At NDML we offer free Claims Defensibility Training for our customers. This hour-long training course involves General Managers, Deputy Managers and other key staff members within your business. They are then expected to filter the information down to the rest of the team, including bar staff and door supervisors. This ensures you have business-wide procedures in place to help mitigate risk and defend claims against your venue.
What is Claims Defensibility Training?
Running a late-night leisure venue, hotel or restaurant is a challenge and risks are always right around the corner. Our training course makes sure your managers know the correct procedures and policies to capture information which can assist in defending any liability claims that might be submitted.
Why is this training important?
We all understand that accidents happen. Someone might slip or trip in your venue and make a claim against you. You’ll need to prove to your insurer that you did everything you could to avoid the incident. Claims defensibility training will help you to argue that your venue was not at fault.
Your venue should have a range of risk management procedures in place. You should ensure someone checks for spillages and collects glasses at least every half an hour, for example. And you should make sure these checks are recorded so you have evidence that you have tried to mitigate incidents in your venue.
Do you know what to do if an incident happens at your venue?
You should immediately write down as many details about the accident as possible. Find out where the accident occurred, what happened, how many people were involved and what injuries occurred. Take photographs as evidence. If someone says they tripped on a spilled drink, but you can’t see any liquid on the floor, take a photograph of where the accident happened and write down that there was no visible spillage. This will help fight your case if the person makes a claim against you.
You should also make sure to keep a copy of the CCTV. Most venues’ CCTV footage will automatically be taped over after 30 days… but by law individuals have three years from the date of the incident in which to submit a claim. Solicitors often wait until after the 30 days to make a claim so the CCTV footage can’t be used as evidence. Outsmart the system and make sure to make a copy and retain it for 3 years.
Of course, not everyone who makes a claim tells management about the injury on the night. In fact, many don’t. They will go home, sleep off the night before and wake up with an injury. Some might just go straight to A&E without telling your staff.
Ask your door supervisors to keep an eye out for anyone who looks injured, and to ask them if they’re okay and need assistance. Again, documenting these conversations in an accident log book will help to defend claims.
What happens during a Claims Defensibility training session?
A member of our expert claims team delivers a short presentation explaining the importance of claims defensibility. We’ll cover what a claim could look like, and what happens during the claims process. Insurer will likely visit your venue following a claim, so you’ll need to know what to prepare in advance of that visit.
We also provide a comprehensive file full of the information your venue needs. This includes a list of key areas to look out for and procedural checklists (such as documenting when a member of staff has checked for spillages, collected glasses etc).
Our presentation and training course materials can also be delivered remotely or via a recorded webinar for customers further afield or for those who wish to access the course digitally.
Why is it important to know how to defend a claim?
You don’t want someone to successfully make a claim against your club. Many policies will come with a hefty Public Liability excess, so you’ll have to pay that for starters. Can you really afford to pay thousands of pounds every time someone makes a claim?
A successful claim will also impact your renewal premium. So you’ll end up out of pocket in the long run if you don’t successfully manage to defend a claim.
Of course, the NDML claims team will help as much as we can if you do have to defend a claim. But without evidence and documentation it’s much harder. Our training sessions help you to prepare for any future incidents and subsequent claims.
Contact the NDML team now to arrange your free training session!
We understand it can be a challenge getting everyone together for a training session. But for an hour of your time, you could protect your venue against potential claims. There’s nothing more important than peace of mind.
