Insurance Claims And How To Proceed
During this time of national flooding, the possibility of not being able to insure your property is a terrifying prospect. Knowing how to proceed with a claim for your antique furniture, clocks and fine art, is more important now than ever before.
The insurance companies are rather tightfisted at the moment, as there are currently hundreds of claims for damaged furniture contents, since the floods in early 2014.
If you have general contents, chattels, etc, a new for old policy is probably what you want. But if you have particularly fine antique furniture, or clocks, you should have it restored correctly.
Generally speaking, when you phone your insurance company and say, “I have had a flood (or a fire) and my antique furniture has been damaged” they will put you on to one of their so-called antique restoration one-stop shop companies in the country.
These companies deal with televisions, fridges, carpets and occasionally antique furniture.
These companies are in the pockets of the insurance companies. Therefore, they will receive the call from the insurance company and be given the work, but they are lacking in both skills and knowledge as how to proceed in restoration. Their advice is limited in comparison to a British Antique Furniture restorer’s Association member, or a member of the Horological Society.
We have received in the last three months more furniture and clocks from loss adjusters for a secondary restoration process, that have passed through these so-called “insurance” companies restoration one-stop shops than ever before.
So please be warned. If you have a claim for a fine antique clock, or an antique piece of furniture, or any item of merit that requires proper and correct restoration, please try to consider a genuine restoration process.
Either contact a reputable local restorer, a local museum, or some of the major restoration affiliated organisations in the country.
If you look at our links page on our website www.greenrestoration.co.uk you can see many of these specialists that we can recommend.
For Valuations visit https://www.antiques-valuations.co.uk/