Jewellery Insurance Claims - What Are Your Rights?

It amazes me how many people don’t know their rights when it comes to dealing with Insurance companies when making a claim for loss of jewellery!

The Insurance companies are well aware of this and unfortunately take advantage it seems (of their paying client).

 

People come into our store to get an “insurance quotation” for their lost/stolen jewellery and subsequently submit these to the insurance company for approval.

Upon approval (which in itself is generally a dragged out process) the client is “strongly advised” to make their way to the Insurance companies “recommended supplier” for replacement of goods.

The problem I have, is that this “supplier” is preferred for the simple reason that they’re offering a “substantial discount” to the Insurance company (off the bottom line) with no other concerns of the clients taken into account.

Can this supplier supply all the jewellery that the client wants? Really? Often it seems, the claimant has to “settle” for something unfortunately (which is the easier/quicker option when attempting to finalize it all).

 

In saying this, most people are unaware of their basic right of choice, they can choose to have their jewellery replaced at the jewellery store of their choice, not only by the “recommended supplier” which is often unknown to them prior to the claim!

 

It’s a breach of the Trade Practices Act if an Insurance company “forces” their claimants to shop at a particular place, and people need to know they have a choice!