Is there any point to making a claim on my housing insurance?

My son dropped my camcorder last night & has broken it. The camcorder is 4yrs old now but was in very good codition before my son dropped it, would i be best to claim or just buy a now one? If i d...

My son dropped my camcorder last night & has broken it. The camcorder is 4yrs old now but was in very good codition before my son dropped it, would i be best to claim or just buy a now one? If i do claim would i get a new one or what happens, never had to claim on my insurance before?

Michelle	Talk to your insurance agent, see how much it is going to cost you for claiming it. Compare that with price of a new one and then make your decision.

Oracle	First of all, make sure you have "accidental damage" cover under your contents insurance. The usual policy excess is £50 but check to ensure you don't have an additional voluntary excess. Get an estimate for the replacement before making a decision as to whether or not it's worth claiming. Remember any No Claims Discount earned under the policy would also be lost in the event of a claim. I'd speak to your insurer or broker for their advice as to whether it's a worthwhile claim once you have a replacement estimate and have clarified your policy terms, conditions and excesses.

clara	It depends if you have a new for old policy, most are these days, but you should check. Housing insurance will carry an excess as in car insurance so if your only claiming small amounts it maybe not worth you're while. It's probably to put people off making relatively small claims. I recently paid £50 excess on a claim, as my carpet had been damaged when my tank overflowed, they worked out how much it would cost to replace it with a similar quality carpet and paid us that amount. We didn't lose out on the excess as we managed to find even better quality carpet in the sales so we recouped the £50 that way. Read you policy and it will explain about the excess they charge or ring them and they'll explain it all to you. I'd go for it if a were you, that's why you pay it and you've got nothing to lose. Your next policy shouldn't cost more because you've claimed as they usually rise every year anyway and it's always wise to shop around anyway these days.

Sparky	Depends what your excess charge is on your policy as to whether its worth replacing. As it is an old model, it is unlikely you will be able to replace it - like for like. Best to ring your insurance company, tell them the make and model and they will suggest a replacement. Most insurance firms these days, contact suppliers direct and have one sent to you, or you can suggest a particular model to them of equal value, you buy it, then reclaim the money. Reputable insurance companies are very helpful and can advise you what to do.

jeff k	Yes, claim for it, you should receive to the value of a new one as is priced at today's prices, claim, too many people let insurance company's get off lightly, you pay them good money for a service, get what you have paid for, it was accidentally broken in your home, so you are covered for it.

pri k	Talk to your insurance agent

C T	Insurers take a dim view on accidental damage claims as they are seen as a sign of carelessness (increased rick of claims). If I were deciding whether or not to claim i would do a couple of quotes for insurance online with and without the claim to see if my premium would go up by much. Also, check if your policy is "new for old" or you might not get much for your 4 year old camcorder after the excess is deducted.

TallPaul	You'd get a cheque. If you have a "new for old" policy then it should be enough to buy a new camcorder. These things happen. Make your claim. It's what you pay the premium for!