What Managing Agents Look for in Claims Support Services

If you manage residential blocks, you already know that an insurance claim is never just about the damage. A leak from a top floor flat can affect three households below, the communal hallway and the lift, and every one of those people will want to know what is happening and when. Add a freeholder who expects regular updates and a service charge budget that cannot absorb surprises, and it is easy to see why so many managing agents look for outside claims support services. This guide looks at what managing agents genuinely need from that support, the questions worth asking before you appoint anyone, and how Sabre Assessing works alongside agents to take the weight off their teams.

Why Claims Are Different for Managing Agents

A homeowner with a burst pipe has one property, one policy and one set of decisions to make. A managing agent dealing with the same burst pipe in a block of flats is in a very different position. You are usually acting on behalf of a freeholder or a residents’ management company, the buildings policy sits in their name, and the people living with the damage are leaseholders and tenants who may have their own contents cover, their own insurers and their own expectations.

That creates a web of interests that someone has to hold together. The freeholder wants the building put right and the policy protected. Leaseholders want their flats repaired quickly and want to know whether they will be paying an excess through the service charge. Tenants want to know whether they can stay put. The insurer wants evidence, cause and costings. And your property manager, who probably looks after dozens of other buildings, has to keep all of those conversations moving while still dealing with day to day repairs, budgets and section 20 consultations.

The Claims That Cause Managing Agents the Most Pressure

Most blocks will see a mix of claims over the years, but a few types come up again and again, and each brings its own headaches.

Escape of water between flats

Escape of water is the claim most managing agents deal with most often. A failed washing machine hose, a leaking shower tray or a corroded pipe in one flat can soak through ceilings and walls into the flats below. Tracing the source can mean opening up floors in a property whose owner is abroad or not responding. Then there are questions about which parts are covered under the buildings policy, which are the leaseholder’s responsibility under the lease, and whether trace and access costs are included.

Repeat escape of water claims are a particular worry. Insurers look closely at claims history when a block renews, and a run of leaks can lead to higher premiums, higher excesses or conditions being added to the policy. All of that ends up in the service charge.

Fire

Fire in a block is rarely contained to one flat. Smoke can travel through communal areas and service risers, water used to put the fire out can cause damage several floors down, and residents may need alternative accommodation.

Storm and roof damage

Storms can damage roofs, flashings, communal windows, boundary walls and gates. These claims often look straightforward but can become contested if the insurer suggests the damage was caused by wear and tear or poor maintenance rather than the storm itself. Good maintenance records and prompt evidence make a real difference here.

What Managing Agents Should Look For in Claims Support Services

Not all claims support is the same. Here is what tends to matter most to managing agents once a claim is live.

A fast response

The first few days after an incident shape the rest of the claim. Damage needs to be photographed and recorded before anything is stripped out, emergency works need to be arranged to stop things getting worse, and the insurer needs to be notified properly. A claims partner who can attend quickly, or at least start organising things the same day, protects both the building and the claim.

A single point of contact

Property managers do not have time to repeat the same background to three different people. One named contact who knows the building, the policy and the history of the claim saves hours and avoids mixed messages. That person should be the one chasing the insurer, the loss adjuster and the contractors, so your team does not have to.

Handling leaseholder and resident communication

This is often the part managing agents value most. Residents want reassurance and regular updates. A good claims partner will help you keep leaseholders informed about what is happening, explain access arrangements for inspections and works, and answer questions about the process, while keeping you in the loop on anything that needs your decision.

Managing contractors and repairs

Reinstatement in a block can involve several trades across several flats, all needing access at the right time. Someone needs to make sure the scope of works matches what the insurer has agreed, that contractors are not doing work outside that scope without approval, and that the finished repairs are to the right standard. Having support with this side of things can take a huge amount of coordination off your desk.

Clear reporting for your clients

Freeholders, residents’ management companies and right to manage boards will all want to know where a claim stands. Short, clear written updates that you can pass on, showing what has been agreed, what is outstanding and what the next steps are, make your own reporting much easier and help show your clients that the claim is being handled properly.

Proper knowledge of buildings policies

Block policies can be detailed, with specific wording on escape of water, trace and access, unoccupied flats, alternative accommodation, loss of rent and excesses. The right partner will read the policy carefully, understand where the lease and the policy interact, and make sure every eligible part of the loss is included in the claim, rather than leaving items on the table because nobody spotted them. If you want to see why this matters, our article on how damage assessment affects payouts explains how the initial assessment shapes the final settlement.

Independence Matters More Than You Might Think

One of the most important questions to ask any claims partner is simple: who are you working for?

After a significant claim, the insurer will usually appoint a loss adjuster. Loss adjusters are professional and many are very good at what they do, but they are appointed and paid by the insurer. Their role is to investigate the claim and recommend a settlement in line with the policy on the insurer’s behalf.

