Yahoo Finance 'Why won’t Zurich pay £1,548 claim to repair my piano?'
I arranged to have my grand piano transported from Croatia to the UK. The piano did not arrive for six weeks. It was at this point that I found it had been damaged.
This included severe damage to the surface of the lid and the candle platforms connecting the music carrier. Pictures were taken by the people who delivered it as well as by myself.
Subsequently I was advised to obtain a quotation for repair because a new lid was unobtainable for this piano. I sent this, and the removals company claims to have passed it on to its insurer, Zurich.
However, when I approached Zurich directly, it simply sent automated replies stating it cannot deal with claims as quickly as it would like.
Can I please enlist your help?
ED, Hants
You had paid £1,736 by BACS transfer to the removers to have the baby grand piano brought back from the ground floor of a property in Croatia. The piano was supposed to have been packed in a wooden case. Indeed a picture had been sent of it ready for transport in this.
Later it was being maintained that the damage must have occurred while it was with one or two other companies that also took over the delivery at a later stage. You had not been told about these extra companies becoming involved, but in any event you had been assured that the piano would be insured throughout, including while it was in a warehouse.
When the piano arrived you describe it as being bubble-wrapped and in cardboard. It had been transported in such a way that the lid was bearing the weight instead of the piano travelling sideways as it should have done.
You had sent any amount of emails about the whole sorry saga.
Your £1,548 claim included the cost of repairing and refinishing the piano’s lid and music desk in high-gloss black and collection and delivery to and from your address. You had sent the insurer the quote for this work.
You then learnt that the claim had been submitted by the original removal company to a company that Zurich Insurance has a commercial relationship with to settle claims.
No progress was being made and it was only after I spoke to Zurich Insurance that the claim was finally paid. Zurich Insurance apologised for the delay. It admitted that your initial email had not been forwarded as quickly as it should have been to its agent.
I asked for reimbursement for you for the missing protective casing, but was told you needed to pursue this yourself with the agent. You emailed a director of the firm and it quickly paid back the cost which, you say, is a very pleasing result.
