Should we notify & claim insurance?

[firebushbaby]

We had a leak in bedroom caused by a nail in the central heating copper pipe. This nail must have been put in weeks ago when we redecorated the bedroom. The water trickle down the dining room ball (directly below bedroom) and the water must have gone into the blocked up fireplace. We didn't realise anything was wrong till yesterday when the plaster in the dining room looked as they it it been punched from inside the wall!

Water damage also to laminate floor (approx 24" x 30") and display cabinet base(cabinet on the damaged part of floor) . Water did not show elsewhere on the laminate floor.

Wall will require for plaster to be taken off as it is all blown/soggy. Whole room will require to be re-decorated.

My husband does not want to claim as he says we have £100 excess to pay and premium will increase. We normally use a local builder whom we feel is reliable and does excellent job. If insurance company get another company to do the work, my husband doesn't fee the workmanship will be as high.

Any advice would be appreciated.

[ummmm]

Who decorated the room?

£100 excess compared to....???

[firebushbaby]

My young nephew plastered the wall and nailed the skirting board on. He is normally very careful and particular with details, but hey, we recognise he is human! ;-) My husband says he can see how the error was easily made.

Will get price quote and then decide

Do insurance companies 'penalise' people for house insurance claims the same as they do for car insurance claims?

[ummmm]

I don't know...but in my experience, no. When I claimed, for the first and only time, my premiums didn't go up. That was for a collasped pipe though. So was completely out of our control.

[woozer]

I would tell your insurer of a possible claim - then they cant say you have waited too long to notify. Get quotes and then decide what to do - insurers do not usually get too draconian over one claim in may years, but if you have been receiving a no claim discount then of course this will be lost or reduced. But the discounts on home insurance are usually not as great as on cars.
Insurer may not agree to pay for redecoration of whole room - they are only obliged to pay for the wall/floor area damaged. Some will some wont depends who you are insured with.
The repair to the damaged pipe will not be covered.
If you get quotes that compare well to the insurers own people then there should not be an issue. If your quotes are higher then the insurer may reasonably expect you to pay the diffeence.