Advice about insurance claim

[Cahill]

Some advice people please. Last October our house in the Aude was badly damaged by the floods and storm north of Carcassonne. We made an insurance claim. The Insurance company subsequently sent the "Expert"to our address to assess the damage. We are second home owners our main base being in the UK so à relative, who lives in the area permanently, met and dealt with the Expert on our behalf. No problems. We were advised that we would receive 5,000 euros from the Insurance company.

Unfortunately we haven't received any payment. As my written and spoken French is reasonable I have sent many emails añd made several phone calls from UK to our Insurance Agent in Carcassonne and also to the main office in Nantes dealing with our claim. I have been given positive messages, eg. " your payment will be made tomorrow " ( Thursday 28th February) etc. Unfortunately no payment has been forthcoming. Although I'm not unduly worried my wife is getting quite concerned ?

Are such delays in Insurance payment the norm in France and if not has anyone any suggestions about consumer complaints or appeals i might make ?

We are visiting Carcassonne from UK on the 18th March so obviously will be going to our Agents office

Cheers

[Merisin]

This help at all?
https://www.lindependant.fr/2019/03/08/ ... 056991.php

Merisin

[Ted & Jemima]

Hello.

You are not alone. A hardhitting 1-hr documentary/discussion aired on France 3 TV this Wednesday in which the Aude Prefect was challenged directly about these delays and partial payments. Though it won't help you directly, it is worth viewing:
https://www.francetvinfo.fr/replay-maga ... 89731.html

Coincidentally, the next day the Prefect signed an agreement with Carcassonne Agglo for direct funding assistance of reparations to flooded properties.
https://www.midilibre.fr/2019/03/08/ino ... 056562.php

If your house is within the 72-commune Agglo region, you should contact Agglo's new agency 'Le Preau' at 84 rue de Verdun, Carcassonne [Mon 1400-1800, Tue-Thu 0900-1230 & 1330-1700] which is handling this post-flood funding. Its staff are very helpful (we were there last week) but you may only qualify if the house is your main residence and you pay taxes in France. Le Preau can also assist with other reparation public funding (ANAH).

We realise that none of this helps directly with your individual insurance claim but the long-term reconstruction necessitated by the widespread floods has resulted in agencies (mairie, Agglo) putting mechanisms in place to assist ... though you will need your French.

Best wishes,
Ted & Jemima

[Cahill]

This help at all?
https://www.lindependant.fr/2019/03/08/ ... 056991.php

Merisin

Many thanks Merisin. Well worth the read. Thanks for taking the trouble

[Cahill]

Hello.

You are not alone. A hardhitting 1-hr documentary/discussion aired on France 3 TV this Wednesday in which the Aude Prefect was challenged directly about these delays and partial payments. Though it won't help you directly, it is worth viewing:
https://www.francetvinfo.fr/replay-maga ... 89731.html

Coincidentally, the next day the Prefect signed an agreement with Carcassonne Agglo for direct funding assistance of reparations to flooded properties.
https://www.midilibre.fr/2019/03/08/ino ... 056562.php

If your house is within the 72-commune Agglo region, you should contact Agglo's new agency 'Le Preau' at 84 rue de Verdun, Carcassonne [Mon 1400-1800, Tue-Thu 0900-1230 & 1330-1700] which is handling this post-flood funding. Its staff are very helpful (we were there last week) but you may only qualify if the house is your main residence and you pay taxes in France. Le Preau can also assist with other reparation public funding (ANAH).

We realise that none of this helps directly with your individual insurance claim but the long-term reconstruction necessitated by the widespread floods has resulted in agencies (mairie, Agglo) putting mechanisms in place to assist ... though you will need your French.

Best wishes,
Ted & Jemima

Thanks Ted and Jemima.

Not watched yet but it would appear just what we need.