Professional premises damage
I help shopkeepers, tradespeople and self-employed professionals whose premises have been damaged to obtain full and prompt compensation from their commercial multi-risk insurer.
- Your compensation can cover both material damage and the business interruption losses suffered while your activity is stopped or slowed down.
- The conditions, caps and indemnity period for business interruption losses are set by your policy: they must be checked as soon as the loss occurs.
- You generally have 2 years to bring a claim against your insurer.
What kind of damage?
- fire and explosion;
- water damage;
- theft, burglary and vandalism;
- storms, floods and other natural disasters.
What you can obtain
- Repair of material damage: fittings, equipment, machinery, goods and stock destroyed or damaged.
- Compensation for business interruption losses: the margin lost while your business is closed or slowed down, as well as certain additional costs incurred to keep it going (temporary premises, equipment hire…).
Prompt compensation is vital to the survival of your business. You can ask your insurer for interim payments before the claim is finally settled.
How do I handle your case?
- I analyse your commercial multi-risk policy, its cover, its exclusions and the indemnity period for business interruption losses.
- I attend the loss assessment meetings with you, alongside your own loss adjuster and your accountant if needed, to substantiate your losses.
- I negotiate interim payments with your insurer, and then compensation for all of your losses.
- If no agreement can be reached, I take the matter to court, on an urgent basis if necessary.
Have your business premises been damaged? I can help you in Nice and on the French Riviera.
FAQ
The time limit is set by your policy; it cannot be shorter than 5 working days, or 2 working days for theft. Report the loss without delay, in writing, and take the necessary steps to prevent it from getting worse.
You generally have 2 years from the date of the loss. This time limit is interrupted, in particular, by the appointment of an expert, or by a registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt about the settlement of the claim.
It is not compulsory, but the insurer’s loss adjuster acts on the insurer’s behalf. As soon as the sums at stake are significant, particularly for business interruption losses, having a lawyer and, if needed, your own loss adjuster at your side lets you defend your interests effectively.
Over the period set by your policy, called the indemnity period, which is often limited to a few months or a year from the date of the loss. Some policies also provide for an excess expressed in days. These clauses must be examined carefully from the start of the case.
Your insurance policies, purchase invoices and inventories, your balance sheets and profit and loss accounts for recent financial years, your turnover statements, and photos and reports of the damage.