Who’s who in the claims zoo

Did you know that depending on the nature of your landlord insurance claim, several different people could be involved in settling it? Read on to find out just who these people are… 

Insurance plays a crucial role in keeping your assets and finances protected. Unlike many of the things people buy, policyholders usually purchase an insurance policy hoping that they’ll never have to use it. But accidents and disasters strike without warning – and, when they do, you’ll appreciate having taken out the proper cover. 

If something does happen at your rental (an insured event), you’ll need to make an insurance claim and follow the right steps. Depending on the type of claim you are making and what the loss entailed, there could be more than a handful of people involved. 

So just who’s who in the claims zoo?   

The policyholder – that’s you! 

If your landlord insurance policy is valid (that is, current and paid up) and your rental suffers an insured loss, then you or your property manager will need to submit an insurance claim. 

It’s up to the policyholder (again, that’s you) to demonstrate that you have suffered a loss due to an insured event. As much as we’d love to just take your word for it, you’ll need to provide evidence of the loss. You will also need to complete the claim form and provide any further information requested and also undertake the steps required including, for example, obtaining repair quotes. 

The landlord insurance provider – that’s us! 

As soon as possible after suffering a loss, you or your property manager should contact our team. We will guide you through what to do and the claims process. We will manage the process and your claim will be put in the hands of one of our claims specialists (keep reading to find out what they do). 

The insurer/underwriter – that’s Zurich 

EBM RentCover policies are underwritten by Zurich Australian Insurance Limited. They are the insurer, whereas we are the insurance provider (also known as an underwriting agency – a specialised type of insurance agent that has been granted underwriting authority by an insurer). Under our agreement with Zurich, we can manage the claims process. Depending on the nature of the claim, Zurich may need to get involved in certain circumstances. 

The claims specialist – that’s a member of our Expert Care team! 

At EBM RentCover, we have in-house claims specialists. They swing into action when a policyholder files an insurance claim. Claims specialists manage the insurance claim process. They have many responsibilities throughout the process, including investigating the insurance claim and communicating with you or your agent.  

Your claims specialist will liaise with you to gather relevant details and will speak to/co-ordinate other parties when necessary. It’s their job to examine claim details and process necessary paperwork, so they’ll research the policy and gather evidence regarding the claim.  

Your claims specialist is your point of contact and will be the one to let you know if your claim has been accepted or declined, and whether repairs will be needed or if you’ll receive a cash settlement. 

Loss adjuster 

Once you’ve submitted your claim to us, we may need more information to help us assess your claim. To get this extra information, we may appoint a loss adjuster (also known as a loss or claims assessor or an investigator). They will help to evaluate your claim by working out what needs to happen, based on the terms and conditions set out in the insurance policy, and make a recommendation to us.  

In preparing their recommendation, they’ll examine the circumstances and legitimacy of your claim, assess the damage or loss, and work out whether it’s covered under your policy. They may get other professionals involved to help with the assessment, for example an engineer to consider any structural damage or a hydrologist to determine the cause of water inundation.  

For damage claims, the loss adjuster will also prepare the scope of works. The scope of works is a list of building repair works for your insurance claim. It can help identify and outline what repair or rebuilding work is needed to fix things. It may be used to obtain repair quotes.  

Repairers and suppliers 

If your rental has been damaged, it will likely need to be repaired. Once the quotes have been obtained and accepted, a repairer will be engaged. Because the insurer is responsible for the repairs that are performed, they will typically appoint the repairer. To carry out the work, the repairer will need access to the property, so you’ll need to liaise with them (and your tenants) to organise suitable times.  

The insurer will often have preferred suppliers for things like repairs and replacements. Subject to the terms and conditions of the policy, supply of replacement goods and provision of services is at the insurer’s discretion.   

Recovery agents 

When the insurer pays out the policyholder for the loss, they may also look to recoup that cost from the party responsible. For example, they may seek restitution from a tenant who absconded without paying their rent or who didn’t pay for the damage they caused to the property.   

Reinsurers 

Reinsurance is basically insurance for insurance companies. An insurer will seek reinsurance to protect against large losses. Reinsurance plays a role in the availability and cost of insurance. If the cost of reinsurance goes up (for example because the insurers paid out huge sums due to catastrophic weather events), the cost of insurance premiums are also likely to rise. In some cases, where the risk is deemed too great for the re/insurer, cover may cease to be offered. 

Insurance claims can be quite involved but, at EBM RentCover, we make the process as smooth as possible for you. We make submitting claims easy through our online claims portal and our team is here to help. Your claim will be assigned to a dedicated claims specialist and we aim to settle most claims within five working days, as long as we have everything we need from you. Some complex claims will take longer, and we’ll always keep you updated on progress.  

Streamlining the process is just one way we help to minimise the emotional and financial stress associated with making an insurance claim. To find out more, chat to a member of our Expert Care team – 1800 661 662.

*While we have taken care to ensure the information above is true and correct at the time of publication, changes in circumstances and legislation after the displayed date may impact the accuracy of this article. If you need us we are here, contact 1800 661 662 if you have any questions.