In a serious claim, important decisions are made when the company is at its worst moment to make them. That's why this protocol is written beforehand and kept printed: the day it's needed, there will be no access to the server.
First, safety and containment
People before assets, always, and without exception. Then, prevent further damage: cut supplies, shore up, cover, move salvageable goods. This is not just common sense, it is a legal obligation. The Insurance Contract Law imposes the duty to mitigate the consequences of the claim, and the insurer must cover the expenses incurred in fulfilling this duty, even if the salvage is unsuccessful.
Document before touching anything
Photograph and video record the general state before moving a single pallet, with a date stamp. Then the details: machines, electrical panels, goods, the area where the damage originated. Keep the remains even if they are in the way, because they are the expert evidence. And write down the chronology with times, as after two months no one remembers precisely and the file will rely on it.
Communicate in time and in writing
The general communication period is seven days from when the claim is known, unless the policy specifies a longer one. Communicate in writing with acknowledgment, even if you have already called by phone, indicating date, time, apparent cause and a provisional estimate. The estimate does not need to be exact: it needs to exist and be recorded. If there is an indication of a criminal act, report it the same day.
How to work with the loss adjuster
The insurer's loss adjuster is not the opposing party, but neither is he your advisor: his task is to assess. Prepare the documentation in advance, accompany him on the visit and record in writing what is agreed at each meeting. In significant claims, it is advisable to appoint your own loss adjuster from the start, because the law provides for the procedure of assessment with a third loss adjuster and this mechanism works much better when activated in time than when resorted to as a last resort.
Claim the advance payment
It is the piece most often forgotten. The insurer must pay the minimum amount that may be owed within forty days from the declaration, even with the assessment in progress, and unjustified delay accrues aggravated default interest. In a large claim, that advance is what allows reconstruction to begin without touching the credit line, and it must be expressly requested.
What needs to be prepared beforehand
A folder with the policy number and the claims phone number, the inventory of assets with serial numbers, the latest accounts and contracts with key clients. Printed, because in a fire or encryption there will be no server. And a person designated as the sole interlocutor, so that the insurer does not receive three different versions of what happened.
