How Prompt Incident Reporting Can Help Protect Your Business
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>>SPEAKER: Time. Every hour that passes without reporting an incident could lead to future complications.
A customer tripping over a welcome mat, or falling in your parking lot, could seem like minor incidents. But even small incidents can lead to big headaches later, should an unexpected claim or lawsuit follow.
Prompt reporting can help your business prepare for a potential claim by:
Freezing the facts while they are still fresh,
Potentially avoiding legal entanglements
And safeguarding your business from fraud.
Put time on your side.
Reporting incidents promptly is good business.
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Risks to your business can take many forms. An incident could seem minor, like a customer who trips on a welcome mat or an employee who accidentally damages a client’s property. But a single incident could lead to a claim or lawsuit that could be distracting, costly and damaging to your business, brand and reputation. Businesses need to take every incident seriously and prepare for a claim.
Reporting incidents before they even become claims is a key step in protecting your business. It allows Travelers investigators to freeze the facts, while memories and evidence are fresh. That can help you save time and money, avoid lengthy legal entanglements, and safeguard your business from fraud.
Every hour that you wait to report an incident can affect the outcome of a claim.
After an incident on your property, immediate and careful attention to the matter may help protect your reputation and also lessen the impact of any possible financial consequences. Fast action allows Travelers to conduct an investigation early while physical conditions at the scene of the incident can be assessed.
Protecting Yourself After a Property-Related Incident
In general, you can follow these basic steps for property damage:
- Take pictures of the damage, and write down any relevant information on how, why, where and when the incident occurred.
- Have your policy number ready and get in touch with Travelers online or by phone or email.
- After discussing the details with a Travelers representative, you may decide to proceed with filing a claim or an incident-only report.
- If possible, take steps to reduce the chance of additional damage or injuries, but don’t put yourself or your employees at risk of injury.
Protecting Yourself After an Incident Involving an Injured Party
If there is an injured party involved, you’ll still need to notify Travelers of a possible claim, but before doing so, take these steps:
- Offer aid and assistance to the injured party.
- Call emergency medical responders, police or fire professionals if the circumstances warrant it.
- Gather contact information from the injured party as well as from any bystanders who may have witnessed the incident. Take photos or video of the incident, resulting injuries and any damage, if possible.
- Document their recollection of the incident as soon as possible. This Property Claim Reporting worksheet form can help you cover all pertinent details.
- Safely and securely store any documentation you’ve created about the incident.
The Benefits of Working With Travelers
You might be under the assumption that reporting the incident is somehow admitting fault and will automatically initiate a claim on your behalf – and that’s not always the case. The smart move is to discuss the circumstances with a Claim professional.
The sooner you contact Travelers to report an incident, the more likely we can positively impact the claim outcome by proactively defending your business. We’ll help you understand the next steps. Call us anytime at 800.238.6225 or visit our claim center.
MyTravelers® for Business also allows you to report a claim online, plus you can pay your premium, get certificates of insurance and much more.
