[Growltigger]

Gwaihir, you are partly right about the insurance guys BUT, I won a legal case against my chaps some time ago.

I was burgled, and had several items stolen which were worth about £3,000. However, the insurance company said that my total contents were worth £85,000 and as I only had £60,000 worth of contents cover, they wanted to pro-rate down the £3,000 on a 60/85 basis.

I reverted by saying that I had paid for their valuer to opine on the value of my contents and he fixed the cover level ergo they had provided less insurance than I obviously needed therefore I was sueing them for negligence and breach of duty of care.....

They paid the £3,000....

As part of the deal I get, I also ask a friend of mine who is an auctioneer to check things out re antiques. If he says things are worht more or less, I query.

Takes forever but is worth it if the house ever burns down!!