Your preparation improves the process

When unexpected events occur, your organisation’s management of insurance claims can make the difference between prolonged disruption and a controlled recovery. Understanding the basics of the claims process and what to do when an incident occurs can help your organisation protect its financial stability, business continuity and recovery.

As the current conflict in the MENA region continues to evolve, engaging early with insurers and brokers with key documentation will help keep your claim moving and ensure you can access the support you need. Use the checklist below to navigate the process with confidence.

When a claim occurs, we recommend you take these immediate actions:

• Protect the asset or property to prevent further loss or damage.

• Take photographs documenting the damage. Follow current government guidance — wait for the police to arrive and take photos with them where required.

• Preserve all CCTV footage.

• Secure the site and avoid altering the scene. Do not discard damaged property before inspection by the insurer or loss adjuster. If items must be removed for safety reasons, photograph them, document details and preserve evidence.

• Retain damaged property for possible expert examination.

• Provide contact details for the main point of contact who can give further information and grant access to inspect the damage.

• Collect and safeguard information relating to any third parties involved or affected.

• Do not admit liability or make payments, incur expenses, or assume obligations (other than administering first aid) related to the incident.

• Consider assigning a unique code to track all expenses related to the incident.

To support your claim, provide this information:

Your initial claim notification should include the date and nature of the event, a preliminary description of the damage, operational impact and an initial loss estimate (if available).

In addition to those details, submit the following documents:

• Incident report

• Initial and final police reports

• Estimates or invoices for emergency repairs or debris removal, and repair or replacement estimates

• Records of specialist fees or other expenses incurred

• Labour cost documentation, including breakdowns of man-hours and hourly rates (these may be provided later)

• Store requisition documentation if materials from internal stock are used for repairs

• Time sheets for internal labour showing hours worked, hourly rate, overtime payments, nature of work and labour category

• Document the procurement process followed for the restoration works, including evidence of quotations obtained so it can be reviewed and aligned with the loss adjuster and insurers

• Any official documentation related to the incident (e.g., civil defence reports)

For business interruption (BI) claim consider including the following:

• Determine the precise date and cause of interruption.

• Identify whether interruption arises from physical damage, denial of access, supply chain disruption or utilities failure.

• Gather three years of financial statements and management accounts.

• Preserve budgets, forecasts and order book data at date of loss.

• Document cancelled contracts and lost opportunities.

• Separate fixed and variable costs.

Accurate BI quantification requires structured financial modelling and defensible assumptions.