How can I make a foolproof insurance claim for flood damage caused by Storm Bert? DEAN DUNHAM responds

My house flooded during Storm Bert, causing considerable damage.

I contacted my insurer, but they said they would send an advisor to determine “if I am eligible to file a claim.”

What does this mean? Are you trying to avoid payment?

By email.

Dean Dunham responds: When your insurance provider sends an adjuster, they are sending a professional to evaluate the damage to your property and determine if it is within the terms of your insurance policy.

The adjuster will inspect the extent of the damage caused by the flood, review your insurance policy to determine if the damage caused is covered, and ultimately determine if your claim is valid and how much you may be entitled to.

Insurance providers also use advisors to ensure claims are legitimate and identify fraud.

I have five tips for successfully filing an insurance claim for flood damage to your home.

1. The appraiser will inspect your gutters and drainage on your land and will want to know if they have been kept clean. Be prepared to answer this question as it is a common excuse that insurers cite when rejecting a claim, saying that your negligence in not keeping things clear contributed to the cause of the flood.

2. Obtain weather reports from reliable sources such as the Met Office to show that a storm occurred in your area at the time of the damage. It may seem ridiculous given the media coverage of Storm Bert, but saying that a particular storm was not present in your area is another common excuse insurance providers use when denying claims.

3. Gather evidence of damage to your property and personal belongings, including, where possible, photographs and videos.

4. Create a detailed inventory of all damaged items, including their approximate value. This will help speed up the claims process.

5. Keep a record of all communications with your insurance provider, including phone calls, emails, and letters. Request written confirmation of any agreement or decision.

The new TV was too big for my front door.

I ordered a TV, but when it was delivered it couldn’t fit through my front door due to the bulky packaging.

I asked the delivery team to remove it from the packaging but they refused and did not want to leave the TV because I had opted for an installation.

The retailer has charged me a £200 failed delivery fee via my credit card. Can you do this?

By email.

Dean Dunham responds: Before moving forward, you need to make sure that the TV has entered through the door out of the packaging.

The online ad will provide measurements of the TV so you can confirm it would fit. If you’re right and it fits, the next step is to tell the retailer and ask three key questions.

Firstly, where in your terms and conditions do you require me to check that the TV can fit through my door while it is in the packaging? Secondly, when did you tell me the dimensions of the TV on the packaging?

Third, if your terms state that it is my obligation to make sure the TV gets through the door in its packaging, how did you make this “key term” salient to me before I made the decision to purchase the TV?

If the retailer cannot confirm and prove that, before you made your purchasing decision, it highlighted a term in its conditions that requires it to guarantee that the TV will fit through your door “in its packaging” and provided you with those dimensions, it does not may require you to pay a missed delivery fee and will have to redeliver the TV free of charge.

If this is the case and the retailer still refuses to reverse the failed delivery charge, file a chargeback claim through your credit card company, explaining everything I have said above and concluding that the retailer had no no contractual right to collect the charge, so you are entitled to Money Back.