your excess, you can pay for repairs yourself rather than risk increased premiums at renewal. A claim can affect your price with British insurers, so weigh that against the cost and time involved.
With Rivr, your excess is shown on your schedule. If one event affects both buildings and contents insurance, the excess is applied once.
The home insurance claims process
Most insurers follow the same broad process whether you claim online through an online platform or speak to a person. The steps below keep things moving without creating extra work.
Step 1: Make it safe and prevent further damage
Start with safety, then protect the property so the damage doesn't spread. For escape of water, that can mean turning off the stopcock if safe and moving valuables. For roof leaks, it might mean temporary protection and containing water indoors.
Keep receipts for emergency spending and note what you did. This supports the claim and helps show any extra cost you took on to protect the property.
Step 2: Report theft or criminal damage
If the incident involves theft, attempted theft, vandalism, or malicious damage, report it to the police and keep the crime reference number. If you have lost items and you believe criminal activity could be involved, report what you know without guessing.
This is especially important where you're claiming for stolen items or other lost or stolen items.
Step 3: Check your insurance policy and policy documents
Before you commit to repairs, review your insurance policy and policy documents. Confirm the level of cover, the excess, and any limits that apply, including a single article limit for individual items.
Home insurance policies usually exclude wear and tear and poor maintenance, and they may restrict high-value items unless they're specifically listed. If you're unsure what your home insurance covers for the incident, check the wording before you spend money.
Step 4: Start a new claim and report quickly
It's advisable to report a claim quickly, ideally within 48 hours, because it reduces complications when the insurer verifies what happened. Keep it simple: what happened, when it happened, what's damaged or missing, and the likely cost.
Some companies let you claim online through an online platform. With Rivr, standard claims are handled directly by phone or email rather than a portal, so you won't claim online in the typical upload-to-portal way.
Step 5: Evidence and assessment
Send evidence early: photos and video, receipts, proof of ownership, and a clear list of lost items and stolen items with values if you know them. This makes it easier for the insurer to assess the claim and decide the next steps.
For larger claims, your insurer may send a loss adjuster to inspect the damage and report back on likely repair or replacement costs. Avoid permanent repairs before assessment, because arranging unapproved repairs can lead to a rejected claim.
Step 6: Repairs, settlement, and keeping the claim clean
Once the insurer has enough information, they decide the next steps. That can include estimates, inspection, repairs, or a settlement route, depending on the claim and the property.
Keep communication consistent across calls, emails, and forms, and keep receipts and documents together. Do not exaggerate a claim, as it can lead to rejection of the entire claim.
What you'll need to make a claim
Most insurers ask for the same essentials, even when the claim is handled quickly.
- Policy number and contact details
- Date and time, plus what happened
- Photos and video, plus proof and receipts
- List of items lost, including values where possible
- Police details where relevant
- Quotes or estimates if requested
If a claim is closed and new evidence comes to light, you can ask to reopen it. Keeping documents and correspondence organised makes that easier.
What happens after you notify a claim?
Once a claim is logged, the insurer checks cover, limits, exclusions, and the excess, then confirms the next steps. Straightforward repairs may move with evidence and an estimate, while complex claims can involve inspections, reports, and staged repairs.
Some claims can take several months where work is extensive or specialist insurance methods are needed. Throughout, the insurer may ask you to clarify details and provide proof as the process develops.
Why claims get rejected or delayed
Most delays come from missing proof, unclear details, or work starting too early. Rejections often happen when the claim is below the excess, the damage falls under exclusions, or policy conditions aren't met.
If your claim is rejected, you should receive a valid reason based on your policy terms. If you disagree with the settlement, you can discuss it with your insurer and provide additional evidence, and if it remains unresolved you can escalate to the Financial Ombudsman Service.
Common scenarios
Escape of water and burst pipes
Stop the escape, protect floors and contents, and photograph the source and spread. Keep receipts for emergency help and record what happened while it's fresh.
Storm damage and roof leaks
Secure the area and photograph the entry point and resulting damage. Keep receipts for temporary protection, because they help evidence extra cost, and note anything that shows it happened suddenly.
Theft and stolen items
Report the incident to the police, secure the property, and list stolen items with proof. If you have CCTV, keep a copy and note timestamps.
Accidental damage
Accidental damage cover varies across home insurance. With Rivr, the policy uses an All Risks structure, meaning sudden accidental damage is covered unless specifically excluded, so a dropped laptop or spilled red wine is usually in scope, while wear and tear or damage while the home is unoccupied for a long period may not be.
How Rivr fits into the process
Rivr is a specialist insurer for high-value homes and primary residences in the UK, including listed and period properties. The approach is built for realistic rebuild cost and the practicalities of repairs on characterful properties, while keeping the claims process straightforward.
Standard claims are handled by phone or email with a claims team. Property emergency cover is handled through a separate 24/7 route, and family legal protection uses its own helpline and portal.
If your claim is rejected or you disagree
If the insurer declines the claim, ask for the reason and the policy wording used. If you have proof that changes the picture, share it clearly, and if new evidence appears after a claim is closed you can ask whether it can be reopened.
If you still disagree after the insurer's review, use the complaints process. If it isn't resolved, you can take the matter to the Financial Ombudsman Service.
FAQs (for your review before adding)
How do Rivr customers make a home insurance claim?
For buildings, contents insurance, personal possessions, and liability, Rivr claims are reported by phone or email to the claims team. Property emergency cover is handled through a separate 24/7 helpline. Family legal protection has its own helpline and an online portal for legal assistance.
Can I claim online?
Many insurers let you claim online through an online platform. With Rivr, you make a claim by phone or email for standard claims rather than using a portal, so you won't claim online in the typical upload-and-track format.
What evidence do I need for an insurance claim?
Most insurers ask for photos, receipts, and proof of ownership. For theft and stolen items, a police report and crime reference number are often needed. Keep documents together, keep receipts, and avoid disposing of damaged items until the insurer confirms what they need as proof.
How long does a home insurance claim take?
It depends on complexity and the type of repairs. Simple claims can move quickly once evidence is clear. A large claim can take longer, especially if a loss adjuster is involved or repairs need specialist reports. Some claims can run for several months when property work is extensive.
Why do claims get rejected?
Common reasons include the claim being below the excess, exclusions like wear and tear or poor maintenance, missing evidence, or repairs carried out before assessment. Some policies also apply item limits, such as a single article
