Important information regarding recent Riots

Updated 11th August 2011

Events of the past few days and nights have been both frightening and shocking. Our sympathies are with all of those whose lives have been disrupted and with the organisations who are struggling to serve their customers, tenants and residents.

We sent a team of loss adjusters to Tottenham early on Monday morning and have more specialists ready to visit the scenes of other incidents.  We are also working hard to proactively contact our customers who may have been affected.

However, all affected customers are advised to make contact with their Claims department as soon as possible.  In this way, assistance can be provided and advice given so that help with the process of restoration and recovery can begin without delay.

Claims under the Riot (Damages) Act

We can confirm that the majority, if not all claims, following the disturbances, will be dealt with under the peril of Riot. While customers who have this cover will have their claims dealt with in the normal manner, there is a particular complexity to claims for Riot, which does not exist in cases of malicious damage or wilful fire raising. In cases of Riot (as defined by Section 1 of the Public Order Act), certain compensation is available under the provisions of the Riot (Damages) Act, for loss of, or damage to, property. Any such claims are made against the local Police Authority.

A critical provision in the statute requires that claims must be lodged within 14 days of the riot damage occurring. In addition, many policy conditions require notification of the claim within 7 days. While insurers can claim in respect of the indemnity value of the insured property damage, customers can claim for uninsured losses (including deductibles). This is strictly on the proviso that any claim is initiated within the prescribed time period and on the correct claim form. We therefore strongly recommend that any claims are registered with ourselves within 7 days after the damage or injury and the local Police Authority within 14 clear days after the date of damage or injury.

Next steps

For customers in areas affected by the riots we recommend the following actions be undertaken as a matter of urgency:

1. Where it is safe to do so, carry out an immediate investigation and establish any loss or damage - we understand that this may be difficult, but it is better to provide us with as much information as is possible.

2. Advise your Risk and Insurance Consultant or Claims Department of the outcome of the loss and damage assessment and, if appropriate, provide details of the claim to be presented within 7 days of the date of damage or injury.

3. Contact the relevant Police Authority, advising them of the circumstances, nature and extent of the claim to be pursued under the Riot (Damages) Act within 14 days of the date of damage or injury.  You will need to provide the Police Authority with the following information:

   (a) the name and address of the claimant;

   (b) the day on and hour at which the injury, stealing, or destruction took place;

   (c) whether the premises are a house, shop, or building, where they are situated, and the nature of the claimant's interest therein;

   (d) the circumstances in which the injury, stealing, or destruction took place, in sufficient detail, to show whether it was committed by persons "riotously and tumultuously assembled together".

4. Once you've completed all the details for London cases should be returned to: The Directorate of Legal Services, Accident Claims, 1st Floor (V), New Scotland Yard,
   No 8-10 Broadway, LONDON, SW1H 0BG

   Please click here to download the claims form.