Combined Water & Electrics Cover
Terms & Conditions
You have entered into a contract of insurance with Inter Partner Assistance SA and a separate contract with HomeServe to arrange and administer the policy. This document represents the entire agreements of the parties on the matters in question, which will be subject to English Law, and the parties submit to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the English Courts.
Please read this document carefully, we do not wish you to discover after an incident has occurred that you are not insured. If you have any queries, please call HomeServe on 0800 783 0951.
DEFINITIONS RELATING TO THE INSURANCE AND ADMINISTRATION TERMS AND CONDITIONS
Certain words within your terms and conditions or your policy summary have a particular meaning, shown below. Each time we use one of these words it will have the same meaning:
- You/Your: the permanent occupier of the property as recorded on your policy documents and your spouse/partner and family who live with you.
- Inter Partner Assistance SA/we/us/our: Inter Partner Assistance SA, The Quadrangle, 106-118 Station Road, Redhill, Surrey, RH1 1PR, United Kingdom. Registered No. FC008998.
- HomeServe: HomeServe Membership Ltd, Cable Drive, Walsall, WS2 7BN, registered in England no. 2770612.
- Property: the private dwelling, garage, domestic outbuildings (excluding sheds, greenhouses and non-permanent structures) and garden all within the property boundary at the address shown on your policy documentation. It must be your permanent home and owned and solely occupied by you and your family as a private residence with no business use.
Flats, maisonettes, mobile homes, bedsits, and let and sub-let properties are not covered. Council and housing association tenants will not need this service. - Temporary reinstatement: for drainage claims - the back-filling of any necessary excavation to leave the ground level. We will not reinstate or arrange for the reinstatement of hard or soft landscaping, such as drives, pathways, walls, flower beds or lawns.
- Domestic electrical wiring: The permanent 240 volt electrical supply system within the property supplying electrical power including wall sockets, switches, bulb sockets and fuseboxes, all beyond the electricity company's supply meter.
- Breakdown and/or failure: Sudden and unforeseen electrical malfunction of the domestic electrical wiring.
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Emergency/cies: Sudden and unforeseen damage to the domestic electrical wiring, internal plumbing and drainage or underground external drains, or underground water supply pipe which immediately:
- exposes you to a risk to your health; or
- creates a risk of loss of or damage to the property; or
- makes the building uninhabitable.
- Internal plumbing and/or drainage: the water pipework, water storage and drainage systems for which you have responsibility inside the buildings of your property.
- Underground external drains: the drainage pipes and private sewers (shared drains) that serve your property and are within your property boundary but are not beneath or inside any building or outbuilding, and drainage pipes that solely serve your property and are outside your property boundary up to the junction with the mains services where you have responsibility.
- Emergency repair(s): repair work by an approved engineer authorised by Inter Partner Assistance SA to identify and/or eliminate the emergency.
- Underground water supply pipe: the water supply pipe that serves your property, from and including the stop tap within the home, up to the junction with the mains services, where you have responsibility.
- Non-emergency incidents: any hot or cold water tap which requires re-washering (excluding the replacement of taps) and incidents related to water flowing out of any overflow pipes.
- Permanent reinstatement: for water supply pipe claims - repairs and/or work required to put right the damage caused by any necessary excavations as a result of a claim under this policy. This includes, back filling and reinstatement of tarmac, concrete, block paving and lawns. If the reinstatement requires specialist materials and/or skills we will alternatively and at our option, reimburse you up to £500 towards your reinstatement costs. To allow for any settlement of the ground following any excavations, these works may not be effected immediately. In undertaking any permanent reinstatement it may not be possible to guarantee to provide an exact match to the existing surface.
- Uncontrollable internal emergency: an internal emergency where you are unable to temporarily stop the incident from causing further immediate damage within the home (i.e. by turning the water off, containing the leak or not using the affected facilities).
- Exclusion period: to prevent claims for pre-existing problems (and therefore to reduce premiums), in your first year of cover, there is an initial 14 day period when you are not covered. This only applies to the new elements of your cover. The date from which you are able to make a claim is shown on your policy summary under 'period of insurance'. Providing you renew before the expiry of your policy, the exclusion period does not apply after your first year of cover.
