Home/Property/Farm claims FAQs

You may have to prove you've suffered a loss covered by your policy before we pay for it. If you make a claim under your policy, we may ask for one of the following:

• Credit card or bank statements
• Purchase receipts
• Instruction manuals or handbooks included with the purchased items
• Guarantee or warranty certificates
• Photographs or videos of the items

To the extent your policy coverage allows, we can help arrange or reimburse you for temporary living arrangements if your home is not fit to live in. Certain conditions apply. Please discuss this with your QBE Claims Professional. Please keep all receipts for any additional living expenses for reimbursement consideration.  

A deductible is your financial portion of a covered loss. The settlement of your claim is based upon the estimated amount of covered damage, less your deductible and applicable depreciation.  In most cases, you pay your deductible to the contractor you select.  If the damage amount is less than your deductible, you will be responsible for the entire cost of the repairs.

Depreciation is a reduction in the value of the item due to its age, wear, and/or market conditions. If your policy has Replacement Cost coverage, you are eligible to recover up to the full depreciated amount withheld once the item is repaired or replaced. The amount of depreciation due is based upon the actual cost of repairs for the covered damage.  

• You have the freedom to choose your own contractor to make repairs. To locate a reputable contractor you feel comfortable with, you may find neighbor recommendations, online contractor review services and the Better Business Bureau helpful.
• While the contractor will estimate the cost of repairs, it may be necessary to arrange for an independent estimate, as well.
• In some geographic areas, QBE can offer to refer a contractor from our Contractor Repair Program. Ask your QBE Claims Professional to learn more about this optional program.

We are always committed to settling your covered claim fairly. If there is a difference between our and your contractor’s estimate, we recommend you or your contractor contact us immediately. In most cases, we will require a copy of the estimate for review and approval prior to any work commencing. We will do everything we can to address and resolve any differences between our estimate and your contractor’s estimate for covered damage. Please note, we must agree on any additional amounts above and beyond our estimate prior to the work commencing.    

If you find more damage while repairing your property that was not within the scope of the initial repair estimate, please contact your QBE Claims Professional immediately. It may be necessary to send out an independent adjuster to inspect the damage. We'll adjust the claim settlement for any covered damages found and properly documented. Please do not proceed with the additional work without our approval to avoid documentation issues.

Yes.  If you discover more damage prior to repairs commencing or disagree with the settlement, please contact your Claims Professional as soon as possible and before any additional, non-approved repairs begin. It may be necessary to send out an independent adjuster to inspect the damage.

If you have a mortgage or other type of lien on your damaged property, the terms of the policy require us to name the mortgage company or lienholder on the settlement check.

We recommend you contact your mortgage company as soon as possible to determine their endorsement process. You will typically need your settlement letter and copy of our estimate from the claim; however, they may require more documentation from you and/or your contractor.

Your lender may disperse the funds back to you in one lump sum or provide a portion for the down payment for the contractor to start repairs and make subsequent payments as repairs are completed.