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Getting a claim paid out without receipts

Lost your receipts? There are other ways to provide proof of purchase

Gary Hunter
Gary Hunter

Updated

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If you can prove ownership of the item you're claiming for, you can get a claim paid out without receipts. In fact, there are lots of ways you can show ownership without receipts.

How do insurance companies verify receipts?

To verify a contents insurance claim, you ordinarily need to have a receipt or some other proof of ownership. This is so you can show the insurer how much the item cost and that they were damaged or stolen.

Stolen claims

The hardest part about a burglary insurance claim with no receipts is proving the item that was stolen existed. However, if you can show some other evidence that you owned the item and its value, your insurer is likely to accept your claim. Keep in mind that insurers may vary when it comes to what they will accept as proof of ownership.

Damaged claims

It's not enough to just have the damaged item. You will need some evidence of purchase to prove you owned the item and to determine its value. You should find exactly what your insurer considers to be sufficient proof of ownership in the PDS next to "burden of proof".

CheckTop Tip: So you don't have to worry about where you put or keep your receipts, many retailers now offer you the option of having an electronic receipt sent to your email. It's also a lot better for the environment and ensures your receipts are in one place. For those that don't provide electronic receipts, scan your paper receipts to create an electronic version.

Can I get a claim paid without receipts?

While a no-proof-of-purchase insurance claim can slow the process down, there are other forms of evidence insurers will accept. They may also accept the following evidence as proof of purchase or ownership:

  1. Credit card/bank statements showing evidence of purchase.
  2. Warranties and manuals you received when you first purchased the goods or items.
  3. Photographic evidence and videos in which the items appear.
  4. Declarations from friends and family who have seen the items.
  5. Original packaging for the item.
  6. Spare parts for the item.

How much evidence you will need is likely to depend on the nature and the value of the home and contents insurance claim. Some insurers will only require one piece of evidence; others might want more. To be on the safe side, send as much evidence as possible.

Do I still need to provide proof if the specific items are listed on my policy?

You can often list specific items you want cover for when you take out home and contents insurance. In these circumstances, you will generally need to provide some evidence of ownership at the time.

If these items are damaged or stolen down the line, this should make claiming for them a little easier. This is because your insurer is already aware that these items exist, so they probably won't require as much evidence. Remember though that this will vary between insurance providers.

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