COST OF COVER
- The cost of cover is the total amount you pay as detailed in your policy documentation, which consists of the Arrangement and Administration Fee of £46.00 and the Premium. The Arrangement and Administration Fee is the amount you pay for arranging and administering the cover, and the premium is the amount you pay for the insurance contract. These arrangements do not affect the amount that you pay for your cover or the service that you receive. References to 'Combined Water and Electric Cover and 'Cover' in all documents include services within both contracts.
- Your policy premium will be reviewed upon renewal. Any claims made will also be considered within the review. Any amendments to the policy premium will be confirmed on your policy summary approximately 28 days before the expiry of your cover.
ADMINISTRATION TERMS AND CONDITIONS
This cover is arranged and administered for you by HomeServe Membership Ltd, Cable Drive, Walsall, WS2 7BN.
- HomeServe will arrange and administer your insurance cover and agree service standards for the delivery of the cover provided by the insurance. If the insurance does not provide the cover you need, you should return your policy summary to HomeServe at the FREEPOST address shown below (see number 6) within 28 days of the policy start date and your premium will be refunded in full, provided no claim has been made. Please note that your statutory cancellation rights, which run for 14 days and begin at the end of the exclusion period (if applicable), are included within this 28 day period.
- The minimum period for which you may hold this policy is 12 months. HomeServe will arrange for collection of policy premiums in accordance with your instructions. If you fail to make a payment on the due date, your policy will be suspended immediately and during this period you will not be covered. HomeServe will notify you in writing within 5 working days if you fail to make a payment. If you do not pay in full within 30 days of the due date, your policy will be cancelled. Any outstanding payments will be requested and upon receipt of cleared funds your cover will restart.
- HomeServe reserve the right to cancel this policy by giving you at least 7 days notice at your last known address. If HomeServe cancel the policy, HomeServe will refund your premium for the remainder of the current policy period shown on your policy summary, unless a claim has been made.
- HomeServe will contact you in writing before your policy expires to arrange renewal of your policy. HomeServe also reserve the right to refuse renewal of any individual HomeServe policy.
- You are responsible for informing HomeServe of a change of your address, so that cover can be transferred to your new property. Please phone 0800 783 0951 to advise HomeServe of your new address or write to the FREEPOST address shown below (see number 6).
- If you have a complaint relating to an administrative matter, please phone 0800 783 0951 or write to FREEPOST RLYC-LXAL-GEEH, Customer Relations Department, HomeServe, Walsall, WS2 7BN. In the unlikely event that you are not satisfied with the response from HomeServe, you can ask us for details of the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS).
INSURANCE TERMS AND CONDITIONS
The insurance is underwritten by Inter Partner Assistance SA who are a wholly owned subsidiary of AXA Assistance SA and part of the worldwide AXA Group.
- Inter Partner Assistance SA is authorised by the Commission Bancaire, Financière et des Assurances (CBFA) in Belgium (their regulatory arm) and regulated by the Financial Services Authority (FSA) here in the UK.
What is covered?
Section A: Internal Plumbing and Drainage Cover
- If you suffer an emergency relating to your internal plumbing and drainage at the address on your terms and conditions, you should call us on the 24 Hour Claims Number on your Policy Summary. We will then:
- advise you of how to protect yourself and the property immediately while awaiting assistance;
- organise and pay up to £2,000 (including VAT) on your behalf for an approved plumbing or drainage engineer to carry out the emergency repairs that are immediately necessary to:
- protect you against risk to health;
- make the buildings of the property safe and habitable.
- The cover limit stated in Section A includes the cost of call-out, labour, materials and VAT. The maximum amount we will pay under this policy, arising from any one event, is £2,000 including VAT. This excludes any hotel accommodation payments.
- In the event of an emergency, covered under Section A, we will carry out an emergency repair. We will not cover any other repair work that may be required in addition to the emergency repair, such as: repairs required to avoid the problem re-occurring; or to ensure your plumbing and drainage system is restored to an adequate functional standard for ongoing use; or any normal day-to-day maintenance work. For example, a leaking water tank will be drained to alleviate the emergency of water escaping through the home but the leaking tank will not be replaced.
