Advice on insurance claim - flood loss

[dom]

My GF has lost a lot of stuff in the recent Cornwall floods - fortunately well insured. Most of the loss is materials and equipment associated with her profession, and a little personal stuff - all of it at her (part-time) employers premises.

She's finding it very difficult even to make a list of what was lost - it is literally *lost* to the flood.

The other trouble is a lot of it is stuff she's collected over her career - old, antique, irreplaceable,and hard to price. Amongst one of the hardest losses for her is all her old textbooks - containing a lifetime of personal notes/amendments/additions to the pages.

Of course, in months to come, she'll remember stuff that's lost - when she actually needs to use it again.

****************** From anyone that's suffered this sort of loss - have you got any advice about making a sensible, rational claim - but one that fully reflects the magnitude of the loss? ****************** There may also be consequential effects on lost customers (she also contracts elsewhere) due to the disruption. Again, hard to quantify.

In this particular case, there's no possibility that she or her employer could be considered negligent in relation to the loss in any way - up to date, modern and well-maintained flood defences were overwhelmed.

Sorry - can't go into more detail about what she does.

[Tabby]

AIUI hopefully insurers pay market value, which in the case of valuable notebooks would be the cost of a blank notebook at most.

NT

[Chris Hogg]

This won't be a lot of help in your particular case, but my wife's SIL also had a property flooded in the recent floods in Cornwall. Although the water didn't come in through the doors, it came up through the floor! Consequently, it was quite well filtered and relatively 'clean', as opposed to the stinking mud-and-sewage-laden stuff that usually happens in these circumstances. Her insurance company were very prompt and had a 'team' on site within a very short time. Carpets were removed and kitchen units etc. stripped out in no time, driers put in, and the local refuse company was round collecting all the sodden stuff very quickly. They will also arrange for the floors to be 'sanitised' to kill any nasty bacteria, presumably from possible sewage contamination (standard practice I guess), and a certificate will be issued to that effect to go with her 'deeds'. All she has to do is choose the new carpets and kitchen stuff. She is most impressed and full of praise for their efficient organisation, and she's not one who is easily pleased.

She runs the property as a business, a holiday let, and is going to be able to claim something for loss of trade, although what it's based on and how much, I don't know. Perhaps your GF could put together a case based on that approach. At least, discuss it with the insurance company; they must come across that sort of thing quite often.