Claims - General Advice
Coleman are pleased to offer the following general advice should you have an accident or suffer a loss and need to make a claim on your insurance policy. However, all losses are settled on the basis of the policy contract between you and your Insurer and this should be used as a guide only.
General procedures of a claim
As soon as is reasonably possible you should report any incident to us. This can be done by either:
- Ringing us on 01202 647400
- Faxing notification to us on 01202 647422
- Writing to us at Unit 8 Albany Park, Cabot Lane, Poole BH17 7AZ
- e-mailling us at claims@colemaninsurance.co.uk
We will check your policy cover to ensure that the claim is covered and advise you of any excesses that may apply. In most circumstances, we will notify your insurers on your behalf.
In some cases we may advise you to report the incident direct to your insurers and will provide you with the telephone number you need to ring, along with advice on what information they will require.
- Where a claim form is required this should be completed in full and returned to us as soon as possible, along with any relevant supporting documentation including detailed estimate(s) for repairs/replacement if available.
- Once the estimates provided have been approved by your insurer, you may give the repairers/suppliers instructions to proceed. Having repairs carried out without insurers approval may jeopardise a claim.
- When repairs have been completed to your satisfaction the receipted invoice should be submitted to us.
- In the case of motor repairs, where an ‘Approved Repairer’ is being used, the garage may submit the invoice direct to your insurer. You will generally be asked to pay the excess direct to the garage on completion of repairs. If you can recover VAT you will also be asked to pay this at the same time.
- All invoices should be issued in the name of the owner / policy holder, not to Coleman or your insurers.
- Where it has been deemed that a third party is responsible for the incident we will endeavour to recover your uninsured losses, which may include the policy excess paid, hiring charges and loss of use. We are not able to pursue any claims for personal injury.
Additional action that may be required
Minimising the loss
- If damage has left your property or vehicle vulnerable in any way you must take immediate steps to safeguard them.
- You must therefore act as if uninsured to minimise the loss. Any additional loss caused by lack of action will generally not be covered.
- Insurers will require an invoice for immediate first aid works carried out.
Theft
- Theft, break-ins or malicious damage must be reported promptly to the police and the crime number and name of the officer involved noted.
- Insurance policies generally cover theft following violent and/or forcible entry or exit to or from the premises or vehicle. For the claim to be valid you must show that you have exercised due care and attention in ensuring that security measures were in place at the time of the incident. If doors and windows are left open or unsecured, spare keys kept ‘under the mat’ or left in the ignition of a vehicle then you will be unable to claim under your policy.
- After a break-in make sure that your property is secure and that alarms and locks are operational. If the alarm cannot be reset please contact Colman for further advice.
- If you wish to make a claim for personal effects, check your policy wording and schedule. If you have not declared items of value, many insurers will not cover these.
Liability
- If an incident involves another person or vehicle, do NOT admit liability or give the impression of accepting responsibility. Do NOT make any offer of payment.
- If a third party holds you liable for an incident, any correspondence received should be passed to us immediately. Although you may acknowledge this correspondence, you should not respond.
- Copies of all correspondence should be provided for insurers via Coleman as soon as possible and photographs of the damage sustained are always helpful.
The Loss Adjuster
- If necessary, your insurer will appoint a Loss Adjuster. Whilst their services are paid for by the insurer, the Loss Adjusters charter requires them to act independently.
- The Loss Adjuster will investigate and report with regard to the nature, cause and extent of the loss.
- Although a Loss Adjuster will if necessary help put you in touch with repairers or suppliers to obtain estimates, they are not able to instruct work on your behalf.