- In the event of an uncontrollable internal emergency within your home, if a HomeServe approved engineer does not arrive at your property within 2 hours of notification, HomeServe will refund your policy premium in full. If you feel this applies to a claim you have made under this policy you should call HomeServe on 0800 783 0951 or write to Freepost RLYC-LXAL-GEEH, Customer Relations Department, HomeServe, Cable Drive, Walsall, WS2 7BN.
Section B: Underground External Drainage Cover
- If you suffer a leakage or blockage in your underground external drains, you should call us on the 24 Hour Claims Number on your policy summary. We will then organise and pay up to £4,000 (including VAT) for an approved drainage engineer to unblock or repair or replace the damaged section of drain in order for us to resolve the immediate emergency including temporary reinstatement to leave the drain running clear.
- Our liability to pay for such repairs applies: (a) to drains and private sewers within the property boundary and up to the point at which the pipes enter or go under your home; (b) to drains on private land outside your property boundary and up to the public highway (where you have sole responsibility and a legal right of access); and (c) to drains in the public highway, where you have sole responsibility.
- Drains/sewers and water supply pipes within and under your home and outbuildings and soil vent pipes on your property are covered under Section A only.
- In the event of an emergency, covered under Section B, we will carry out an emergency repair. We will not cover any other repair work that may be required in addition to the emergency repair, such as: repairs required to avoid the problem re-occurring; or to ensure your plumbing and drainage system is restored to an adequate functional standard for ongoing use; or any normal day-to-day maintenance work. For example, a blocked drain will be left running clear so as to alleviate the immediate emergency but if the drain is required to be re-aligned to avoid the problem re-occurring, this is not covered.
- The cover limit stated in Section B includes the cost of call-out, labour, materials and VAT. The maximum amount we will pay under this policy, arising from any one event is £4,000 including VAT. This excludes any hotel accommodation payments.
Section C: Underground Water Supply Pipe Cover
- If you suffer a leakage or blockage to your underground water supply pipe at the address on your terms and conditions, you should call us on the 24 Hour Claims Number on your policy summary. We will then:
- organise and pay up to £3,000 (including VAT) on your behalf for an approved engineer to locate the leak and repair or replace the damaged section of water supply pipe including permanent reinstatement if applicable. We will automatically replace sections of supply pipe up to 20 metres unless a repair would be just as effective.
- In the event the policy limit is reached (i.e. £3,000) whilst locating the leak and prior to completion of all necessary work, you are responsible for agreeing and settling any costs above the limits of cover directly with the engineer.
- Our liability to pay for such repairs applies to: (a) the underground water supply pipe from the property boundary and up to and including the stop tap (for both leaks and stop taps that can not be turned on or off) in your property; (b) the underground water supply pipe on private land outside your property boundary and up to the public highway (where you have a legal right of access); (c) the underground water supply pipe in the public highway, if you have this extra responsibility.
- The cover limit stated in Section C includes the cost of call-out, labour, materials and VAT. The maximum amount we will pay under this policy, arising from any one event is £3,000 including VAT. This excludes any hotel accommodation payments.
- In the event of an uncontrollable internal emergency within your home, if a HomeServe approved engineer does not arrive at your property within 2 hours of notification, HomeServe will refund your policy premium in full. If you feel this applies to a claim you have made under this policy you should call HomeServe on 0800 783 0951 or write to FREEPOST RLYC-LXAL-GEEH, Customer Relations Department, HomeServe, Cable Drive, Walsall, WS2 7BN.
Section D: Domestic Electrical Wiring Cover
- If you suffer a breakdown and/or failure of your domestic electrical wiring at the address on your terms and conditions, you should call us on the 24 Hour Claims Number on your policy summary. We will then:
- advise you how to protect yourself and the property immediately;
- organise and pay up to £2,000 (including VAT) on your behalf for an approved engineer to repair or remedy the breakdown and/or failure of the domestic electrical wiring.
- Our liability to pay for such repairs shall apply to the permanent electricity supply system beyond the electricity company's supply meter, which has failed or broken down for reasons other than a failure of external public services to the property.
- The cover limit stated in Section D includes the cost of call-out, labour, materials and VAT. The maximum amount we will pay under this policy, arising from any one event is £2,000 including VAT. This excludes any hotel accommodation payments.
