Different events will lead to different kinds of claims, but the fundamental steps for any kind of insurance claim are the same.

  • It is important that you keep all policy documents safe, as they will have a detailed breakdown of what is and is not insured.
  • A great tip is to make sure you have photographs of everything you have insured. With camera phones, it is very easy to take hundreds of pictures in very little time. If something is stolen or damaged, it will make everyone’s life easier – and probably lead to a faster, fairer claim – if you have recent photographs of the house/shed/car/tractor/machine/GPS device/animals.
  • Call your insurer or broker as soon as you discover a problem.
  • Companies will have an emergency contact number. Use these as a first point of contact.
  • Give brief details of what the issue is and request a claim form.
  • You will be told what to do next. Follow that advice as closely as possible.

    • The way an insurer deals with a claim is governed by the consumer protection code of the Central Bank of Ireland. The insurer must have a written procedure in place for dealing with claims.

    They must help you if you need to make a claim and inform you of developments with your claim. They must inform you within 10 business days of their decision on your claim.

    If a claim is not settled in your favour, the insurer must explain why, in writing, and provide you with details of how you can appeal that decision.

    Remember, if you make a genuine mistake and give inaccurate or incomplete information at the application stage, your insurer cannot use this to avoid paying a claim. They can only cancel a policy and avoid paying a claim when they are given fraudulent information.

    Many insurance companies will have a timeframe set out in their policy documents for notification of claims. In Ireland, they cannot use this as an excuse to reject a claim, so long as the delay does not negatively impact them.

    If your claim is a personal injury case, either you or the insurer may refer it to the Injuries Resolution Board, www.injuries.ie.

    If the claim is related to loss, theft or damage, there may be several reports which will need to be provided before a payout can be agreed. For example, an independent assessor may be needed in the case of significant damage to a home or farm buildings.

    An assessor can be hired to work on your behalf in negotiations with an insurance company for larger claims.

    Remember, it is your choice whether to accept a settlement offer from an insurance company. In the case of personal injuries covered under the Injuries Resolution Board (www.injuries.ie) rules, there is normally not much room for negotiation of their assessed amount – as the recent Supreme Court case made clear.

    In the case of theft or damage to vehicles, the market cost of replacement or repair is the benchmark. For farmers, there is probably more room for negotiation when it comes to things like the value of cattle which may have been stolen. It is critical in cases of theft that these are also reported to the gardaí, as a report from them will be needed before a theft claim can proceed.

    In the case where someone is claiming against you, the insurance company is under no obligation to keep you informed of progress, or settlement, of any claim.

    Overall, it is always too late to make a policy change or take a photograph of something when you actually need to make a claim. So check your policies now, and take lots of photographs of what you have insured.