# Making a Claim

> How the insurance claims process works, what an excess is, the evidence to gather and how insurers must handle your claim promptly and fairly.

Canonical page: [/insurance/making-a-claim](/insurance/making-a-claim/) · Last reviewed: 2026-08-22

Making a claim is the point at which your insurance actually does its job. Knowing how the process works and what your insurer expects helps things go smoothly.

## Key information

- Tell your insurer as soon as you can and follow the steps in your policy
- You usually pay an excess — the first part of any claim — yourself
- Keep evidence: photos, receipts, crime reference numbers and correspondence
- Insurers must handle claims promptly and fairly and must not unreasonably reject them

## Starting a claim

Contact your insurer as soon as possible after something happens, using the claims number in your policy documents. Report thefts or crimes to the police first where required and get a crime reference number. Give an accurate account of what happened — you have a duty not to make a misrepresentation, and exaggerating or inventing a claim is fraud.

## Excess and how payouts work

An excess is the amount you agree to pay towards a claim before the insurer pays the rest. There may be a compulsory excess set by the insurer and a voluntary excess you chose to lower your premium. The insurer will assess your claim, may appoint a loss adjuster for larger claims, and will either repair, replace or pay you a cash settlement depending on the policy.

- Compulsory excess — set by the insurer for the type of claim
- Voluntary excess — an amount you chose to reduce your premium
- Settlement — repair, replacement, or a cash payment, as the policy provides

## Evidence and timescales

Good evidence speeds up a claim and reduces disputes. Keep photographs, receipts or proof of ownership, any crime reference number, and a record of your contact with the insurer. Under the FCA’s rules and Consumer Duty, insurers must handle claims promptly and fairly and must not unreasonably reject a valid claim; if you think they are dragging their feet, you can complain.

## Your rights

- Insurers must handle claims promptly and fairly and must not unreasonably decline a valid claim, under FCA rules and the Consumer Duty.
- If your claim is delayed, undervalued or refused and you cannot resolve it, you can take the complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service free of charge.
- If your insurer has failed, the FSCS may protect your claim — 100% for compulsory or long-term insurance, and generally 90% for other general insurance.

## Official sources

- [How to complain (FCA)](https://www.fca.org.uk/consumers/how-complain)
- [Financial Ombudsman Service](https://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk)
- [How the FSCS protects insurance](https://www.fscs.org.uk/what-we-cover/insurance/)

## Related

- [Complaints & Rejected Claims](/insurance/complaints-rejected-claims/)
- [Car Insurance](/insurance/car-insurance/)
- [Home Insurance](/insurance/home-insurance/)
- [Pet Insurance](/insurance/pet-insurance/)
- [FSCS protection explained](/banking-savings/fscs-protection/)

## Sources

- FCA — [Consumer Duty](https://www.fca.org.uk/firms/consumer-duty) (accessed 2026-08-22)
- Financial Ombudsman Service — [Complaints about insurance](https://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk) (accessed 2026-08-22)
- MoneyHelper — [How to make an insurance claim](https://www.moneyhelper.org.uk) (accessed 2026-08-22)