Harris Balcombe Reviews 128

I've had a really pleasant and helpful experience speaking to Gareth Phillips from Harris Balcombe. I've had a dreadful experience with an insurer, regarding my home contents policy following a burglary. The insurers made me feel like I was the criminal. I've been fighting them for 2 years and 3 months. Then last week a friend told me she had used a loss assessor, I didn't even know loss assessors existed and I really wish I had known earlier, it would have saved me so much stress ! I contacted Harris Balcombe by email, because my insurers were at the point of making a decision and I really felt the claim would be declined. Gareth Phillips rang me back immediately, he was so kind and helpful. He told me at that stage of the procedure, I was too late to use their services, but this didn't deter him from spending time talking to me and offering me valuable advice, he even said I could get back to him if I needed to. I rang him again today, because my insurers have offered to settle, albeit very low. Again he advised me of the next steps. I am so grateful to Gareth, he's given me good advice and inspired confidence to carry on, despite me not being a paying customer. If I ever encounter a friend who needs similar help, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Harris Balcombe and Gareth.

In February 2024 my husband and I had a house fire, which was devastating. Once the fire service had left, the aftermath was so upsetting for us. We felt we were on our own and it was all getting too much. It was at this point we met Dannielle Douglas, she was so compassionate and incredibly helpful. She became our lifeline at one of our lowest moments. Nothing was too much trouble for her and was always available when we needed her. She was like a friend to me and I can’t speak more highly of her. Jean H

An electrical fault in a dehumidifier caused a fire in our WFH/hobby room; some items were destroyed and all the remainder soot damaged. Jonathan Ingham took on our case; he remained constantly in touch and was always easily accessible, which was a very strong plus point, leading to a good working relationship throughout. Emma Broadie also supplied excellent backup assistance.

We are fully satisfied with the outcome, which includes the contractors recommended by HB.

Harris Balcombe were engaged as Loss Assessors to guide us through the insurance negotiations following a severe factory fire. A significant part of this work was the business interruption claim. This was handled by Cranston Watts of HB, very professional, excellent communications and above all a good feel for the impact the damage was having on the business. The final outcome exceeded our expectations and contributed to getting the business back on its feet.

It has taken me some time to write this review, for several reasons. In March 2025, our home suffered a significant fire caused by an appliance combusting in the kitchen. The fire resulted in extensive damage to the kitchen and breakfast room, along with smoke damage throughout the entire property. Although we had comprehensive home insurance in place, what is not immediately apparent is just how complex, time-consuming, and emotionally draining the claims process can be. There are numerous hurdles, unanswered questions, and uncertainties, and at times it can feel as though the insurer’s primary focus is on protecting its own position.

Working with Harris Balcombe, and in particular Dannielle, made a substantial difference to our experience. From the outset, Harris Balcombe provided on-site representation during meetings with the insurance company and continued to offer in-person support as the claim progressed. Their involvement gave us confidence and clarity at a time when both were greatly needed.

Dannielle was exceptional throughout, managing every aspect of the process with professionalism and care. This included coordinating house clearance, overseeing the contents claim, and managing builder tenders. Having Harris Balcombe alongside us throughout the journey provided reassurance, guidance, and a clear sense that our interests were being properly represented.

I would not wish the experience of a house fire on anyone. However, if you do find yourself in this unfortunate position, I would strongly recommend working with Harris Balcombe to help navigate the challenges and complexities you will inevitably face.

Thank you again to Harris Balcombe for your support during an extremely difficult time.

I have just had a chat with Gareth Phillips. He was incredibly knowledgeable, understanding and informative about my situation. He is an absolute credit to Harris Balcombe and he will be the first person I direct someone to if they end up in an situation like myself.

Our shop was destroyed by a taxi driving right into it! Total crash! We found Harris Balcombe and having Harris Belcombe on your side really took the pressure off. The sevice was incredible from start to finish, and Mark was on the ball with every aspect of the claim. We had very little to worry about and any concerns that did surface during the process, was dealt with by Mark swiftly and efficiently. Could not recommend them higher!

We were in a catastrophic house fire last November. The trauma alone was something I’d never experienced. I literally couldn’t put into words how Jonathan Ingham from Harris Balcombe helped,supported, managed absolutely everything for us and also became a huge support emotionally too. He was always there to answer questions and guide us and I really can’t thank him and the company enough. Nothing was too much and he really cared …A thousand times thank you xx

Harris Balcombe offer an excellent 5 star service.
Dannielle expertly handled our insurance claim and we are completely satisfied with the service which we received. She went above and beyond to help us through our complex insurance claim. We would highly recommend Harris Balcombe for the Loss Assessor and insurance claim management services.

After a devastating house fire, I was overwhelmed and unsure where to turn. That’s when Dannielle from Harris Balcome stepped in and truly came to the rescue. Dannielle was exceptional—she not only secured a top-notch contractor but also worked closely with me throughout the renovation process, offering thoughtful advice and unwavering support. Thanks to her efforts, what was once just a property is now a warm, welcoming home.

