04-08-2017

When you take out an insurance policy, many people rightly assume you will be able to make a claim should an accident or harm occur. However, it is not uncommon for a claim application to be denied because the policy holder has breached the terms of contract.

It is essential that you read all of the paperwork when taking out cover. Why? Well, not being able to make a small claim of a few hundred pounds is bad enough, but imagine if there is a fire or flood and there's tens of thousands of pounds' worth of damage to your property or assets.

Stay covered by reading about some of the most common ways policy holders unintentionally invalidate their insurance cover policies:

• General Maintenance - A small leak in the roof or broken door mechanism may not seem like the biggest issues and it may go on your to-do list to fix 'one day', however these small issues could cost you greatly. Insurers expect you to maintain a certain level of property maintenance and, if they feel this has not been done, any future claims could be denied.
• Cleaning Up - If there has been a burglary, flood, fire or any kind of damage to your business property, we understand that you may want to clear up the mess and return to trading as soon as possible. Though, be careful in your haste. An insurance claims assessor will need to see evidence of the value of your claim, that means images of ruined stock, furniture, machines and so on. Before attempting any repairs, take numerous photos of the damage from multiple angles. It may also benefit you to maintain an official inventory.
• Locking Windows or Doors - In order to prove there is a break-in and make a claim, there should be evidence of forced entry. Therefore, if you leave the office at the end of the day and forget to lock the door or leave windows wide open, your insurer may not pay out. When originally taking out insurance, it's also important to accurately describe the types of locks you have on your business premise's doors and windows. If not, you may be seen as falsifying information and will unintentionally void your cover.
• Alarms and Security Measures - As with locks, if you tell your insurer you have an alarm, it is essential you activate it whenever your premises is empty. It's great having an alarm, but it can't alert others or scare off pesky thieves if it isn't turned on.
• Telling the Police - Some policies will require you to report an incident to the policy within a set period after it occurred. A small incident may not seem worth bothering them for, but it may mean your claim is invalid as a result.

Our Expert Team Can Explain It All

If you need business insurance and think you may have been guilty of making these mistakes in the past, speak to one of our experienced team today. Not only can they help you find and compare business insurance quotes, but they'll explain the policy and ensure you're aware of the fine print. Call 0333 202 6240 today.