INSURANCE CLAIMS

Making a Claim

If you have incurred costs for which you believe the City may be responsible, you must follow the process outlined below for the City to consider your claim. In some situations, you are required to place the City on notice within 10 days of the incident.

The Municipal Act requires that the City receives notification in writing. To ensure that your claim meets the notice requirement, please forward your claim to the following address within the 10 day period.

      City Clerk
      City of Quinte West
      7 Creswell Drive, P.O. Box 490
      Trenton, ON   K8V 5R6
      Telephone 613-392-2841/1-866-485-2841
      Fax 613-392-0131

Note that payment in respect of property damage or bodily injury is contingent upon the City being found legally liable.

We suggest that in all cases of damage you contact your insurance company or broker. Depending on the type of property damaged, and the insurance policy you purchased, you may be eligible for greater compensation than you can legally recover from the City or other party.

Claim Reporting Process

Prepare your notice of claim in writing, and ensure it contains the following information:

    • The name, mailing address, e-mail address and telephone number of the person making the claim;
    • The contact name, mailing address, e-mail, and telephone number of the person submitting the claim - if different from above;
    • The date, approximate time of the incident and exact location (address or closest intersection);
    • A brief description of what happened;
    • The type of damage or injury;
    • The name of any contractor involved (if known).

Note: Fraudulent claims cost all taxpayers. The City will prosecute all fraudulent claims to the full extent of the law.

City compensation for your costs

The City will not be held responsible for your costs unless you can provide evidence that the City committed a negligent act or omission which resulted in injury or damage. Like most Canadian municipalities, the City of Quinte West only compensates when it is legally liable for the damage sustained. This approach helps to reduce costs for the taxpaying public - who ultimately bear the cost of these claims.

We suggest that you contact your own insurer regarding damages – if the insurer believes that the City is responsible for your damage, they will seek compensation on your behalf as stipulated in your insurance policy.

Whenever damage to City property is caused by a third party the City of Quinte West seeks recovery of the related costs from the responsible party. (e.g., for damage to property such as street lights and hydrants.)

Response Time

Upon receipt of your claim, the City will acknowledge your claim within two weeks. An investigation begins upon receipt of your claim.

 

If you have any further questions about the claims notification process, please contact us at (613) 392-2841.