FAQs

Please don’t confuse us with loss adjusters, a common error. You won’t pay loss adjuster fees either. That’s because they work on behalf of the insurance companies. Loss adjusters are paid to ensure the costs to insurance companies are reviewed. As loss assessors, we only work on your behalf. We never ever work for insurance companies. Our sole aim is to ensure you get everything you are entitled to under the terms of your insurance cover.

As loss assessors we’re legally obliged to be registered with the Financial Conduct Authority registered firm (registration number 314000 – John Z Fogel trading as Imperial Claims Consultants).

In our experience: yes.

During your claim, only you and your loss assessor will have your best interests at heart and your loss assessor will invariably secure a better outcome for you than if you were to manage your claim by yourself.

The more complex or costly your claim is, the more important it is that you engage a loss assessor to represent you. While this might be your first or one of a very few insurance claims you’ve made, your insurance company and their loss adjusters are practiced at dealing with claims effectively and to their own company’s advantage. It is easy to make mistakes when making an insurance claim if you don’t know all the rules.

At Imperial Claims Consultants, we work as your professional representative to apply the rules to ensure that all of your costs are fully compensated, keeping your needs in mind rather than the insurance company’s. Our loss assessors are experts in domestic fire insurance claims, flood insurance claims and theft insurance claims as well as business claims for landlords and commercial losses.

Yes we can help you at any stage before you agree settlement, but it is truly in your best interest to contact us ideally before you contact your insurance company to submit your claim.

No. Absolutely not. Indeed our entire service (that’s 100% of our service at Imperial Claims Consultant) operates on a No Win No Fee basis with no upfront fees payable.

Please refer to our Fees page to understand your range of options.

No, and don’t worry!

In 60 years we have been negotiating insurance claims, we can count the claims that haven’t been paid on one hand.

Some insurance brokers have their own claims departments, but they will not dedicate the same time and effort as an Insurance Loss Assessor. All we do here at Imperial Claims Consultants is to work with you the policyholder to manage your insurance claim and we genuinely offer you a very professional, personal and truly bespoke service. We only work with you the insured, never the insurers.

There are a number of reasons why a loss assessor is best suited to manage your claim.

During an insurance investigation, it is important that anyone representing your interests is authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority. This ensures the standards by which they have to serve you. Your managing agent may not be authorised, but our loss assessors are.

Your managing agent can provide valuable information and local, trusted contacts for repairs your property may need.

However, it is highly unlikely that they will have the expertise and experience in claims investigation and negotiation that we have.

Imperial Claims are industry experts in dealing with commercial, industrial, homeowners and landlords insurance claims and we have, and continue to provide our clients with a truly personal and bespoke service.

With over 60 years in-house claims handling experience there isn’t any type of disaster that we haven’t already managed. From small claims to the largest of claims, we can truly assist.

Loss assessors are typically professional companies and individuals that will negotiate on the policyholder’s behalf to progress a claim to resolution. It could be said that they offer a claims management service for the policyholder, meaning the policyholder doesn’t have to spend time dealing with the insurer – the loss assessor will typically do this.

A Loss Assessor, like Imperial Claims Consultants, will look at the damage, assess the costs involved and they may then take the lead in all discussions on the claim with the insurers or loss adjusters concerned.

Loss Assessors are employed by the policyholder, they are acting exclusively to protect the policyholders best interests.

John Z Fogel t/a Imperial Claims Consultants is a Financial Conduct Authority registered firm.

We are authorised to assist clients with their insurance claims. We work for the policyholder only, never the insurer. Our service will not cost the insured anything provided they use our panel of contractors.

We help clients who have suffered from the insurance covered perils relating to building and/or contents such as:

So, before you contact the insurers, contact Imperial Claims Consultants for a very personal and bespoke service.

Here at Imperial Claims Consultants we can help you with…

Just the one personal point of contact for all of the following services:

Claims Handling

Disaster Management Works

Whether you have used our claims handling service or not, we can supply a Disaster Recovery and Specialist Cleaning Services and specialist content storage services to a wide range of commercial and industrial organisations, as well as to property and home owners, and we can do this within hours.

Fire, Flood, Escape of Water and Accidental Damage Restoration is supplied to many policyholder’s, and all at NO COST to the insured as all costs are reclaimed from insurers.

We also specialise in providing a full specialist bespoke service to a wide range of commercial and industrial organisations. Our services are delivered 24 hours a day and we provide a local service efficiently, reliably and cost effectively.

Drying Works

Leading on from our Disaster Management Works we provide clients with trained Technicians who specialise in drying out properties both for homeowners, commercial and industrial clients. As with everything we do, our service costs the insured nothing as we reclaim our costs from your insurer.

Building Reinstatement Works

Whether you have used our claims handling service or not, we can supply a quality Reinstatement Works service ranging from small works right the way through to multi million pound projects.

Where required, a Surveyor and Project Manager can also assist. Countless clients have benefitted from our services over the years, we will be more than delighted to personally discuss your individual needs, and all at NO COST to the insured as all costs are reclaimed from insurers.

Successful insurance claims are based on process. Following the right process increases your chance of making a successful claim dramatically – and the process starts as soon as you talk to your insurance company.

A typical claims process would be:

1. In cases involving criminal activity (such as theft or malicious damage), you should call the police to report the incident and obtain a Crime Reference Number.

2. Call Imperial Claims Consultants and instruct us to act on your behalf.

3. We visit the scene of the loss with you and/or your agent.

4. We go through your insurance policy thoroughly.

5. We help you to prepare a schedule of the loss.

6. We liaise with you to obtain estimates to repair or replace and reinstate the loss.

7. We hold meetings with your insurance company’s loss adjuster and negotiate on your behalf.

8. You get your settlement from your insurance company and if this is the case we would charge a percentage of the settlement, which we would have agreed at the start.

9. We will only charge you in line with the fees as listed here: https://www.imperialclaimsconsultants.co.uk/our-fees/

We provide a national service, so we can work on your behalf regardless of where you are in the United Kingdom for any commercial, industrial, homeowners or landlords’ property insurance claim.

No. They employ loss adjusters to look after their own interests and it is perfectly acceptable to them if you choose to employ someone to act on your behalf.

Hiring a loss assessor will never prejudice your claim or negatively impact how your insurer treats you.

However, your insurer will likely advise that they will not cover an assessor’s costs – this is standard and ensures that the assessor is completely focused on getting the best outcomes for you, the claimant.

Your insurer may also specify that any loss assessor you engage is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

Even if your insurer does not suggest it, we believe this is critical requirement of any loss assessor and are proud that Imperial Claims Consultants are fully approved by the Financial Conduct Authority.

Yes, on some occasions a third party may be negligent or responsible for an incident and a recovery made against them or their insurers.

We will always be open and honest on the chances of assisting with a declined claim. Claims are declined for a number of reasons and we are seeing a rise in the number of incorrect decisions.

We are willing to carry out a free review and if appropriate we will take your claim forward either for an appeal to the insurers or to the Financial Ombudsman Service.

We are extensively experienced and knowledgeable in drafting complaints/appeals and therefore you’ll be in safe hands with Imperial Claims Consultants.