Turn to Insurance Companies After Property Damaged

March 3 - The loss or damage of property can be very upsetting, but it is comforting to know that you have household insurance to take care of things if need be.

However, the Managing Director of Alexander Forbes Insurance, Gari Dombo, warned South Africans not to rush off and get their property repaired without first consulting with their insurance groups or brokers.

"Replacing or repairing damaged property without consulting your insurer might see your claim being rejected - after you have forked out for the damage," said Dombo.

The rule of thumb is that insurance groups have the right to decide whether they will be replacing or repairing the damaged property or if they want to settle in cash.

"If any action taken by the insured interferes with this decision, the insured may end up not having their claim settled - or receive a lower settlement than expected," he said.

Naturally, there are emergency situations where the consumer has no choice but to repair the damage as soon as possible.

Dombo advises that in cases like that, consumers should do what they need to do to protect the property and prevent further loss, and then inform their insurance group immediately.

"People are duty bound to protect, maintain or adequately repair their property and instead act as if uninsured," he said. "Not maintaining one's property can often see claims rejected because policy holders have failed to exercise the right care or undertake sufficient maintenance on their property."

With so many grey areas, it is imperative for consumers to get clarification from their insurance groups so that they know exactly how to act when the need arises.