Why a Cash Settlement Offer? Our Claim with NFU Mutual

So, if you’ve been following me on social media, you’ll know that we’re negotiating with the NFU Mutual for a cash settlement. You’ll also know that after three years and three months through a claim, we’re no closer to going home. In fact, our cottage is in a worse state than ever, though NFU Mutual are denying that it is.

We could have insisted that they carry out the repairs. We could have asked that we choose the builders to do the repairs and the NFU Mutual pay them. But when we were given the option of a cash settlement, this appeared to be the least stressful way to return to our home.

Why a Cash settlement?

We’re often asked this. We’ve been warned about the pitfalls of going down this route. Mostly, that we won’t be able to get the repairs done for as cheap a price as the insurance company did.

However, after three building companies failed to carry out the required work as agreed, would you trust yet another company, controlled by a questionable surveyor to repair your home?

But what if , as has been suggested, WE choose the builders and NFU Mutual pay by ‘the periodic submission of invoices’? From our experience over the last three years, we know that the claims department can’t be trusted to give answers in a reasonable amount of time.

Although their website states that the claims team:

‘are committed to providing you with the first class customer service that you have come to expect, no matter what the claim.’

www.nfumutual.co.uk

…we have received anything but a first class service over the last three years. In our experience, NFU Mutual take days – sometimes weeks, to come to a decision, make agreements, reimburse costs or respond to emails. Sometimes they don’t even bother to reply at all!

If we were to go down this route, I can already imagine the stress of trying to negotiate with builders whilst we wait for answers. We’ve already experienced their petty arguments about which wood to use, who to buy materials from, or which insulation material to use. All whilst watching literally every penny! (The ‘Sheeps Wool Saga’ is just one of the many future posts I can’t wait to tell you about!).

The fact is, that NFU Mutal have been controlling almost every aspect of our lives for more than three years. They’ve shown no remorse for the trouble and upset they’ve caused and we’ve just had enough of them.