what is the deadline for reporting a claim?

Question to an expert

How long do I have to report my claim to the insurer?

The deadline for reporting a claim is governed byarticle L. 113-2 of the insurance code. For bodily injury or property damage, the insured generally has five working days to make this declaration to the insurer.

This period is, however, reduced to two days for a theft and to twenty-four hours in the event of livestock mortality. And it is thirty days in the event of publication of a natural disaster order.

These deadlines may be extended by mutual agreement between the two parties, and the contract may provide for longer deadlines. They run from the moment the insured becomes aware of the loss, except in a fortuitous event or force majeure (but a limitation period applies after two years).

Several ways

Failure to comply with reporting deadlines may result in a reduction or even a refusal of compensation, if the insurer manages to prove that the delay caused it harm. However, this situation rarely occurs.

The insured has several means of reporting his claim: by registered mail, by telephone or on his insurer’s customer area. He will be asked to describe the situation and attach photos, invoices, testimonies, or findings in the context of a road accident. Depending on the severity of the damage, the insurer may call in an expert to determine the amount of compensation.