Workshop Disasters

[northwest]

I forget who it was a couple years back who had his workshop flooded, these things really pain me and last week a pal of mine had this to face when he arrived at his place:



He has a garage/MOT place and the very short road in is downhill from the main road. United Utilities had started late the evening before, looking for a leak and the thing erupted, pouring gallons and gallons of water down into his workshop. The Brake Tester is a write off and so are some battery tools. Fortunately no customer cars were damaged:



United Utilities have asked does he want to go through his insurers or does he want United Utilities to sort it directly, I don't know what he has decided but I would be cautious about United Utilities dealing with it and I have told him to get everything in writing. He is no fool though and if they think they can mess him about they best think again.

 

[dobbslc]

Go through THEIR insurers!
Via his insurance.

 

[CompoSimmonite]

Could be worse. Mate had a sewer main burst behind his house and the mess was 3' high in downstairs before emergency services pumped it out !

 

[Migmac]

I’d go through the insurers, there may well be more damage to stuff than they think.

 

[cheb]

Would it be reasonable to hire your own claims adjuster for an occurrence like this? Would their fees be paid indirectly by the other side as part of the settlement?

 

[northwest]

I’d go through the insurers, there may well be more damage to stuff than they think.

This is a very good point and one I will use to reinforce my suggestion he uses the insurers.

 

[CompoSimmonite]

Would it be reasonable to hire your own claims adjuster for an occurrence like this? Would their fees be paid indirectly by the other side as part of the settlement?

I wouldn't want a claims adjuster anywhere near as their primary objective is to reduce the amount an insurer has to pay out

 

[minimutly]

I wouldn't want a claims adjuster anywhere near as their primary objective is to reduce the amount an insurer has to pay out

Indeed. They would assign a value as was, not the cost of replacement with new, which is what's needed.

 

[awemawson]

I wouldn't want a claims adjuster anywhere near as their primary objective is to reduce the amount an insurer has to pay out

Only time I've had claim adjusters involved in a claim was the hurricane in 1987 - insurers appointed them and they said that I wasn't claiming enough! Amazing what a cup of tea and a few digestive biscuits can achieve backed up by a humble attitude

 

[BrokenBiker]

Go through THEIR insurers!
Via his insurance.

100%

contact his insurers, tell them united utilities have admitted liability and suggested dealing with it but you would like your insurers to deal with theirs as they are more qualified in these matters

 

[500e]

Had a road drain back up and flood our New Mot bay took out the break tester before even connected to power, our insurers NFU had it sorted and they did not load the premium.
Go through the insurance get everything in writing from UU dont forget loss of profit.
I feel for him the time and effort is the pain

 

[jimbo84]

A terrible state to find his business in, hopefully he’ll be back on his feet soon enough.