A clear guide to how claims usually work — and what NetRent & Clear can (and can’t) do
Claims are where landlords judge their insurance — not when they buy it
Most landlords only discover what their insurance is really like when something goes wrong:
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A tenant reports a leak
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A storm damages a roof
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A fire, escape of water, or break-in causes major disruption
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A dispute starts over “what’s covered” and “what evidence is needed”
That’s why “claims support” matters. But it’s also one of the most misunderstood phrases in landlord insurance.
This article explains, in plain English:
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What claims support actually looks like in practice
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The difference between your insurer and your broker
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When Clear’s in-house claims support applies
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How you can reduce delays and disputes before a claim ever happens
1) The three parties in a claim (and what each one does)
When a claim happens, there are usually three key roles:
1) The insurer
The insurer is the company providing the cover. They ultimately decide:
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Whether a claim is covered
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What evidence is required
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What is paid and when
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Whether specialists (like loss adjusters) are appointed
2) The broker
A broker arranges the policy and helps manage the process and communication around it. A good broker:
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Helps you understand what the insurer needs
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Keeps the claim moving by reducing back-and-forth
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Flags issues early (e.g., missing information)
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Helps you avoid common pitfalls
3) You (the landlord)
Landlords have a key role in claims success. The most common reasons claims stall are practical:
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Missing documents
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Unclear timelines
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Inconsistent information
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Delays in reporting
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The policy schedule not reflecting real property use
Good claims outcomes often come down to accuracy and speed, not argument.
2) What “in-house claims support” means — and the key limitation
Clear Insurance Management has an in-house claims function that supports clients through the claims process.
Important:
✅ Clear’s in-house claims support applies only to policies arranged through Clear.
If a policy is arranged elsewhere, claims handling sits with the broker/insurer who placed that policy. In those cases, NetRent can still review your documents and highlight potential areas of concern, but we cannot step into the claims process for a policy we did not arrange.
3) What good claims support looks like in practice
For policies arranged through Clear, claims support typically focuses on:
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Helping you notify the claim correctly
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Advising what information and evidence to gather
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Communicating with the insurer and loss adjusters
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Helping keep the claim on track through follow-ups and updates
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Clarifying process and expectations so you aren’t left guessing
It doesn’t mean the broker can override an insurer’s decision — but it does mean you have a professional team helping you navigate the process.
4) The “Claims Readiness Review”: how landlords avoid friction before anything happens
Most claim delays are predictable — and avoidable.
That’s why we recommend a simple Claims Readiness Review, especially for landlords with:
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Multiple properties
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Regular void periods
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HMOs or multi-occupancy risks
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Holiday lets or short-term use
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Non-standard construction or older buildings
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A history of claims issues or disputes
A claims readiness review is designed to make sure your cover is set up in a way that reduces surprises and speeds the process if you ever need it.
It focuses on things like:
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Is your policy schedule accurate? (property use, occupancy, tenant type)
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Do you have your documents accessible? (policy schedule, insurer details, contacts)
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Do you understand what to do first in an incident?
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Do you have a simple evidence habit? (photos, invoices, timelines)
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Do you know the key conditions likely to matter? (especially during voids)
This isn’t about fear. It’s about reducing stress and financial disruption when a claim happens.
5) A quick note on rebuild values (so it’s not confused with claims support)
Because rebuild costs often come up during policy reviews, it’s worth being clear:
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Landlords (or their agent) must provide correct rebuild values
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Neither NetRent nor Clear can calculate rebuild costs for you
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If you need to obtain a rebuild value, you can use the ABI/BCIS calculator or employ a professional assessment (NetRent offers access to a Rebuild Cost Assessment service)
Rebuild values are a setup issue, not a claims support issue — but they can heavily influence claim outcomes if they’re wrong.
The offer: Claims Readiness Review
If you want reassurance about how you would cope with a claim, ask for a Claims Readiness Review.
We’ll help you identify:
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Where your documentation or policy details might create delays
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What you can prepare now to make future claims smoother
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Whether your current policy set-up looks consistent with your real-world arrangements
If you decide to arrange cover through our partner broker, Clear, you also benefit from Clear’s in-house claims support for those policies.
Regulatory note
NetRent Insurance Services is a trading name of NetRent Ltd. NetRent Ltd is an Appointed Representative of Clear Insurance Management Ltd, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
This article is general information only and does not constitute advice.
Contact us
Telephone: 01352 721300
Email: insurance@netrent.co.uk