- In the event of total failure of the domestic electrical wiring within your property caused by an electrical emergency covered by your policy, if an approved engineer does not arrive at your property within 2 hours of notification, HomeServe will refund your policy premium in full. If you feel that this applies to a claim you have made under this policy you should call HomeServe on 0800 783 0951 or write to FREEPOST RLYC-LXAL-GEEH, Customer Relations Department, HomeServe, Cable Drive, Walsall, WS2 7BN.
Section E: Plumbing Maintenance Cover
- If you suffer from an escape of water at your property from the WCs or domestic tank warning/overflow pipe, you should call us on the 24 Hour Claims Number on your policy summary. We will then:
- organise on your behalf to pay up to £200 (including VAT) for a HomeServe approved engineer to repair or replace the damaged part (where the part is readily available) to remedy the escape of water.
- If any hot or cold water tap to a bath or sink in your Property is dripping and requires re-washering to remedy the problem, you should call us on the 24 Hour Claims Number on your policy summary. We will then:
- organise on your behalf to pay up to £200 (including VAT) for a HomeServe approved engineer to re-washer the tap.
- All repairs are carried out Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm (excluding bank holidays)
- 'A claim' is defined as a single dripping tap or a single leaking overflow pipe.
- The cover limit stated in Section E includes the cost of call-out, labour, materials and VAT. The maximum amount we will pay under this section, arising from any one event is £200 including VAT.
Section F: Hotel Accommodation
If as a result of an event covered by Section C (Water Supply Pipe Cover), you make a claim and our engineer is unable to contain the emergency on the first visit, leaving you without water, we will reimburse hotel costs of up to £500 (including VAT) if no alternative accommodation is available to you.
If your property becomes uninhabitable for a period of time in excess of 48 hours as a result of an event covered by Section A (Internal Plumbing and Drainage Cover), Section B (Underground External Drainage Cover) or Section D (Domestic Electrical Wiring Cover) and no alternative accommodation is available, we will reimburse hotel costs up to £500 (including VAT).
The following applies to all sections of cover:
- All permanent repairs are guaranteed for as long as you choose to remain a HomeServe Combined Water and Electrics customer. A permanent repair is only carried out if it's as cost effective as an emergency repair.
- There can be a maximum of 4 claims in total under Section A (Internal Plumbing and Drainage) and Section E (Plumbing Maintenance Cover). There can also be a maximum of 4 claims in total under Section B (Underground External Drainage Cover) and Section C (Underground Water Supply Pipe Cover) within the period of insurance stated on your policy summary. You can make unlimited claims under Section D (Domestic Electrical Wiring Cover).
GENERAL CONDITIONS
- Claims must be made via the 24 Hour Claims Number by you or a person calling on your behalf at the time of the emergency, breakdown and/or failure. We will not cover the costs of work carried out by contractors not authorised by us in advance.
- In order for us to verify your cover, when calling, please have your policy number ready to quote. The engineer may also ask you to produce your policy summary when they arrive at your property.
- This policy is for homeowners only. Retail, commercial and other premises used for business are not eligible for this cover.
- If any loss, damage or expense covered under this policy is also covered by any other insurance or maintenance contract, you must provide us with full details of the other contract. We will not pay more than our fair share (rateable proportion) of any claim.
- You must co-operate with us in obtaining reimbursement of any costs we incur under the terms of this cover, which may have been caused by the action of a third party, against whom you have a legal right of action.
- Details of you, your insurance cover and claims will be held by us for underwriting, processing, claims handling and fraud prevention subject to the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1998.
- We may change any of the terms upon which we provide this insurance to you, including the underwriting risks, the level of cover, or any other term whatsoever. Where this change benefits you, we will make the change immediately and notify you of the change within 28 days. In all other cases we will write to advise you of the change at least 28 days prior to any change taking effect.
What is not covered?
- Inter Partner Assistance provides the services and benefits described in these terms and conditions for the period of insurance shown on the enclosed Policy Summary. But there are conditions and exclusions which limit your cover. Please read them carefully to ensure this policy meets your needs.
EXCLUSIONS
Section A: Internal Plumbing and Drainage Cover
- The following are excluded from cover:
- a leaking central heating radiator, where you are able to turn off the radiator and stop the leak;
- showers including the shower unit, controls, outlet or shower head.
