Insurance company comes to the rescue of Killeaton residents

Following the extreme flash-floods in June, many householders in Killeaton have found themselves in limbo due to poor communication with insurance representatives and slow settlement of their claims.

After hearing about the problems that Killeaton residents were facing, Willis & Company, based in Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter, offered to step in and help the frustrated homeowners.

Mark Willis, Claims Director explained: “The majority of our clients are larger commercial business and we regularly look after the personal insurance claims of our existing clients. However once we heard about this story, we knew that with a little effort we could be of real value to this community and were happy to get involved.”

Willis & Company contacted all the local residents and offered them the opportunity to avail of their ‘Accident Investigation Service’ free of charge.

“This unique service is normally exclusive to our own clients,” continued Mr Willis. “Unlike most brokers, our claims team do not act as a ‘post box’ to insurers, but are actually very active in resolving our client’s claims.”

Willis & Company set up dedicated help-lines and provided a number of insurance clinics in a local church hall to offer advice. They also went a step further by obtaining authority to act on behalf of each claimant in order to expedite their claim.

The family run firm were shocked to hear stories recounted such as alternative accommodation being offered in Birmingham, Loss Adjustors evaluating claims from Scotland and England without even seeing the damage, and an elderly resident being asked to travel a long distance to choose a replacement kitchen.

One of the most common disputes that homeowners are facing is the settlement of their kitchen claim. Many of the residents found that their kitchen units were contaminated and damaged following the flash floods. A number of insurers have advised that they will only pay for the bottom units of their damaged kitchen, this means that the resident either has to pay for new top units themselves or has to endure a mismatched kitchen.

Willis & Co are hoping that their intervention will help the Killeaton residents come to a fair agreement with insurance companies.

Amanda McConkey, Manager of the Commercial Business and Private Clients Team, said: “Willis & Company has been established 34 years and are one of the few local family run independent insurance brokers. With a staff of nearly 50, we have the luxury of a dedicated claims and incident management team.

“During the recent downturn, many householders often turn to comparison websites to obtain the most competitive insurance premium. Unfortunately, by purchasing through direct internet companies, you often lose the value of a good insurance broker. Most people only realise this when they have a claim. In recent times, the financial services industry has often been criticised so this initiative has enabled Willis & Company to show people that there is a positive side as well. Being a family firm, family values are very important to us and it is a privilege to step up to the challenge to get people back into their family homes.

“We have had a fantastic response to this initiative and hope that as a result, householders and businesses will see the value of having a good insurance broker.”