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How to Report a Claim

Whether you are dealing with a personal or commercial loss, there is no such thing as a standard claim. Although your insurer has dedicated staff to help process your claim, knowing what you should do before you contact your insurer will help the claim proceed quickly and smoothly.

Once the emergency has been dealt with and any injured people taken care of, the next steps involve compiling as much information as you can so you have it at hand to answer any questions that arise. Smartphones are a great place to record information, take notes, and store pictures for later use.

  • Record the date and time of day the incident took place or, in the case of property claims, was discovered. The date and time an incident occurred can be critical, as it can help determine if a situation is sudden and accidental or a long-term issue. This can be used to help determine coverage.
  • Note the specific location of the incident. For an automobile claim, note the street or intersection and the direction all vehicles involved were travelling. For property claims, note the area or specific room(s) the damage is in. This will allow you to provide the information quickly and clearly when required.
  • Describe the incident. This should consist of about 2-3 sentences describing what happened or was discovered in your own words. “Came in Monday morning and discovered water damage in the restroom located at the west end of the building. Turned water off and took pictures to be attached for the file. Then contacted maintenance to begin clean up and assess damage.”
  • Get the names and contact information of any witnesses to the incident. Cell numbers or email addresses are acceptable; you do not need mailing addresses, just a way for the adjuster to contact you. A witness does not need to be someone who directly saw the incident. It could be a person who observed the area prior to the loss, such as someone who can confirm an area was icy and had not been sanded prior to a person being injured in a slip-and-fall situation.
  • If possible, take pictures and videos. These are your evidence of the damage caused by the incident. An adjuster will need to see the damage, so pictures and videos are great ways to convey this. Once you have pictures of the damage as evidence, you can never have too many photos.
  • Should you ever receive a statement of claim or notice letter from a lawyer about an incident, please forward it to us immediately.
  • If you’re ever unsure whether an incident should be submitted to RMA, please reach out to our Claims Team or a Risk Advisor for guidance. They can be reached at claims@rmainsurance.com or risk@rmainsurance.com. You can also find our claim reporting form online at https://rmalberta.com/insurance/insurance-forms/

Following the steps above will make your claims experience easier and come to completion quicker.

Chris Dyer
Risk Advisor
403.998.8842
chris@RMAinsurance.com

Vay Diep
Risk Advisor
780.446.2353
vay@RMAinsurance.com

Temi Alao
Risk Advisor
587-599-3370
temi@RMAinsurance.com