Protect what is dear to you

Your home is dear to you, it is a place where you should unwind, and especially if you have a second home abroad, unwind and enjoyment is the main goal. But sometimes an accident or bad luck can quickly appear around the corner. A fire, home and contents insurance protects you against these unforeseen, beyond your control or unavoidable circumstances. For the sake of convenience, in this article we will call this insurance home insurance (i.e. it covers both buildings and contents).

Home insurance protects you and your loved ones against unforeseeable damage. Please note that this type of insurance is not a guarantee insurance for your electrical appliances or installed installations/constructions. If a device breaks down due to poor installation, frequent use, wear and tear, age or poor maintenance, this is not a subject that is included in your home insurance. Nor is damage caused to your home by poor maintenance or even no maintenance to your home the subject of cover. Just like in Belgium or the Netherlands, you will have to keep your home in order like a good family man or woman.

However, if you are hit by an unforeseeable damage, it is certainly never a pleasant occurrence. It is an unpleasant situation for both the person who suffered the damage and the person who caused the damage, should this be the case. Other forms of damage may include being hit by a storm, a fire, a broken water pipe in the wall, vandalism or theft. In this case we speak of material damage. Because you are often not permanently in Spain, it is important that when you suffer damage, adequate action is taken to resolve the matter as quickly as possible.

Spain is a country of procedures and roadmaps. The structure in which organisations work is fairly hierarchical, which means that everyone you come into contact with will take little initiative if he or she has not been authorised to do so by an authorised client. A fairly simple way of working but also one that can sometimes take up a lot of time. This can sometimes be frustrating if you are only here for a short period.

So good preparation, providing the insurance company with sufficient information and a good planning of who and when you or your key manager will be available will make your claim go through relatively quickly. Below we explain how best to act in case of damage and how the insurance company handles a claim.

How the claims process works

Your claim file is opened with your insurance company and is given a reference number/claim number.
Someone from the insurance company will be assigned to your claim.
Based on your insurance contract, we will check whether or not you are insured for the damage suffered.
If necessary, an expert claims handler will come to measure and inspect the damage.
The expert claims handler and the insurance company decide what will be repaired and/or paid out.
The planning, repair or payment will take place

An average damage case from start to finish, depending on the seriousness of the damage (a broken water pipe in the house is more urgent than a streak of graffiti on the wall) can be solved within a few hours to a duration of several months (suppose new windows have to be installed, then they are measured, the windows are made to measure and the windows are installed).

Important notes

Do not wait to report the damage; report it as soon as you notice or know about it.
Always take pictures of the damage and make a detailed description of the damage (what, who, where, when, how,...).
If you need to send documents, do so in PDF format or bring them to the nearest office of your broker or insurance company. Photos of documents are not accepted in Spain.
All information must arrive by e-mail, on the spot or by post. Whatsapp and Messenger are not official channels but are tools.
The more serious you are in dealing with the damage, the easier it is to solve the problem

Important notes on theft, vandalism, burglary and/or robbery

It is very important to get a detailed statement from the Guardia Civil/Ordministrative services stating the correct dates when the facts occurred. Be sure to include the stolen goods and their respective values. Take your insurance policy details with you so that they can be included in the report.

How it works with Segurantis

Segurantis always tries to make the administrative process as simple as possible. As a result, Segurantis has a proactive website allowing you to open your claim file and to communicate all information. This not only ensures that your case is handled quickly and smoothly, but above all that all information is carefully documented to avoid any misunderstandings. The insurance company with which Segurantis works will always try to keep you informed of your claim by e-mail and SMS. You are always free to contact the insurance company yourself, always have your policy contract at hand.

Tip: You are in Spain and Spain is not Belgium or the Netherlands, respect the way the Spaniards work and have respect for the help they offer. In Spain, the official language is Spanish and many Spaniards try to speak a word of English so try to speak a word of Spanish for yourself, it always helps!