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Inter Partner Assistance SA shall not be liable for:
- any costs relating to replacement of water tanks, radiators, cylinders, sanitary ware (e.g. basins and toilet bowls).
Section B: Underground External Drainage Cover
- The following are excluded from cover:
- shared drainage facilities (sewers) outside the property boundary;
- drain clearance where you have previously been advised of the need to install access points (e.g. rodding eye, manhole etc.) at your cost;
- drains and sewers that do not serve your property and for which you do not have responsibility.
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Inter Partner Assistance SA shall not be liable for:
- any costs relating to repair or replacement of pumps including any associated electrics or valves, water softeners, waste disposal units, macerators or any central heating component (e.g. motorized valves, boiler parts etc);
- any item not forming part of the underground external drains.
Section C: Underground Water Supply Pipe Cover
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Inter Partner Assistance SA shall not be liable for:
- loss or damage arising as a result of disconnection from or interruption to the mains services;
- any item not forming part of the underground water supply pipe;
- any internal or external water pipe after the internal stop tap;
- costs exceeding your fair share (rateable proportion) for any work undertaken on a shared underground water supply pipe outside the boundary of your property whereby your neighbour does not consent to repairs being completed by our approved contractors.
Section D: Domestic Electrical Wiring Cover
- The following are excluded from cover:
- the replacement of light bulbs, decorative and fluorescent tube light fittings, fuses in plugs, transformers controlling single low voltage light fittings, or any other routine electrical maintenance tasks;
- electrics which are connected to a pump to a swimming pool, pond, water feature or fish tank, whether inside or outside the property;
- control wiring of burglar alarms, telephone wiring, smoke detectors, doorbells, electrical garage door systems and electrical gates;
- wiring and electrics which are not permanent;
- wiring and electrics situated outside or mounted on the external surface of any building, with the exception of wiring to permanent security lighting or garden lighting mounted on the main dwelling;
- wiring and electrics within sheds, greenhouses and other non-permanent garden structures;
- wiring or anything connected to satellite dishes, radio and television aerials, their fittings and masts;
- domestic electrical appliances, portable and fixed heating or energy efficiency management systems;
- immersion heaters, with the exception of the permanent fixed wiring to the immersion heater, which is covered;
- power generation systems including solar panels, wind turbines, air conditioning units and combined heat and power systems and associated controls;
- any 3-phase electrical systems (including wiring, sockets and switches).
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Inter Partner Assistance SA shall not be liable for:
- any item not forming part of the domestic electrical wiring;
- the resetting of circuit breakers, where it is not associated with permanent repair work and where it can be reset by you;
- any adjustment required to the timing and temperature controls of heaters or Economy 7 timer switches;
- any fixtures including wiring and earthing where its replacement is only necessary as a result of changes in legislation or health and safety guidelines;
- wiring or anything connected to satellite dishes, radio and television aerials, their fittings and masts;
- any electrics which are not permanent and/or are situated outside the private dwelling, such as fairy lights, except wiring to security lighting or permanent garden lighting attached to the property;
- control wiring of burglar alarms, telephone wiring, smoke detectors, doorbells and electrical garage door systems;
- repair or replacement costs if our contractor is unable to repair the domestic electrical wiring due to its age or poor condition;
- the like for like replacement of wall sockets, switches or fittings necessary in repairing or remedying a breakdown and/or failure of the domestic electrical wiring, unless an alternative is supplied by you at the time of our engineers visit;
- replacement costs of domestic electrical wiring which needs to be replaced as a consequence of natural wear and tear or gradual deterioration;
- costs incurred where you have been advised of the need to carry out permanent repair work to avoid repetitive situations leading to a breakdown and/or failure.
Section E: Plumbing Maintenance Cover
- The following are excluded from cover:
- where the tap part required to remedy the problem would involve the fitting of a ceramic disc(s);
- the replacement of a hot or cold water tap.
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Inter Partner Assistance SA shall not be liable for:
- any item not forming part of the taps & overflows as highlighted in 'What is covered' (Section E);
- discharge of water from the mains fed hot water cylinders and/or central heating boilers;
- any tap related fault which has occurred due to wear and tear other than re-washering.
