Claims

At Crotty Group we are there for you when you need us most , at the time of a Claim. Our Advice to you is if you are unsure “Ask Us”. At Crotty Group we want you to get the fullest possible protection from your covers. Often when an Incident occurs you may not be sure if this is something you should report or not. We say “if in doubt Ask us”. We are here to guide you through the process.

PROPERTY DAMAGE CLAIMS

Fire Losses and other major Incidents.

Regardless of any other factor you should immediately notify your Crotty Account Executive of any major incidents such as a fire or water loss that causes disruption to your Business or Family home. In these situations it is vital that we notify your insurer immediately so they can assign a Loss Adjuster to get on site as soon as possible. It is also vital that we can commence the process of helping you navigate through the claims process to ensure the most satisfactory outcome to your loss.

Other Incidents

Claims often happen out of normal business hours. The Insure may have a 24/7 claims hotline number on their website .If you decide to use this you should also notify our office on the next business day.

Storm/ Water Damage

Your roof has been damaged in a Storm or a pipe is leaking in the Attic. The first priority is to stop the source of the loss. A plumber will repair the leaking pipe or a builder will secure the storm damaged roof to prevent further damage. Before allowing any major repairs to proceed your insurer will want their representative to see the damage. Generally items such as roof repairs should be undertaken on an emergency basis only. Take photos and videos of your loss on your smartphone to illustrate the damage but only if you can do so in total safety! Do not climb into the attic to get the best snap!

If your business has been disrupted by water damage then you can start drying up activities so that you can get your business open as soon as possible. Keep damaged materials for inspection as well as any other evidence such as the burst pipe, photos and videos.

Theft/Burglary

Report the matter to the Gardai immediately.

Travel Insurance

Carry your policy with you when you go on holiday. Travel Policys have emergency contact numbers which will usually enable you to talk to someone about your travel emergency. Also remember your Medical Cover Provider such as VHI may have coverage under their policy so they should also be notified.

Motor Claims

Motor Claims happen at many times of day and night. Never admit responsibility at the scene. Report the incident to this office as soon as possible.

LIABILITY CLAIMS

Often it’s difficult for you a business owner to balance the need to comply with an Insurance Policys Terms and conditions with the need to run your business on a day to day basis. Customers often tell us “If I reported every little thing I would be on to you almost every day ” .It is however important that you comply with the requirements of your policy .Some insurers have stricter wordings than others. Generally there will be red flags that should highlight for you that this is likely an incident that will result in a claim. Often when an incident is reported clients are reluctant to report the matter because they doubt the bona fides of the claim. That case should be reported immediately so that possible defences can be explored immediately while the alleged incident is clear in  peoples minds.

Remember the onus to comply with the Policy always rests with you the Insured.

Warranties and Conditions Precedent.

It is important that you read your policy document. Many policies carry Warranties and Conditions precedent  that require you to take certain actions before the occurrence of an Incident or undertake actions after the incident occurs .If you fail to comply with these requirements you could find the Insurer unwilling to deal with your claim.

Some of these policy conditions/Warranties can be general in nature such as requiring you to notify a claim as soon as you become aware of it (Notification Condition) or trade specific warranties such as Hot Work Warranties for welders and roofers and Warranties requiring fast food outlets to have a contracted cleaner to regularly clean the Kitchen hood.

An example of a wording that requires something to be done after an incident occurs is the following Notification Condition.

As conditions precedent to their right to be indemnified under this policy the Insured shall inform the Insurer, in writing, as soon as possible, and in any event within 28 days of the receipt, awareness or discovery during the Period of Insurance of a) any claim made against them; b) any notice of intention to make a claim against them; c) any circumstance, incident, occurrence, fact, matter, act, omission, state of affairs or event which is likely to give rise to a claim against the Insured or a claim by the Insured under the Policy.”

An example of a Warranty or Condition Precedent which requires a positive action to be undertaken prior to the occurrence of a claim would be Warranties that require compliance with the terms of the Safety ,Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005. Section 20 of the Act provides that every employer must have a written safety statement based on the hazards identified and the risk assessment under Section 19 and setting out how the safety, health and welfare of employees will be secured and managed.

Talk to the Experts

Colm O Neill has extensive experience in the Insurance Industry primarily in Ireland but also more recently in North America.

He is a qualified Insurance Professional with a background in Casualty and Property Claims. He is a Chartered Loss Adjuster and Chartered Insurer and has a Masters in Business Administration from Trinity College, Dublin.

Colm has worked as a Property and Liability Claims Adjuster as well as acting for the Policy holder as a Claims Specialist. He joins Crotty as Claims Manager and Senior Executive with Responsibility for Strategy and Implementation.