Guest blog by Senior Claims Executive, Emma Jeffery Cert CII
At WRS Insurance Brokers, we’ve specialised in Charity Insurance and Church Insurance for over 50 years and understand that dealing with an incident that may be a potential claim, whether small or large, can be stressful and overwhelming. When something happens, you want to ensure you’re doing everything right, both to manage the situation and protect your interests. That’s where we come in—we are here to guide you every step of the way.
As soon as an incident occurs, taking certain steps is important to ensure everything is handled smoothly. Here’s a quick guide on what to do, from a WRS perspective, to help you navigate the process with as little stress as possible.
What you can do before a claim occurs
Keep your documents up-to-date
While we can’t predict the future, being prepared can make a big difference if something happens. Keeping your insurance policies and records accurate helps prevent delays and complications in the claims process. Regularly review and update your documentation to ensure it’s up to-date and easily accessible when needed.
Handling an incident
Check on the wellbeing of everyone involved
The priority is always to ensure that everyone involved in the incident is safe. If someone is injured, seek medical attention immediately. If it’s a property-related incident, make sure there’s no immediate danger to anyone present. Your well-being and the safety of others are of the utmost importance.
Do not accept fault on the spot
It’s natural to want to resolve things quickly, but it’s important not to accept fault at the scene of the incident. This could impact your insurance claim and the process as a whole. Your role in this incident is to gather and secure the relevant facts, while your insurer and the authorities (if necessary) will determine who is responsible for the fault and assess the outcome of any claim.
Many people may advise against saying “I’m sorry,” but this isn’t entirely accurate. Offering an apology is not an admission of liability and, in some cases, can help defuse a situation and even prevent a claim from being made.
Gather witness details
Witnesses can play a crucial role in providing clarity and helping with the claim process. Collect names, contact details, and statements from anyone who saw the incident. This information can be essential in case there is a dispute or for verifying details later on. Clear accounts from witnesses can ensure a fair and accurate process moving forward.
Collect and store evidence for the claim
One of the most important things you can do after an incident is to preserve evidence. This could include anything from CCTV footage, photographs of the damage, to written statements from witnesses. Even if you don’t think it will lead to a claim, it’s always better to have evidence available from the start.
At WRS, we always advise clients to send in any relevant materials as soon as possible, so we can notify your insurers and ensure that everything is logged correctly. This helps create a clear and accurate record early on, which can be invaluable in the long run. Remember, timely evidence is always more reliable than memories of an event weeks or months later.
Inform your insurance provider
Notify your insurer or broker as soon as possible—we advise our clients to reach out as soon as anything happens, even if it seems minor. WRS will be there to provide guidance and support every step of the way. We can talk through the situation; help you understand what steps to take next and ensure that the claim is filed correctly.
We will provide any information to your insurers and/or loss adjustors. This will help them assess the situation to make informed decisions.
We’re here to support you through the claims process
At WRS, we want to ensure that you feel supported throughout the claims process. As soon as you contact us, we can help guide you through every stage, from notifying your insurer to liaising with loss adjustors and keeping track of progress. Our role is to reduce the stress involved and make sure that everything is handled professionally and efficiently.
No matter how small the incident might seem at the time, please remember that we’re here to help you. If you have any questions or need assistance, call us at 01206 760780 or email hello@wrsinsurance.co.uk.
About WRS Insurance Brokers
At WRS Insurance Brokers, we are specialists in Charity Insurance and Church Insurance. We are proud to be part of the Benefact Group, a charity-owned, international family of financial services companies that gives all available profits to charity and good causes.