Insurance: don’t make a bad situation worse

MTA has consulted with insurance and legal experts to provide advice for members affected by the recent flooding and other natural disasters.

• If you are insured through an insurance broker, contact them for guidance. They can advise what cover you have, what claims you might make, when, and the process. If you are insured directly with an insurance company or mutual fund, then contact them.

Look out for these warning signs and reach out if you see any of the following:

• Difficulty breathing.

• Sleep problems - does anyone look constantly tired?

• Finding it hard to make decisions.

• Unable to concentrate.

• Unable to remember things.

• Constant worrying.

• Snapping at people.

• Biting nails.

• Picking at or itching skin.

• Being restless.

• Grinding teeth or clenching jaw.

• Eating too much or too little.

• Smoking more than they usually would.

• Withdrawal from people around them.

If staff are unable to come into work because of flooding etc consider paying them anyway; the stress they are under is probably huge and knowing they will still be paid will help lighten the load. If they have suffered loss/property damage, speak to them to see if you can help them out in any way.

• You will need to notify a claim to your insurer, generally through your insurance broker and with their guidance. Do not delay submitting an insurance claim (subject to your broker’s input). In some cases it may be appropriate to submit a preliminary claim promptly, and supplement that later with detailed inventories and other information.

• Take plenty of photographs, document what happened and what you see (make notes etc). Keep copies of all invoices, documents and correspondence, and identify high watermarks etc. Salvage what you can, including electronic records and stock.

• You can (and in many cases should) try to mitigate the loss or damage without making things worse or compromising the site/ evidence. But you should work through that with civil defence/emergency services, and any appropriate expert guidance; and check first with your landlord/the owner of any goods and your insurer through your insurance broker. Generally, don't start non-essential, non-emergency repairs or disposal of stock without your insurer’s approval.

• Where practical, keep clear inventories of damaged goods, stock or other items, and what is done with them, even if you expect someone else to prepare a report.

• Your insurer is likely to want to inspect the damage and may send a representative, assessor or expert to inspect and prepare a report.

• You may need an expert or assessor to prepare a report too. Your broker and in some cases a lawyer, may help you with this.

Check in regularly with your staffjust speaking to them and seeing how they are doing can make a big difference.

Whilst it is easy to see the importance of looking after your staff at a time like the present with the destruction that the weather has brought, this is something that you should always be doing. Support with wellbeing is the most important factor that people consider when looking for a job or staying where they are. The best way to retain your current staff is to look after them. So, reach out and ask, “Are you ok?”.

• Goods may need to be removed if they pose a health or safety risk: for example, badly saturated carpets or soft furnishings. But ensure you have good photographs and records of their condition, and ideally reports from experts if you can. If possible, it would be best to let your insurer to have an opportunity to see these on site before they are removed. Retain any other damaged items that don’t pose a health and safety risk. If in doubt, wait for insurer approval if you can.

• If you’re unsure, or there are complications or big amounts involved, work with your broker, and/ or a lawyer (preferably an insurance specialist) –sooner rather than later.

This list is not exhaustive – check Toolbox for a complete version. We urge you to seek whatever advice you need and work with experts as best you can. You don’t want to make a bad situation worse by prejudicing your possible insurance claims.

If unsure of anything please contact your MTA advisors, who will provide what advice they can.