APPLIES TO ALL SECTIONS OF COVER
All Emergencies and Breakdowns
- The following are excluded from cover:
- temporarily frozen pipes which have not resulted in confirmed damage;
- external guttering, rainwater downpipes, rainwater drains and soakaways;
- swimming pools or decorative features including ponds, fountains and any associated pipes, valves or pumps;
- cesspits, septic tanks and any outflow pipes;
- domestic appliances and their associated pipework;
- vacuum drainage systems;
- ground, air and water source heat pump systems;
- no water or hot water from your hot water taps;
- all pipework, pumps, panels and controls linked to solar panel heating and air conditioning units;
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Inter Partner Assistance SA shall not be liable for:
- any event arising from circumstances known to you before the insurance began;
- any loss in the event of damage occurring where the property has remained unoccupied for 60 or more consecutive days;
- any costs relating to repair or replacement of pumps including any associated electrics or valves, water softeners, waste disposal units, macerators or any central heating component (e.g. motorised valves, boiler parts etc);
- any part of the covered sections which are too difficult to access safely, e.g. where asbestos is present;
- any liability for consequential loss whether as a result of a defect or malfunction of the covered sections, or arising from any goods, services, arrangements or advice provided by us or any agents acting on our behalf, unless through our or their negligence;
- any defect, damage or breakdown caused by malicious or willful action, negligence, misuse, or third party interference including any attempted repair or modification to the covered sections, which does not comply with recognised industry standards;
- loss or damage arising as a result of disconnection from or interruption to the gas, electricity or water mains services to the property;
- normal day-to-day maintenance of the internal plumbing and drainage, underground external drainage, domestic electrical wiring or underground water supply pipe at your property, for which you are responsible;
- the replacement of items that wear out over a period of time with the exception of items covered under Section E (Maintenance Cover);
- any investigative work (such as CCTV), where the immediate emergency has been resolved;
- like for like replacement of parts necessary in repairing or remedying the emergency unless an alternative is supplied by you at the time of our engineer's visit;
- damage caused to the property and/or its contents whilst completing a repair will not be reinstated to the original condition. The engineer will advise if any damage is likely to occur;
- payment for the restoration of any internal fixtures of fittings (e.g. fitted units, special floor coverings such as wood block or ceramic tiles etc.) removed in the process of conducting the emergency repair;
- any fixtures including lead piping where replacement is only necessary as a result of legislation or health and safety guidelines, or to meet current best practice;
- costs incurred where you have been informed of the need to do permanent repairs to avoid emergencies and/or breakdowns/failures;
- systems which have not been installed, serviced or maintained in accordance with established practice or manufacturer's instructions;
- any costs above the cover limit. You are responsible for agreeing and settling these costs directly with the engineer;
- any loss arising from subsidence, heave of the site or landslip caused by:
- bedding down of new structures;
- demolition or structural repairs or alterations to the property;
- faulty workmanship or the use of defective materials;
- river or coastal erosion;
- faulty workmanship or the use of defective materials by a non-approved engineer;
- any defect, loss or damage occasioned by fire, lightening, explosion, tempest, flood, earthquake, impact or other extraneous causes;
- any loss or damage arising as a consequence of:
- war, invasion, act of foreign enemies, terrorism, hostilities (whether war is declared or not), civil war, rebellion, revolution, insurrection, coup, riot or civil disturbance;
- ionising radiation or contamination by radioactivity from any nuclear fuel or from any nuclear waste from combustion of nuclear fuel, the radioactive toxic explosive or other hazardous properties of any explosive nuclear assembly or its nuclear component.
Inter Partner Assistance – A promise of service
We wish to provide you with a very high standard of service. Very occasionally we receive complaints which we investigate at once, and every effort is made to resolve them to your satisfaction. If you have a complaint please phone HomeServe on 0800 783 0951 or write to FREEPOST RLYC-LXAL-GEEH, Customer Relations Department, HomeServe, Walsall, WS2 7BN.
If your complaint relates to the service you experienced as a result of a claim, and you feel that the matter has not been resolved satisfactorily, you may escalate your complaint to the General Manager of Inter Partner Assistance SA, The Quadrangle, 106-118 Station Road, Redhill, Surrey, RH1 1PR. In the unlikely event that you are not satisfied with the response from Inter Partner Assistance SA, you can ask us for details of the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS).