When a loss event occurs, the moment of truth

The fact is, insurance policies are contracted by companies in view of the chance that a loss event might occur causing them substantial loss and damage.

If there were never any claims, then no policies would ever be contracted, and so it is clearly evident that Insurance plays a very relevant and necessary social function, mutualising the losses in the sense that many of us pay for the damage caused to a few.

That is why it is vitally important that the policy should be well designed and operate correctly so that, following a loss event, the Insured recovers the major part of their loss and damage.  It is when a loss occurs, that everything is put to the test:  whether the policy is adjusted to the risk that it was intended to cover, whether Insurers attend to their client with due diligence and professionalism, whether the Brokers advise them adequately and finally, whether the Loss Adjusters appointed by the Insurance Company are expert and independent professionals.

Preparing and proving a claim after a major loss event is very specialised work, and can be extremely demanding, especially during the first few weeks following the incident.  Being able to rely upon a company such as VANTEVO CLAIMS ADVISORS, composed of expert and independent Loss Assessors who can assist the Policyholder to compile their claim and undertake measures with a view to mitigating their Consequential Losses, can be extremely expedient and result in a substantial economic impact to the benefit of the Insured.

Indeed, a good Loss Assessor can not only suggest valid measures for minimising the Consequential Losses, but can also get the Insurers to make “payments on account” in order to defray any costs that such measures might bring for the Insured.

It is in Europe and North America where this service of assistance for the Policyholder has been most developed, and it has been proven that it expedites the settlement of the claims, since it is easier that an understanding and agreement can be reached between professionals and thus the claim can be “resolved” speedily, professionally and ethically.

The major Insurance Brokers, who have their own loss adjusting teams, include in the policies, particularly those covering All Risks of Material Damage, cover for “fees of the Insured’s expert”, so that the Policyholder will not have to pay any additional cost for this service. VANTEVO CLAIMS ADVISORS, through our international structure and with a solid experience in the adjustment of claims, allows medium sized Brokers, who also have important clients who require comprehensive advice, to offer this type of service on the same terms as the major Brokers, given that VANTEVO CLAIMS ADVISORS is a firm independent of any other interest in the Insurance sector.  In order to be competitive with the major Brokers, we strongly urge that the “fees of the Insured’s expert” clause should be contracted so that these services can be covered by the policy itself.

It would be very useful for those medium sized Brokers that have industrial clients to contract this type of service for complex losses, since a large part of the claims can be resolved without any outside help.  VANTEVO CLAIMS ADVISORS have an international and independent team of expert specialists, some with more than 20 years of experience, for the compiling of claims and the assessing of losses defending the interests of the Policyholder.

The role of the Policyholder’s Risk, Insurance and Loss Assessor

Increasingly in cases of major claims, the Insureds – invariably at the indication of their Lawyers or Brokers – contract a Loss Assessor to help them to prepare and defend their claim that will be submitted to the Insurance Companies.

This has obvious advantages, since firstly:

  • These experts will furnish the Policyholder with a technical report on the causes and consequences of the loss event that can then be compared against the report compiled by the Loss Adjuster acting for the Insurance Company.
  • They can help the Policyholder to adopt measures, something that they are obliged to do, in order to minimise the Consequential Losses.
  • They will free the Policyholder from the work of preparing and documenting the claim to be presented to their Insurers, so that instead they can dedicate themselves primarily to recovering their normal productivity and contacting their suppliers and clients.

Furthermore, with the “fees of the Insured’s expert/loss assessor” clause that the major Brokers currently are contracting in the policies that they negotiate, VANTEVO’s services  may end up being wholly or partially free of charge for the Policyholders.

Likewise an independent and professional Loss Assessor like VANTEVO, can help the Policyholders reduce their claims record by systematically analysing the causes of any loss events that arise and thus undertake measures so as to prevent any similar loss events recurring in the future.

Additionally, based upon the analysis of the incidents that occur, it is possible to achieve a year on year improvement in the safety measures implemented at the risk and thereby improve the covers afforded by their Policy, all of the above in collaboration with the Policyholder’s Broker.

Lastly, an independent Loss Assessor such as VANTEVO CLAIMS ADVISORS can help the Policyholder to avoid any underinsurance by appraising their assets, and to improve their risks by means of the survey report they compile that reflects the necessary hazard prevention and safety measures, and to draw up an “action protocol in the event of a loss” the advantages of which we have explained in a recent communication.