There will come a time when you have to make an insurance claim; its just part of life. Often it is something people will avoid at all costs as they do not want their premiums to increase. There are a number of steps and processes that need to be followed to ensure that the claim is successful and handled in the right manner. You should make your insurance company aware of your insurance claim within 30 days of the incident, ideally the sooner the better. In the event that a criminal act has taken place, for example damage or loss or an item, you must make sure that you notify the police so that they can then provide you with a crime reference number.

To increase the success rate of your claim you should take all the necessary steps needed in order to reduce further loss, injury or damage. If you do make a claim, and the situation has become worse since this time, this will not be looked upon very kindly by you insurance company. You will need to provide all the relevant documentation related to the claim which will include written proof of the ownership or value of the insured item. Insurance companies will always strongly advise you to never carry out any alterations or repairs to the insured item and under no circumstances should you negotiate or settle without prior consent.