A significant number of claim submitted are inadmissible due to easily avoidable aspects, even though the reason for the claim is contemplated by the coverage contracted.
In general, policy beneficiaries are unaware of the steps to follow or the regulations that regulate insurance companies, thus making mistakes that put the favorable outcome of a claim at risk.
The following recommendations will prevent claim contemplated in a policy from being rejected due to technicalities:
1 – Complaint after the deadline / Late presentation:
The complaint of the claim must be presented to the insurance company in the terms established by the regulations that regulate each country. Thus, for example, in Argentina, the National Insurance Law No. 17,418 establishes that the maximum time to file a claim is 3 calendar days from the occurrence of the claim or from the time it becomes known. While in other Latin American countries the time is 7 days.
If you do not know the time established in your contract, verify this information on your certificate of coverage or by contacting your insurance company.
2 – Claims occurring prior to the validity of the policy.
Insurance is not retroactive. The goods are insured from the date of contracting the policy and once their transport has started.
We have observed on certain occasions the contracting of policies for trips already started. In these cases, the claim that occurred between the start of the trip and the date of hiring would not be covered by the policy.
3 – Receipt of the merchandise:
When the loss (damage, theft or theft) produced to the merchandise is detected at the time of receiving the cargo, the condition that is observed in the reception documents of the same must be established (remittance, referral guide, CRT, etc. )
On the contrary, if when receiving the cargo no damage / missing is detected but it is not feasible to make a detailed review of the status of the merchandise, sign the document with the legend “subject to review” or “to review” and indicate the date on which is receiving the load.
4 – Failure to present the protest to the eventual person responsible for the loss.
One of the obligations of the insured is to preserve the rights of the insurer against a later recovery. This is implemented by presenting the protest / claim letter to the eventual responsible for the damage and / or missing.
For it to be valid, it must be submitted within the stipulated deadlines. We suggest consulting your insurance company for these deadlines since they vary according to the means of transport or the international regulations that apply in each case.
You must keep a copy of the letter submitted to the company eventually responsible for the loss with proof of receipt: the date of receipt, signature and stamp of the company to which it is addressed.