AS THE WATERS CAME FLOODING IN, SO DID THE CLAIMS

RMTnews :: november 2007 :: www.rmt.org.uk Yorkshire, Derbyshire, Humberside, Gloucestershire and Worcesterhire were among the worst-affected areas, with two months rain falling in one day alone. Such was the devastation that the emergency services and the military mounted the biggest single rescue operation since World War Two. A state of emergency was declared in Hull where over 35,000 people were affected by flooding. GETTING HELP TO THE FLOOD VICTIMS At Union Income Assurance (UIA) the priority was helping RMT policyholders, amongst others, who had been affected by the flooding and needed a swift and reliable service. UIA teams rushed into action, quickly adding extra capacity to their UK based call centres to ensure all calls could be handled immediately. One such RMT member, living in Wakefield called them on 21st July, when flood water damaged the basement of her home. UIA quickly put established processes into place and loss adjusters were appointed the same day. CONTINUING THE CONTACT In the days following the floods, claims handlers kept in touch with her on a daily basis to check that she was happy with progress. The claim is now progressing well, starting with the process of drying out the property and replacing all damaged items. The member has been very impressed with the service, and feels that she is being kept well informed by everybody involved. UIA still ensure they call the member on a weekly basis to check that everything is ok. UIA claims manager, Mary Dolan and her team remember those Summer days as some of the most hectic of their lives. “People needed us to be there and help them out fast. We were constantly reassuring people, arranging alternative accommodation and liaising with disaster specialists”, they recall. It’s at times of emergency that your insurance proves its worth The 2007 floods have highlighted many problems for UK home owners, including the need for adequate home insurance. It may sometimes feel like just another household expense, but when considering the full impact an unexpected event can have on your life, it is re-assuring to know that there is support there to rely on to get things back to normal, as soon as possible. When choosing home insurance, it is important to not only evaluate the right policy level in order to ensure all of your valuables are covered, but also to think about the level of service you can expect to receive in the event of a claim. Consider whether your chosen insurer, like UIA, offers a claims line open day and night, 365 days a year, only employs contractors who are experts in building repairs and disastor recovery and whether they provide temporary alternative accomodation as standard. 2007 has shown that anywhere in the UK could be subjected to natural disasters such as flooding and therefore it is important to evaluate the home insurance cover you have in place. To talk to UIA, an approved supplier for RMT about the home insurance cover they offer call on 0845 842 8421 from 8.30am to 8pm, Monday to Friday, and 9am to 1pm on Saturday. Alternativly visit www.uia.co.uk for a quote or to buy online. AS THE WATERS CAME FLOODING IN, SO DID THE CLAIMS UIA Helping RMT members through the crisis Summer 2007 was the wettest since records began with many areas deluged with rain. The resulting floods caused widespread damage