Insurance claim - no proof of prurchase

[Pab]

This is relating to a personal matter, but I'm sure it applies to business insurance too.

Some thieving rat-bag stole my bike this week (cut right through the lock) but fortunately my insurance covers it. Great. The bike was quite expensive when new a few years ago, so still worth a little now.

I called the insurance company and they want proof of purchase, which I do not have. I bought it from a friend shortly after he bought it new. It still cost me a tidy sum, but I have no papers or proof of purchase.

I have quite a few photos of the bike, me on the bike, out riding with friends etc, but no documented proof of ownership. Where do I stand? Does this simply mean I cannot claim? I've had a the bike for a few years and it's my possession.

I don't have proof of purchase for most other things in my house either. Are they not covered?

 

[tony84]

Not many people keep proof of purchase for things like TVs etc but if you pay by card you can usually get statements. I think in a shop even CCTV can be classed as proof of purchase....

Anyway, did you pay by cheque/cash/money transfer etc?

If you did cash then you may have to get your may to write you a receipt. If it was money transfer, cheque or a card payment then ask your bank for a copy of the statement for that time period?

 

[Pab]

I would almost certainly have paid in cash, so there's probably no record of the transaction in my accounts. I may have had some of the cash around and withdrew the rest... who knows. I've not got proof of purchase though.

 

[Mpg]

Ask your mate to write a receipt now.


Simples

 

[Pab]

Ask your mate to write a receipt now.
Simples

And the insurance company will be ok with that?

 

[Mpg]

And the insurance company will be ok with that?

Unless they see him write it. All your asking him to do is to provide a "COPY" of your original receipt

 

[lockyer]

Before you commit fraud,when you genuinely owned the item , and implicate a mate in it, just explain to your insurers and they will accept photos. Trust me they arent all evil

 

[Mpg]

Before you commit fraud,when you genuinely owned the item , and implicate a mate in it, just explain to your insurers and they will accept photos. Trust me they arent all evil

Hows he committing fraud. Unless your insinuating he never owned it, And is making the whole thing up in order to commit insurance fraud.

A receipt from his mate stating the MR X bought XYZ on Date for X amount is all he needs

 

[downsouth]

and how many 'friend to friend' non business transactions actually involve a receipt

Think the insurers would see through that one

 

[deniser]

You can always ask him to write a letter explaining the circumstances of the sale to you.

 

[Alex C.]

Working for an insurer, dealing with household claims, I'd be a lot more suspicious of someone with a reciept from 'a mate' than someone being honest and saying they haven't got proof of purchase, explaining why and offering photos.

 

[Mpg]

Well of course you would be If he had written on the receipt I bought it off a mate.

He's after proof of purchase. So a hand written note/receipt/letter/ etc stating X bought Y on z for £ would be fine.

 

[Alex C.]

Well of course you would be If he had written on the receipt I bought it off a mate.

He's after proof of purchase. So a hand written note/receipt/letter/ etc stating X bought Y on z for £ would be fine.

It would be fine, until they do a bit of digging and discover you're friends on facebook and you forgot to mention it (an off topic tip - if you're going to commit insurance fraud, it's not a good idea to put a public message on facebook asking people for receipts so you can claim extra things... )

I'm not saying a reciept from a friend won't work but I'm saying that the easiest way would be to just say exactly what you said in the first post. It's rare someone has a receipt for a bike they bought second hand privately (again, personal experience), so it's more suspicious when someone does have one.

It's my opinion, but based on day to day handling of claims. I'm not saying he won't get paid out by doing it your way, just that it will seen as more unusual and therefore receive more investigation which generally slows down the claim.

edit: another point, they are not after proof of purchase, they are after proof of ownership which can take for form of receipts, photos, packaging, instruction manuals, proof of payment (a cash withdrawl or a card payment) etc