If you have insurance and you feel that something has occurred in your life that would entitle you to make a claim then you should start thinking about how to go about making a claim. But how exactly should you approach making a claim in Ireland in 2021? We will discuss the steps you should take when making a claim with your insurance policy and what insurers are required to do when you make one.
Insurance Claim Procedure
The first thing you will need to do when making a claim is to check your policy and see if it even actually covers the kind of event you are trying to make a claim on. There is a chance your insurance will not cover the problem that has occurred in your life and you may not be able to receive any kind of coverage in the first place.
You should also keep in mind that multiple policies you pay for may cover the event you are trying to make a claim on. For example if you get robbed while on vacation you may be able to get coverage from both traveler’s insurance as well as certain household policies. However, you will not be able to mae claims under multiple policies so you should carefully consider which policy you want to make the claim on before moving forward.
If your policy will cover your loss then these are the steps you need to take to make a claim:
- Call your insurer or broker as soon as you discover a problem. Usually insurance companies have an emergency helpline that you will be able to use.
- Give brief details of the claim and request a claim form.
- Depending on the type of claim, your insurer or broker will give you advice on what to do next.
If your claim is for something large such as a claim on your home, it may be prudent to hire an assessor. Hiring an assessor can be great because they will work for you to make sure you get the coverage you need and settle your claim. Just remember that the assessor will not be provided by your insurance company and you will have to hire and pay them independently.
How Will My Insurer Handle My Claim?
Your insurer is required by the Central Bank’s Consumer Protection Code to:
- Have a written procedure prepared for dealing with claims.
- Help you if you need to make a claim and inform you concerning new developments that might affect the outcome of your claim within 10 business days of knowing about them.
- Let you know their decision on your claim within 10 business days of making the decision. When a claim is not settled in your favour, they should explain the reasons why in writing, and provide you with whatever details you need about how to appeal the decision.
Settling Your Claim
Once you have made a claim your insurer will consider it, assuming it actually applies to your policy, and make a decision on the settlement they will provide you with. After that it is up to you as the policy holder to decide whether or not you want to accept the settlement.
If you are unhappy with what your provider offers then you may want to begin negotiating with them to try and receive a better settlement. The settlement from your insurer usually comes in the form of a cheque.