How to deal with the ever increasing liability claim issue
Claims frequencies are getting higher and higher, especially in this current economic environment. We are seeing increases in liability claims against our Security, Cleaning and Facilities Management companies.
Our insurers are doing all they can to successfully defend a lot of these claims by proving there was no negligence by our clients, which is really important. If they didn’t defend it as proactively, everyone in the industry would see huge increases in premiums and less markets willing to offer cover altogether.
To help, we have noted some tips below, which can help you and your insurers in defending liability claims and importantly ensuring you are covered.
• Never accept liability following any incident at work – Did you know accepting liability can invalidate your insurance, potentially leaving you
to foot the bill personally!
• Get Evidence – Take statements from people involved and third-party witnesses. Take photos or videos of anything you feel would assist in supporting the defence.
• CCTV and/or Bodycams are your friends! Get a copy of the CCTV or Bodycams and this will improve your chances to defend any allegations against you and your staff.
• Document conversations with your client – For example, if you offered more staff to a venue or site and they declined this, document it. Ask the clients to sign a contract showing they declined your recommendations for more staff.
• Make sure you adhere to your policy conditions; have you read your cover? Do you understand what is required of you to validate the insurance? If you are not sure, ask your broker to explain.
• Inform your insurers immediately of any incident that may give rise to a claim or if you receive any letters from a third party making a complaint. Did you know a late notification can invalidate your insurance leaving you with no insurance cover?
• Take as much cover as you can afford. Many companies are underinsured, as they simply take the lowest cover on offer as it’s the cheapest option. However, increasing your cover can be invaluable, especially if there is a large incident. £1,000,000 sounds like a lot of cover, but it really isn’t nowadays! Ask us for a quote for increasing this; it may be less than you imagine.
To discuss your cover or get a quote from us, contact our Security Team, Steve Neudegg, Simon Lawrence, Antony Samuel-Camps or Leanne Haddon 0118 979 2121 or email security@bjpinsure.com
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