You will need to complete a claim form and return it to our Claims Department. Insurers have deadlines for submitting claim forms so do not delay. If a claim form is submitted late insurers can in some circumstances decline your claim. These timescales are set out in your policy. It is important that you notify us of your claim by sending your completed claim form to us, even if estimates for repair or replacement haven’t been obtained at that time. These can always be forwarded at a later stage.
Repairing or replacing
Where items need to be repaired or replaced, insurers require two estimates before authorising the work. If emergency repairs are required you may undertake any temporary emergency repairs necessary to secure your property and prevent further damage. However, if you are unsure about your policy cover then please contact us for advice. You may also be required to provide photographs of the damage.
It is important to retain all damaged items until the claim has been settled. We may also require original purchase receipts where appropriate.
In the event of a claim involving malicious damage or theft, the following will be required:
- Police Crime Reference Number
- Police reports of incident if appropriate
What not to do
Do not dispose of any damaged property or proceed with non emergency repairs or replacement until insurers have given the go ahead to do so. Proceeding with repairs will prejudice insurers’ position should they wish to appoint an adjuster to investigate the claim further.
What happens next?
Once you have provided the necessary information to us we will ask the insurers of your policy to review the claim and they will provide us with a decision. Insurers will request further information where they feel is it necessary or approve estimates on first review if all information has been correctly provided. In some instances, insurers may appoint a Loss Adjuster or arrange for an approved repairer to inspect the damage.
Settlement of your Claim
Insurance companies will raise a cheque in the Policyholders name once invoices for the work have been submitted. Remember that your policy excess and VAT will be deducted from any settlement if you or your company are VAT registered. Only the Policyholder is able to request that a cheque is made payable to another party. This should be requested in writing by the Policyholder to your Claims Handler.
Motor claims should be reported by phoning your insurance company using the number on your policy document. Most insurance companies run dedicated motor claim help lines and will take the accident details over the telephone and arrange repairs using one of their approved garages. This is the most effective way to get your car back on the road.
You will deal direct with your insurance company and they will notify us once your claim is settled so that we can maintain your claims record.
Click here to download our Motor Claims Guide.
If you would like us to notify your claim to the insurers on your behalf, you will need to complete a claim form and return it to us. Upon receipt of your completed claim form, we will notify the insurers and ask that they contact you direct to arrange an inspection and/or repairs of your vehicle.
Liability claims will always need to be thoroughly investigated before allegations are accepted or denied.
Should you receive notification of an allegation against you or your company, you should inform us immediately and forward any correspondence you have received, unanswered, to us as soon as possible. You should include all relevant documents (such as accident records, statements etc) together with your comments on liability so that insurers can fully investigate the claim.
What not to do
Do not write to or speak to the claimant (the person making the claim) or their solicitor or representative about the claim. Do not supply them with information or give them access to any accident site without first consulting with your insurers.
Legal Aspects
By law, insurers have three months to investigate the circumstances of a personal injury claim and provide a decision on liability. Whilst the rules governing non-personal injury claims are not as strict, it is important that in either case insurers and adjusters have your help in this process.
What happens next?
Your insurers will decide whether cover is operative and they will then settle or defend the claim. They will refer to relevant case law and statute law when they reach a decision. If they decide to defend the claim, they will do so on your behalf. If, on the other hand, they decide that the claim should be settled, they will explain why. They will deal with all aspects of the claim on your behalf, and will pay for the cost of investigating and settling the claim. They may also pay for legal fees according to the terms of the policy.
Settlement of the Claim
If you are deemed to be negligent, insurers will discuss the claim with you and if you accept liability, insurers will proceed towards settlement on best possible terms. They will settle direct with the Claimant and if a policy excess is payable, you will be required to issue a cheque payable to the insurance company.
All claims submitted are subject to the terms and conditions of the policy. Any policy excess will be deducted from the amount settled. If you make a claim, your claims record will be affected which may result in a higher premium at renewal. If your claim is relatively small and no claims have been made within the current policy year, it may be worth checking with your Account Handler to see how your premium may be affected.
To expedite the claims process you should:
- Have your policy number to hand when reporting your claim;
- Complete all information and do not leave any questions unanswered on the claim form. If the section is not relevant, write “not relevant”. This will avoid any questions being raised later on;
- Submit all documentation as soon as you have it and call or email us to make sure it has been received;
- Make a note of your claim number and always provide this in written correspondence and when calling;
- Cooperate with insurers enquiries and respond to correspondence as speedily as possible.
The types of claims that are submitted vary in circumstance and extent.
As a result, many claims need detailed inspection so, as well as asking you to fill in the appropriate claim form, insurers will use the services of a specialist loss adjuster, where appropriate. The loss adjuster will contact you to arrange a visit to assess your claim and report to insurers, which insurers will pay for.
In terms of liability claims, the report will help insurers to decide whether they will settle or defend the claim. If Insurers decide to defend the claim, they will do so on your behalf. If, on the other hand, they decide that the claim should be settled, they will explain why. Insurers will refer to relevant case law and statutes before they reach a decision. For property claims, the loss adjuster can inspect the damage and assist with obtaining repair or replacement estimates where appropriate.
It is obviously in your interest and insurers to try and prevent the incident from happening again.Investigation of the claim may in itself provide some answers as to how this can be achieved. It is important to allow insurers to carry out their investigation before any alterations or improvements are made (apart from immediate safety precautions) but if you plan to do this, please contact us so we can advise whether it will affect the claim.
If you have any suggestions on how we could improve our service, or if you are not satisfied with the way we have dealt with your claim, please call Paul Hicks, Associate Director on 020 8329 4900 or write to him at :
Clear Insurance Management
Clear House, 173a Kingston Road
New Malden
Surrey
KT3 4NW
If you would like to discuss your claim, or would like a copy of our full complaints procedure, please call our office on 020 8329 4900. |
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