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FAQ
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The Importance of Damage Mitigation in Insurance Claims
19th May 2015
In law, the term “mitigation” refers to the principle that a party who has suffered loss must take reasonable action to ensure that no further loss is suffered.
This “loss”, and the accompanying “reasonable action”, will vary depending on the nature of the case. For example, an individual involved in a car crash will suffer “loss” as a result of the injuries they sustain. Yet if this individual refuses medical treatment, they will have failed to take “reasonable action” to minimise the amount of loss suffered.
This will make it difficult to assess the amount of loss that can be attributed to the defendant, which means that the plaintiff might be denied compensation.
Damage mitigation is intended to protect defendants from having to pay for damages for which they were not responsible. Unfortunately, we’ve seen countless examples of insurance firms relying on damage mitigation law to either severely reduce the amount of compensation they pay, or even to avoid paying it outright.
For both businesses and homeowners alike, damage mitigation is vitally important to ensure that insurance claims proceed as smoothly as possible. Whether you’re a victim of fires, floods, theft, or storm damage, the law holds you accountable for ensuring that no further harm comes to your property. This can include anything, from securing yourself against break-ins, to undertaking repair work to safeguard your property’s structural integrity.
How Can Harris Balcombe Help You With Damage Mitigation?
When you’re reeling from a fire, a flood, or a break-in, damage mitigation might be the last thing on your mind. Of course, the first step on your road to recovery is to ensure that things don’t get any worse, but how can you be sure that the actions you undertake will be deemed “reasonable”?
That’s where we come in. Our expert loss assessors are committed to ensuring that you receive the compensation you deserve. As part of our comprehensive service, we can organise all necessary emergency works to secure your property, and protect it from any further damage.
But before this, we will conduct a thorough investigation of your property in order to confirm and record the full extent of the damage for which you can claim. We will compile a detailed report with plenty of pictures, so as to leave your insurers in no doubt as to what you’re owed.
For more information about damage mitigation, or to find out how we can help you, call our 24/7 national helpline on 0844 544 1699, or 0330 022 9176.
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REASONS WHY PEOPLE CHOOSE US
At this point, you would hope that your insurance company is there to help but unfortunately, this is not always the case. We have known families who have felt intimidated by insurers and have been treated as though they have done something wrong, or are in some way to blame for their situation.
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INSURANCE CLAIM CUSTOMER REVIEWS
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Chris Bennett26 Sep 2025A wonderful serviceDannielle Douglas was our contact with Harris Balcombe when my son, who has a brain injury, accidentally set his house on fire. It is no exaggeration to say we simply could not have managed the complicated insurance claim without her help. She dealt directly with the insurers, who could not have been more unhelpful and took months to agree a settlement, despite the fact that my son was fully insured; fought tooth and nail to get full compensation; and organised the rebuilding once it was agreed.
Dannielle was also exceptionally kind and patient with my son, who was considerably traumatised by the whole experience, and as well as replying to all his queries kept the rest of the family fully updated with the progress of the claim.
Based on our experience with Dannielle, I would wholeheartedly recommend Harris Balcombe to assist with insurance claims.
Review originally posted on Trustpilot – shared with permission -
Roy Sandler21 Sep 2025Highly recommendedI have used Harris Balcombe’s services on more than one occasion now. The last occasion was a complicated claim. I found their level of service and expertise of great value. Well worth leaving it to the experts.
Review originally posted on Trustpilot – shared with permission -
Dovid Muster26 Aug 2025Extremely helpfulHarris Balcombe always respond promptly. They show concern and were always extremely helpful.
Review originally posted on Trustpilot – shared with permission -
Thackray3 Aug 2025How to get a house rebuild under insurance without stressAlmost three years ago, the house my brother and I inherited from our father caught fire. At the time I was caring for my wife, who had been diagnosed with MND. Harris Balcombe contacted me and said they would manage the insurance rebuild process. And that’s exactly what they did — friendly, no fuss, thorough, patient (and believe me, the insurance company behaved like total idiots, taking seven months to accept the claim, which required a lot of patience).
Once that was accepted, they engaged surveyors, managed the inevitable pushback from the insurers as to what should and shouldn’t be done, then tendered for rebuild, engaged contractors, and finally helped tie up the loose ends which were always going to happen.
A big thanks to HB in general, and Jonathan Ingham in particular. I would never have been able to do this.
Review originally posted on Trustpilot – shared with permission - SWIPE RIGHT
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