Insurance

I had always thought that the purpose of Household Insurances was "To be placed back into a position which one enjoyed prior to an unfortunate incident". The truth is that such a belief is a 'pipe dream' ; especially if one Insures with ' Homeserve' for drainage problems.

It is the case that a fracture of the pipe from my house to the Welsh Water's main sewer wasestablished ,following a deep hole which appeared in the driveway, after my wife had driven the car from the garage and over what had becomea bridge of tarmacadam.( Hole about one foot across, 18 inches deep and 3ft in all directions.)

Homeserve accepted liabillity for repair of the actual pipe and, after a delay of a month, work has been completed so far as the Insurers are concerned; although the driveway to my house has been left in a deplorable condition. Homeserve has contended that water was escaping from the pipe and caused subsidence for which it connot be held liable. Furthermore, the firm of Insurers will not contribute to the cost of additional in-fill material which I had to purchase and it remains a matter for me to arrange and pay for any re-surfacing of the drive'.

For your information , Homeserve has claused its policy against any consequential loss and say that any damage which came after the collapse of the pipe from my house is not covered by the Insurance. Consequentally, I now have to sort out the re-instatement of the driveway to my house, which I consider has been severely damaged by the JCB type digging appliance which was employed on site to dig down to a depth of 6ft.

Have any other AB'ers experienced something simillar or would wish to comment on this matter ?.............Ron