In Scotland you can Insure a separate flat in a block, as it is different there. In England/Wales it is normal for flats to be Insured under a block of flats policy.

You and your neighbour need to both claim off your own Insurance policies. So you would claim £450 less your excess for your share of the repairs and your neighbour would contact her own Insurers to do the same.

The damage to the roof must have been caused by an insured period e.g. storm damage. The estimate that you have for the £900 repair must confirm the cause of the damage, as if it does not, it will be rejected by the Insurers. If the roof was damaged by storm, you should both contact your Insurers asap, so the repair can be carried out asap. The Insurers may either provide the relevant cash sum or pay the relevant builder/roofer direct.

Suggest that you speak to your Insurers first and then tell your neighbour what she needs to do.

I live in 4 in a block 1st floor flat. Our roof got badly damaged in the recent storms. My 2 next door neighbours are local authority tenants and the council is going to repair their half of the roof which is fine however, my downstairs neighbour and I own our homes and are therefore liable for the cost of repairs (£900 estimate) to our half of the roof. My downstairs neighbour wanted me to claim my insurance and then she said that my insurance company will pay the bill less my excess (£150) and then my insurance company will bill her insurance company for her half of the costs however when i spoke to my insurance company they did not ask for her details. Is this the way it happens or should she claim her insurance by herself?

I have looked at my title deeds and they state that both parties are responsible for the common roof. I was told by another Insurance specialist on another forum that we had the wrong insurance and should have had "block" insurance that would be paid jointly however, I don't know if the insurance rules are different in Scotland (where I live) but I have never heard of anyone buying joint buildings insurance, not in my area anyway also this did not help my predicament anyway. Therefore I am asking the question again, Thank you for any advice in advance.