Accidentally damaged your home or belongings and now making an insurance claim, drilled through a pipe, dropped an iron, cracked a fitted worktop? PCLA can review your policy, assess the damage and manage the claim on your behalf.
We work solely for policyholders, not insurers. Your insurer appoints a loss adjuster to work for them; PCLA is your independent loss assessor, working for you. PCLA does not sell insurance. We help policyholders claim under cover they already hold.
PCLA works with homeowners and landlords across Northern Ireland and Scotland.
Free, no-obligation policy review.
We review the damage and your policy wording to establish whether it falls under your accidental damage cover, and identify anything that could weaken the claim before you submit it.
We gather the photographs, contractor reports and documentation an insurer needs to accept a claim as genuinely accidental rather than gradual wear and tear or poor workmanship.
We handle communication with your insurer and their loss adjuster, so you are not negotiating the claim yourself while also dealing with the damage to your home.
Where a claim is disputed, reduced or declined, we present the case for a fair settlement under the terms of your policy. The insurer makes the final decision on cover.
Settled for
Accidental escape of water, upstairs shower to kitchen below.
A homeowner in Belfast returned home to find water coming through the kitchen ceiling after an unusual accident involving the upstairs shower. The policyholder had left the property at around 10am and returned at approximately 5pm. While the property was unattended, a storage shelf inside the shower fell onto the tap and caused it to turn on. The water ran for several hours, flooding the upstairs bathroom before passing through the floor into the kitchen below.
Although the damage involved a substantial escape of water, the claim was considered under the policy’s accidental damage peril because the shower had been turned on unintentionally when the shelf fell. This is a good example of how the cause of an incident, not just the type of damage that follows, determines which part of the policy applies.
PCLA assessed the damage, prepared the supporting evidence and managed communication with the insurer and its representatives. The claim included the drying and reinstatement work needed to return the affected bathroom and kitchen areas to their pre-loss condition. The claim was settled for £11,600.
Claim outcomes depend on the circumstances, evidence and terms of each policy. This example does not guarantee the outcome of another claim.
Over 270 homeowners across Northern Ireland and Scotland have rated PCLA five stars for taking the stress out of their insurance claims.
Accidental damage claims are frequently disputed over the cause of the damage, policy exclusions, and whether the incident was sudden rather than gradual, because insurers apply a narrower definition of “accidental” than most policyholders expect. Common sticking points include whether the damage happened suddenly or built up gradually, whether the true cause is excluded (such as poor workmanship rather than the damage itself), and, for a damaged item that’s part of a set, how much of a matching set the policy actually has to replace. Our accidental damage claims guide covers these in detail, including examples from published Financial Ombudsman Service decisions.
Cover also varies significantly by policy. Depending on the policy, buildings accidental damage may cover fixed glass, ceramic hobs, sanitaryware and pipework connected to the property. Contents accidental damage may cover your belongings, a spilt drink on a carpet, a dropped TV, or a DIY mishap. Some policies cover certain accidental damage involving pets, while others exclude it, so it is worth checking your policy documents. Wider accidental damage cover is often an optional add-on, although some policies include limited accidental damage protection as standard. Landlords and tenants should each check which cover applies to their side of the policy.
A loss assessor is not needed for every accidental knock or breakage. Appointing one tends to be worthwhile where the claim is larger or more complex, where there is disagreement about the cause of the damage, where a claim has been reduced or declined, or where a significant amount of technical evidence is needed to support it. Because PCLA works on a fee basis, the free initial review is where we look at the likely claim size, complexity and policy position and explain whether appointing a loss assessor is likely to be proportionate for your situation.
It may be time to speak to PCLA if:
PCLA offers a free policy review and explains our fee and terms clearly before appointment. Our fees are 10% of the final settlement + VAT.
No. The initial policy and damage review is free, with no obligation to proceed.
PCLA explains its fee and terms clearly before appointment. Our fees are 10% of the final settlement + VAT.
Yes. We review the insurer’s reasons for declining the claim, the policy wording and the available evidence, and advise whether there’s a reasonable basis to challenge the decision.
Yes. PCLA is an independent loss assessor appointed by and acting for you, the policyholder, never the insurer.
Speak to PCLA before you claim, or before you settle, for a free, no-obligation policy review.
FCA authorised and regulated (FRN 933781)
20+ years’ claims experience
Qualified building surveyors
Property Claims Loss Assessors Ltd, trading as PCLA, is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN 933781), with more than 20 years’ claims experience and qualified building surveyors on the team.