The myriad of storms which hit the UK over the last few weeks has left buildings, equipment and even vehicles damaged. If you are one of the businesses that has been affected by storm damage you are probably considering what to claim for using your insurance. In this article, Richard Picton explains some of the processes you will need to follow to ensure your claim has a satisfactory outcome.
Emergency repairs
Initially, you will probably want to conduct emergency repairs to ensure buildings are safe and secure. Before you commission any repairs, it is wise to contact your insurance broker to confirm that your policy will pay for these repairs. They will typically have an emergency out-of-hours telephone support help desk that you can call 24 hours of the day.
Authorising repairs
Your insurer will usually have set time period within which you must make a claim – although it is best to advise them you intend to make a claim soon as you can.
Your insurance broker should be able to advise you of the best way to get the damage repaired quickly. Before you commission your contractor, always speak to your broker as the insurance provider may require you to use a preferred contractor – albeit, they may allow you to present a business case to use your provider if that is preferable.
Photographs & evidence
When advising your insurer about your claim always provide photographic evidence with ‘before’ and ‘after’ comparisons if possible. The next step will be to provide a complete summary of what’s happened. Don’t throw anything away as this could help support your claim by proving what property that was damaged.
Based on this assessment the broker will liaise with the insurer and help you negotiate an appropriate plan to get the damage repaired and costs re-imbursed.
Claims Settlement
The amount the insurers will pay out will be determined by the extent of the damage and the cover you have. If you have a large claim, in some cases, a loss adjuster from the insurers might need to visit your site to inspect the damage and agree on the settlement figures and the best way to carry out repairs. This is where your insurance broker is vital and should be giving you the most support to ensure the claim is settled quickly, fairly, and in full.
At Blythin and Brown, we provide a one-one service understanding your needs. We work with our clients to ensure their insurance protection lives up to expectations. If you would like to discuss any aspect of your commercial insurances please get in touch.
More information: Commercial Insurance