Making a claim
What to do when something goes wrong.
Step-by-step guidance for policyholders: what to document, how to notify your insurer, and what happens next — with checklists tailored to each claim type.
How a claim works
Five stages of a claim
Select a stage to see what to do, what to avoid, and where to find the relevant clause in your policy.
Stage 1 of 5
Ensure safety
What to do
- Call the emergency services if anyone is hurt or in danger
- Make the area safe — for example, turn off water or electricity if it is safe to do so
- Take reasonable steps to prevent further damage
- Keep receipts for any emergency repairs or costs
Before you call
Evidence checklist
Gather as much of this as you can before contacting your insurer. The more you have ready, the faster the claim can be assessed.
Select your claim type to see the relevant items. Tick each one as you collect it.
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Motor claim checklist
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Your duties when you claim
Policies impose obligations on you as well as the insurer. Breaching them — even unintentionally — can reduce or void a payout.
Tell your insurer promptly
Most policies require notice within a set period — sometimes 24 hours for theft or travel events. Late notice can reduce or void your claim. Check the "Conditions" section for the exact time allowed.
Limit further damage
You must take reasonable steps to prevent the loss getting worse. Turn off water, cover a broken window, or secure a vehicle. Costs of emergency steps are usually recoverable — keep receipts.
Keep damaged items
Do not throw anything away until the insurer or loss adjuster has inspected it. Disposing of evidence — even to clean up — can give the insurer grounds to reduce a payout.
Be accurate and complete
Overstating a claim, even slightly, can be treated as fraud and void the entire policy. Provide only what you can honestly evidence. If you are unsure of a value, say so and explain how you arrived at it.
Cooperate with the adjuster
Attend any inspection, answer questions and supply documents by the dates asked. Unreasonable delay or refusal to cooperate is a ground for reducing or refusing a claim in most policies.
Check before admitting fault
Particularly in motor or liability claims, admitting fault to a third party before your insurer is aware can prejudice the insurer's right to defend the claim. Notify first, then cooperate with their instructions.
Documentation
Keep a claim diary
Write down every call, email and visit connected with your claim as it happens. A contemporaneous record is far more persuasive than reconstructed notes if a dispute arises.
Note the date, time, name of the person, what was said or agreed, and any reference number or promised next step.
Tip: Follow up every phone call with a brief email summarising what was agreed. This creates a written record if the insurer's notes differ from yours.
Sample diary template
| Date | Time | Who | What was said or agreed | Reference / next step |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| dd/mm/yyyy | 00:00 | Name, role | Notes here… | REF-000 |
| dd/mm/yyyy | 00:00 | Name, role | Notes here… | REF-000 |
| dd/mm/yyyy | 00:00 | Name, role | Notes here… | REF-000 |
| dd/mm/yyyy | 00:00 | Name, role | Notes here… | REF-000 |
Disputes
When a claim is refused or reduced
A refusal is not final. You have a structured escalation path — and independent bodies that can override the insurer's decision.
Ask in writing
Request the specific policy clause the insurer is relying on and a full written explanation of the decision. This starts a paper trail and often prompts a review.
Use the formal complaints process
Every regulated insurer must have an internal complaints procedure. File a written complaint. They must respond within the time set by your local regulator (commonly 8 weeks in the UK, 15 days for urgent health claims in the US).
Go to the independent dispute service
If the complaint is unresolved, escalate to your country's free ombudsman or arbitration service. The insurer is usually bound by the outcome. Time limits apply — commonly 6 months from the insurer's final response.
Take legal advice
For large or complex disputes, a solicitor or attorney who specialises in insurance can advise whether to pursue litigation. Some work on a contingency basis. Check whether your policy includes legal expenses cover.
Independent dispute services by region
Common questions
Claims: frequently asked questions
- Most policies require notification "as soon as reasonably practicable" or within a specified number of days. Travel and theft claims often require a police report within 24 hours. Check the Conditions section of your policy. The FCA guidance on making a claim explains the notice requirements for UK policyholders.
- Ask the insurer in writing for the specific policy clause they are relying on. Then use their formal complaints process. If unresolved in the UK, escalate to the Financial Ombudsman Service. In Australia, use AFCA. In the US, contact your state Insurance Commissioner.
- A loss adjuster is an independent professional appointed by the insurer to investigate and value your claim. They are not your advocate — they work on behalf of the insurer. If your claim is large, you may wish to appoint your own loss assessor. The Chartered Institute of Loss Adjusters (CILA) maintains a register of regulated adjusters in the UK.
- Usually you should wait until the insurer or loss adjuster has inspected the damage. Emergency repairs to prevent further loss are generally allowed — keep all receipts. Permanent repairs started before inspection can give the insurer grounds to dispute or reduce the settlement.
- In the UK you must refer to the Financial Ombudsman Service within 6 months of the insurer's final response letter. In Australia the AFCA time limit is generally 2 years from the date you first became aware of the problem. US time limits vary by state.
Claim guides
All claim guides →Claim terms explained
Full glossary →- Loss adjuster
- An independent professional appointed by the insurer to assess and value a claim on their behalf.
- Loss assessor
- A professional you appoint (at your cost) to negotiate the claim on your behalf — the opposite side to the adjuster.
- Subrogation
- Once the insurer pays you, they can step into your shoes and recover the money from a responsible third party.
- Excess
- The first part of any claim that you pay yourself. Called the deductible in North America.
- Without prejudice
- A phrase that prevents a written offer being used as evidence if the dispute goes further. Seek legal advice before accepting.
- Full and final settlement
- A payment that closes the claim completely. Once signed, you cannot reopen it even if further losses emerge.