When Your Insurer Offers Too Little: Why Appointing a Surveyor Can Make All the Difference
posted 13th October 2025
Making an insurance claim for damage to your home can be stressful enough. But when the insurer’s offer seems far below what it should cost to put things right, it can feel both unfair and overwhelming. This is often when a chartered building surveyor can step in to protect your interests and help you achieve a proper reinstatement of your property — not just the cheapest repair.
Why Insurance Settlements Often Fall Short
Insurers typically appoint their own loss adjusters to assess claims. These adjusters act for the insurer, not for you. Their reports often focus on the minimum reinstatement necessary to make the property serviceable again, rather than restoring it to its true pre-loss condition — including materials, finishes, and design continuity.
In older or higher-quality homes, that difference can be significant. For example, where a continuous oak floor runs through several rooms, replacing only a damaged section may leave a visible patchwork effect, diminishing the home’s appearance and value. Yet many insurer-approved contractors will propose just that.
The Role of an Independent Surveyor
An independent chartered surveyor works solely for you, the policyholder. Their role is to:
• Inspect the property and record the full extent of damage — not only what is visible but also related consequential issues such as trapped moisture, hidden decay, or movement.
• Prepare a detailed schedule of works setting out exactly what is required to reinstate the property to its pre-loss condition.
• Provide independent cost estimates based on current market rates, ensuring the insurer’s offer can be properly challenged.
• Liaise directly with the insurer or loss adjuster on your behalf, using technical evidence and case law to support your claim.
The Principle of No Betterment
Insurance law recognises that you are entitled to be restored to the position you were in before the damage — no better, but equally no worse. A long-standing legal precedent, Harbutt’s “Plasticine” Ltd v Wayne Tank & Pump Co Ltd [1970] 1 QB 447, established that when reinstatement to modern standards or full replacement is the only practical way to restore what was lost, no deduction for betterment should apply.
In practice, this means that if part of your floor, roof, or bespoke joinery cannot be repaired without leaving the property mismatched or inferior, your insurer should fund full replacement — not merely patch repairs.
A Professional Voice on Your Side
A surveyor’s report carries professional weight. Insurers are far more likely to take notice when presented with a clear technical assessment prepared by a Chartered Member of the RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors) or Fellow of the CIOB (Chartered Institute of Building).
This report can also serve as crucial evidence if the matter proceeds to complaint, ombudsman review, or litigation.
Key Takeaway
If you feel your insurance company is undervaluing your claim, don’t accept the first offer.
Engage a qualified surveyor to produce an independent report. The modest professional fee is often far outweighed by the increase in settlement value — and by the reassurance that your property will be reinstated properly, not merely patched together.