Thank you, Dannielle, for your compassion, professionalism, and dedication. Your support made all the difference during one of the most difficult times in my life. I’m deeply grateful for everything you’ve done.

Dannielle 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.

I 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.

Harris Balcombe always respond promptly. They show concern and were always extremely helpful.

Almost 3 years ago the house my brother and I inhereited 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 7 months to accept the claim, which required a lot of patirnce). Once that was accepted they engaged surveyors, managed the inevitable pushback from the insurers as to what shold and shouldn't be done, then tendered for rebuild, engaged contracters 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.

People often use the phrase "going above and beyond the call of duty" without truly understanding what it means. That is until they've had the pleasure of working with Mr. Gareth Philips.

Gareth’s approachable nature and exceptional ability to assess complex situations and offer swift, practical, and effective solutions, especially in the face of large, challenging claims are second to none.

In under an hour, Gareth was able to untangle a nightmarishly complicated subsidence claim I’ve been dealing with for over five years. He provided a clear, professional plan of action to move things forward, something I hadn’t received despite years of unproductive advice.

I only wish I had instructed Harris Balcombe back in 2022, instead of the completely incompetent firm I unfortunately chose. I would almost certainly not be in the position I find myself in today.

Don’t just "think" about hiring Harris Balcombe, DO IT. They genuinely care about your claim as much as you do, and their professionalism shines through at every level of the company, from the ground up.

It's no wonder that they are the very best at what they do!

i have no doubt they deserve a 5 star…. today i got my keys after 1 year and four months.. when Martin met me at the house i did have a doubt about them.. weather to go with them or with insurance..my house is a six bedroom detached house and i was alone as a women to take decision and i was terrified. but even though he was 90% sure i wouldn’t sign with him still he gave me advise what to do what not to do.. explain me how they work. much support i needed that moment..
but all changed
when i became brave enough and signed , everything changed..
Jonathan was assigned to deal with my case.. he took my burden off my shoulders.. dealt everything with care.. answered all my silly questions with patience and made me confident.. today i was happy to see them as how i feel to welcome some of my family into my house…
they have the best builders who did a fantastic job…
if anyone seeing this trust pilot because u have doubt about anything don’t think twice..
They are the best in the market …

Over the weekend I had a fire at my home that has caused significant damage. Early Monday morning just by chance Gareth Philips (Independent loss Adjuster) from Harris Balcombe visited my property on the off chance he could assist with my insurance claim and to give advice on what possible views my insurance company may have. This was a chance meeting with my father who then called me and I came and met Gareth personally. Although the damage was not significant enough to warrant his personal intervention, he gave up 30 mins of his own valuable time to look around the property and give me expert advice on how to proceed the with claims loss adjuster assigned to my claim when he/she arrives to evaluate.
There are certain things around your home that you do not expect to have damage from smoke etc. his knowledge and advice has been invaluable and could possibly save me thousands of pounds with my claim going forward. I cannot thank Gareth enough and would sincerely recommend Gareth and his company to anybody in need of assistance especially with a large claim.

When my property burnt down I was so devastated and had no idea how to sort everything with the Insurance. After speaking with Harris Balcombe I was assigned Danielle who would deal with my claim. Danielle was amazing, she fought hard to get people out to assess the damage, get all quotes, absolutely everything extremely quickly. I still can't believe the speed and the dedication Danielle put into sorting my case out. I highly recommend Danielle not only for her hard work but for the constant correspondence, back up and just being there at a time a really needed a friend. I could of never done what Danielle did on my own. I can't thank Harris Balcombe and Danielle enough. Absolute top service.

Very grateful for the support we had from Harris Balcombe, particularly from Dannielle. Through one of the most difficult times of our lives, Dannielle made every effort to ensure that we were supported and treated fairly throughout the whole process of something that you can never prepare for until it happens to you. Dannielle always responded to any queries in a timely manner whenever we had any concerns or queries. When we suffered from our tragic circumstances, there were countless people cold calling at our home, offering/pushing their services on us but we never had that experience from Harris Balcolmbe, they respected that our world had been turned upside down and were clearly in a state of distress which, when looking into what having such input does for you in this situation, gave us the confidence that they genuinely cared and helped me make the decision to instruct them to help us through the hell that we were going through. Can’t thank you enough for how helpful you were and I would definitely recommend their services to anybody who requires their input through such challenging times.

Without Harris Balcombe our claim would not have been succesful, we would not have recovered our losses. Key the claim was there level of expertise as initially our claim was rejected. I would recommend them for Business Interruption & Material Damage loss. What we found early oun our claims experince is that your local claims handler or broker will have nowhere near the technical and claims management experience of Harris Balcombe/+