Riot Victims and Insurance Claims

There has been much talk about the Riot (Damages) Act and the government is introducing an immediate extension of the deadline for notification to 42 days.  This gives both insurers on subrogated claims and business owners on uninsured losses a little more time.  Our experience with police authorities is that they will rigidly adhere to the 42 day limit in relation both to the format and content of the notification.  What isn’t in it they won’t consider.  

None of this affects the insurer’s obligation to meet claims in the first instance.  This is the only way you're likely to get interim payments and get cash running through your business quickly.  Let your insurers deal with the statutory recoveries and government compensation merely making sure that insurers know of all your uninsured losses as well.  

It is unlikely that anything other than compensation for material damage is payable under the Act and consequential loss (business interruption) claims will need to be met by your insurance company.  There may be express policy conditions attached to cover for riot or civil commotion or otherwise, under which you may be required to give insurers notification within the original time limits of the Act.

Insurers and their adjusters may be under some pressure. Don’t let that stop you from doing what is best for your business

• take photographs
• speak to witnesses
• properly record everything you have to throw away
• do everything you can to get your business up and running.

You don’t have to seek approval from insurers to do this.  If they ask for this, let us know.

How Claim Experts can help: we can

• prepare and present your claim, both for property and financial loss if that’s covered by your insurance;
• negotiate the best settlement available under your policy;
• press for money to help your cash flow;
• deal with any difficulties that may be raised about your insurance cover.

Call our 24-hour line on 0845 437 8654