You have a policy. You have damage. You submit the claim.
Then… Silence. Or worse, endless emails from a Loss Adjuster asking for documents you threw away 5 years
ago.
Claim delays are frustrating, especially when you are standing in a flooded living room or looking at a
broken window. But usually, the delay is triggered by three specific issues that stall the process.
1. The “Proof of Ownership” Burden
This is the #1 valid reason for delay.
Scenario: A thief breaks in and steals your 60-inch Samsung TV and your Gucci handbag.
The Insurer Asks: “Please provide the original purchase invoice.”
You Say: “I bought them 3 years ago! I don’t have the receipt.”
The Stalemate
Without proof, the insurer suspects fraud. They can’t just take your word that you owned a AED 10,000
bag. They will delay the claim while they check social media photos, credit card statements, or ask for
manuals/boxes to prove you actually owned these items.
The Fix: If you don’t have receipts, take photos of your expensive items inside your
house today. Upload them to a cloud folder. That photo with date metadata is often accepted as
“secondary proof.”
2. The “Average Clause” (Under-Insurance)
This is a mathematical trap that catches 70% of homeowners.
The Math:
- Real Value of your stuff: AED 200,000 (Clothes, Furniture, Electronics).
- Sum Insured (What you told insurance): AED 100,000 (To save premium).
You are 50% Under-Insured.
Now, you have a small fire in the kitchen. Damage = AED 20,000.
You think: “Great, my limit is AED 100k, so AED 20k is easily covered.”
WRONG. The insurer applies the “Condition of Average.” Because you only insured 50% of the
value, they only pay 50% of the claim.
Payout: AED 10,000. YOU pay the other AED 10,000.
The delay comes because the Loss Adjuster has to come to your house and value everything in every
room to calculate this percentage. That takes weeks.
3. The “Trace and Access” Nightmare (Water Leaks)
Water is leaking from the wall. Your parquet floor is destroyed.
- Easy Part: Paying for the floor (Consequential Damage).
- Hard Part: Finding the leak.
To fix the leak, the plumber needs to smash the ceramic tiles in the bathroom.
Who pays for smashing and re-tiling the bathroom wall?
Standard policies cover “Water Damage” but exclude “Trace and Access” (The cost of finding
the leak).
If your policy doesn’t have “Trace and Access”:
- Insurer: “We will pay for the parquet floor.”
- You: “But I need to break the bathroom wall to stop the leak!”
- Insurer: “That is maintenance. You pay.”
This argument can drag on for weeks while the water keeps dripping.
4. The “Wear and Tear” Grey Area
If a storm blows your roof off, it is clear.
If your roof leaks during light rain because the waterproofing was old and cracked…
The insurer will assign a structural engineer to answer one question: “Did this happen because of the
Event (Rain) or because of Lack of Maintenance?”
If the engineer finds old cracks, they deny the claim. Waiting for this report adds 7-10 days to the process.
Comparison: Smart vs. Slow Claim
| Step | Slow Claimant | Smart Claimant |
|---|---|---|
| Reporting | Calls the call center. Waits on hold. | Emails with Photos + Incident Report immediately. |
| Evidence | “I threw away the damaged carpet.” | “Here is the damaged carpet, I kept it for inspection.” |
| Quotes | Waits for insurer to find a repairer. | Gets 2 quotes from local handymen to speed up approval. |
FAQ: Speeding It Up
Q: Should I throw away the water-damaged sofa? It smells.
A: NO. Move it to the balcony or garage. If you throw it away before the adjuster sees it,
you destroyed the evidence. They will pay AED 0.
Q: Can I authorize repairs myself?
A: Only “Emergency Repairs” to stop further damage (e.g., turning off water, patching a hole). Permanent
repairs done without approval are usually rejected.
Carpets + Curtains exceed the number on your policy? If yes, call your broker and update the Sum Insured. It
costs peanuts to avoid the “Average Clause” disaster.