A loss assessor works the other way round. A loss assessor is appointed by the policyholder, in your case usually the freeholder or management company, and works to present and negotiate the claim on their behalf. If you are unsure about the distinction, our guide to the loss assessor vs loss adjuster question sets it out clearly.

For managing agents, independence matters because your duty is to your client and, indirectly, to the leaseholders who fund the service charge. Having someone in your corner who has no link to the insurer means the claim is presented fully and fairly from the policyholder’s side, with every reasonable cost included and every point properly argued.

Questions to Ask Before You Appoint Anyone

Before you bring in outside help on a claim, or agree a standing arrangement for your portfolio, it is worth asking a few straightforward questions.

• Are you authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority? Claims handling for policyholders is a regulated activity, and you should be able to check a firm’s details on the FCA register.
• Do you act only for policyholders, or do you also work for insurers?
• Do you have experience with blocks of flats, leaseholders and communal areas, not just individual houses?
• Who will be my day to day contact, and how often will I get updates?
• How do you work with residents and leaseholders?
• Are you tied to particular contractors, and can we use our own approved contractors if we prefer?
• How is your fee worked out, and can you confirm it in writing before we sign anything?

On fees, loss assessors usually charge a fee agreed upfront, often a percentage of the settlement. That is normal, but the details should never be vague. Always ask for the fee in writing before you sign, make sure you understand what it covers, and check how it will be paid. You will also want to be clear with your client about how the fee is treated, so there are no surprises for the freeholder or the leaseholders later on.

Escape of Water, Recurring Claims and Premium Pressure

For many managing agents, the hardest conversations are not about a single claim but about the pattern. A block that has had four or five escape of water claims in a couple of years can face a difficult renewal, and leaseholders understandably want to know why their service charge keeps going up.

Good claims support services do not stop when the settlement is agreed. It should also help you understand what is causing the leaks and what can be done about it. That might mean reviewing the causes of past claims to spot common themes, such as ageing plumbing, poorly fitted bathrooms or a particular type of fitting that keeps failing. It might mean helping you communicate with leaseholders about their responsibilities under the lease, or suggesting simple preventative steps residents can take. Our article on preventing escape of water damage is a useful starting point to share with residents.

Clear records also help at renewal time. When a broker or insurer can see that each claim was investigated properly, that the cause was identified and dealt with, and that steps were taken to reduce the risk of it happening again, it puts the block in a much stronger position than a list of claims with no explanation behind them.

When a Claim Goes Wrong

Even well handled claims sometimes hit problems. An insurer might decline part of a claim, offer a settlement that does not cover the true cost of reinstatement, or argue about the cause of the damage. In these situations, having someone who understands both the policy and the building can make a real difference to how the disagreement is resolved.

The first step is usually to go back to the policy wording and the evidence, and to put a clear, reasoned case to the insurer. Many disputes are settled at that stage. If the insurer’s final response is still unsatisfactory, the policyholder may be able to refer the complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service, depending on whether they fall within the Ombudsman’s eligibility rules. Some commercial policyholders, such as larger freehold companies, may not be eligible, so it is worth checking. No one can promise a particular outcome in a dispute, but a well documented, properly presented claim gives you the best footing.

How Sabre Assessing Supports Managing Agents

Sabre Assessing is an independent firm of loss assessors based in Portsmouth. We act only for policyholders, never for insurers, and Sabre Assessing Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. We handle fire, flood, storm, escape of water, subsidence, impact and burglary claims for homeowners, landlords, businesses and managing agents.

When we work with a managing agent, our aim is to take as much of the claim off your plate as possible while keeping you fully informed. In practice that means:

• Getting involved early, so damage is properly recorded and the claim starts on the right footing.
• Reviewing the buildings policy and identifying everything that can reasonably be claimed.
• Preparing and presenting the claim to the insurer and dealing directly with their loss adjuster.
• Helping to coordinate contractors and making sure repairs match what has been agreed.
• Supporting communication with leaseholders and residents, so they know what is happening and when.
• Giving you clear updates you can pass on to the freeholder or management company.
• Looking at patterns in recurring claims, particularly escape of water, to help reduce future risk.

We will always explain how our fee works and confirm it in writing before you agree anything, so you and your client know exactly where you stand.

Whether you look after a single block or a large portfolio across several counties, having dependable claims support services in place means your property managers can get on with the rest of their work, knowing each claim is in experienced hands.

Speak to Sabre Assessing About Your Block Claims

Insurance claims in blocks of flats bring together a lot of people, a lot of paperwork and a lot of pressure, and most of it falls on the managing agent. The right partner should make that load lighter: responding quickly, acting as one point of contact, keeping residents informed, reporting clearly to your clients and working only on the policyholder’s side.

If you are dealing with a live claim now, or you would like to talk about how independent claims support services could work across your portfolio, we would be happy to have an informal conversation with no pressure to commit. You can get in touch with our team or find out more about Sabre Assessing.