Need to claim on your insurance? Follow these simple strategies to make the whole process as painless as possible.

How to claim

Before you make a claim, ring your insurer's 24-hour Helpline and ask for details of how to go about it. How you make a claim depends on who you are insured with and what you are claiming for.

Making a claim on your home insurance policy

Ring your insurer's 24-hour Helpline and ask for details of how to make a claim. Depending on the type of claim, you may need to do certain things before you proceed. For example if your home has been broken into you may need to:

• Report it to the local police station within 24 hours
• Get a crime reference number and a copy of the report for you to be able to make a claim
• Make a list of everything that has been taken

Making a claim on your motor insurance policy

Ring your insurer's 24-hour Helpline and ask for details of how to make a claim. Again, you may need to do certain things before you can claim. Remember if you are involved in an accident to:

• Think about calling the police
• Exchange all relevant details with the parties involved, like details of insurance companies and contact details
• Write down details of the accident and draw a sketch map of what happened. If you have a camera, take photos.
• Note the names and addresses of any witnesses.

Don't get any repairs or work done before agreeing with the insurance company, or you could end up with a hefty bill to foot.

Making a claim on your travel insurance policy

Ring your insurer's 24-hour Helpline and ask for details of how to make a claim. Depending on the type of claim you may need to do certain things. For example if your bags are stolen abroad you may need to:

• Report it to the local police station within 24 hours
• If you can't get to the police, report it to your holiday rep or your hotel
• Get a crime reference number and a copy of the report to be able to make a claim

Making a claim on your pet, life and health insurance policies

Ring your insurer's 24-hour Helpline and ask for details of how to make a claim.

Remember when making a claim on any type of insurance policy

• Always telephone your insurer's 24-hour Helpline and ask for details of how to claim straight away
• Never commit to anything before checking that your insurer will cover the costs - else you could end up with hefty bills you have to pay yourself
• If you are making a large or unusual claim, the insurance company may ask a loss adjuster to look at your claim before they pay it

How to make a complaint

• If you feel your insurer has been slow to settle your claim or should have paid your claim in full and they haven't, you can complain
• You must follow the company's complaints procedure first, but if you still aren't happy you can contact the Financial Ombudsman

1. Insurances explained