You don’t plan on bad weather or thieves to impact your business operations. You also don’t plan on paying out-of-pocket fees to recover from an incident. Accidents occur when we least expect them, that’s why you have an ACT Insurance policy.
How you handle an incident could make all the difference in the result of your claim, including the payout. Here’s what you can do when you experience a claims incident.
Reporting The Incident
If there was a violation of the law, the first step is to file a report with the police. Having a legal record of the incident can help ensure the validity of your claim, especially if you end up in court.
For example, if someone broke into your studio and stole some of your supplies or equipment, you will need to fill out a police report. Or, if you are at an event and a gust of wind causes your display to fall onto another person, call emergency services to ensure everyone is safe and attended to.
Should your claim not require you to contact authorities, you will still need to have documentation related to the event. Information you should gather at the time of the incident can include:
- Date and time of incident (or loss)
- Location of the incident, and if relevant, weather conditions in the area the incident occured
- Photos of the location, damages, and/or bodily injuries as a result of the incident
- Names and contact information of everyone involved in the incident
- Name and badge number of any first responders present at the scene
According to policy guidelines, you may not be covered in undocumented cases of theft. If you do not have proof that something was actually stolen, there is a chance you may not receive an insurance payout for damaged or stolen goods. In the case of theft, you should always document with photos and a police report.
At ACT, we know it can be devastating to experience an incident, especially if it brings business operations to a halt. The sooner you report an incident and file a claim, the closer you are to putting the experience behind you. If you have any questions, an experienced agent can help guide you. To learn more about your next steps in the claims process, see the following:
