Insurance - Your General Responsibilities

All insurance policies, weather it is car insurance, home insurance or life insurance, have claims conditions that impose certain requirements on the insured. These conditions are put in place by insurance companies to prevent abuse of the system and fraudulent claims. Unfortunately, failure to meet these requirements can lead to problems obtaining a full settlement or, in some cases, getting any payment at all. As the owner of a policy your signature indicates that you have read, understood and accepted the conditions laid out in the policy.

These are not specific to any type of policy, but rather the basic responsibilities of the insured under all policies where a claim may arise:

1. The insured should report the incident to the insurer immediately or as soon as possible, depending on the circumstances;
2. The insured is to take all reasonable steps to avoid or minimise the loss;
3. The insured should advise the relevant authorities, where appropriate;
4. The insured must co-operate with the insurer and authorities in any investigation, including supplying supporting documents and evidence;
5. The insured should act at all times in good faith; and
6. Where damage to another person or their property is concerned, the insured should never admit liability and should refer any correspondence received, unanswered, directly to the insurer.

In addition, the insured should always report accidents to the insurer, even where they may not lead to an immediate claim. Despite the fact that damage or injury may not be immediately apparent, reporting the incident may protect you should liability later arise. This sums up the general responsibilities of the insured under any insurance policy.