Riots August 2011 - Important Information

Riots August 2011 - Claims Reporting

Following the rioting across the UK we’d just like to reassure our clients that TL Dallas are ready to help with any claims arising as a result.

If you are affected in any way, you should be aware of what you need to do for this type of claim. Anyone claiming needs to notify their Insurers immediately of any damage but equally important is that they must be able to quantify and substantiate their losses within a week of the incident occurring.

Insurers typically include within their policies a requirement for any claim for riot and/or civil commotion to be notified to Insurers immediately with full supporting documentation. This needs to be received within seven days of the incident occurring specifically to prevent a recovery action being turned down by the police authority on basis that the action is time barred. Insurers are entitled to recover their outlays under the principle of subrogation.

The local police authority has a legal responsibility to reimburse anyone sustaining damage to property as the result of a riot under the Riot Damages Act 1886. Any claim under the Act must ‘’be made in writing and received by the local police authority within 14 days of the alleged incident”.

Preventative Measures

Here are some general considerations that may be helpful. If you would like individual recommendations, you should contact us.

• The safety of your employees and customers must be your priority. Make sure that you have suitable emergency plans and that these cover periods when riots and civil disorder are possible so that you can avoid such persons being on the premises or travelling to or from them during periods of danger. Have a robust emergency contact procedure including home and mobile phone numbers for staff. Make sure that you have this information available at all times – it is no good just keeping it at the premises! Keep this information secure and remember your Data Protection obligations.
• Keep up-to-date with developments – consider using the internet, text news alerts and police information, responding to advice from the authorities as appropriate.
• If you do decide to temporarily close for business, try to give affected employees as much notice as possible so that they do not make unnecessary journeys putting themselves at risk. If you are sending staff home during a period of disorder, discuss with them what arrangements can be made to try to get them home safely.
• If your buildings are already fitted with security grilles or shutters, make sure that these are in working order and put into place when closing and leaving the premises. If you do not have shutters to protect vulnerable glazing then consider temporary boarding. Don’t forget that this will need to be very firmly secured.
• Remove valuable items from inside shop-front displays or which are close to ground floor windows. Put small high value items in your safe, if you have one. Consider what larger items may be safely removed during periods of unrest.
• Make sure that you have two up-to-date copies of your computer data stored securely away from the premises.
• Review your Business Continuity Plan (Disaster Recover Plan). If you don’t have one of these contact us.
• Avoid leaving combustible or flammable items outside your premises.

(This information produced in conjunction with Aviva Plc)