Admitting liability
Be kind and helpful, never accept fault. Apologise for the situation, not for causing it, liability is for the insurer to determine.
Claims guidance
What to do in the first hour.
Most claims are won or lost in the way an incident is handled on the day. This is the process PALI recommends to every member venue, print it and put it behind reception.
- Member support line
- Incident log templates
- Escalation to the scheme
- Guidance, not legal advice
Immediate steps
Four actions, in this order.
- 01
Make people safe
Administer first aid, call emergency services if needed and close or isolate the area involved.
- 02
Record the facts
Complete your incident log while it's fresh: time, location, what happened, who was involved, staff on duty and witnesses.
- 03
Preserve the evidence
Save CCTV before it overwrites, photograph the area and equipment, and retain any relevant inspection sheets.
- 04
Notify promptly
Tell your broker or insurer as soon as practicable, even if no claim has been made. Late notification is a common reason cover is challenged.
What to record
The details that decide a claim two years later.
Claims frequently surface long after the event. A complete, contemporaneous record is the strongest asset your venue has.
- Date, time and exact location
- Names and contact details of those involved
- Staff on duty and supervision ratio at the time
- Description in neutral, factual language
- First aid given and by whom
- CCTV reference and retention confirmation
Three mistakes that weaken a good defence.
Writing opinions in the log
Record what happened, not what you think caused it. Speculation in an incident log can be used against you later.
Delaying notification
Report incidents that could become claims immediately, even minor ones. Waiting for a letter is too late.
This is general guidance for member venues, not legal advice. Always follow your insurer's notification requirements and take professional advice on any specific claim.
Suspect a fraudulent claim?
The official Garda reporting route.
Suspected insurance fraud is reported to the Insurance Fraud Coordination Office (IFCO) at the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau, under the Memorandum of Understanding agreed with the Alliance for Insurance Reform and Insurance Ireland. Report as soon as fraud is suspected, and submit the completed form with a full evidence pack, incident notes, CCTV, witness details and inspection records.
IFCO2, Personal injury insurance fraud report form
An Garda Síochána, GNECB , PDF form
The official An Garda Síochána form for reporting a suspected fraudulent personal injury claim to the Insurance Fraud Coordination Office. Complete in full and attach your evidence pack.
Open the documentIFCO3, General insurance fraud report form
An Garda Síochána, GNECB , PDF form
The official reporting form for suspected insurance fraud other than personal injury, for example property, motor or application fraud.
Open the documentMemorandum of Understanding, An Garda Síochána & Alliance for Insurance Reform
An Garda Síochána & Alliance for Insurance Reform , PDF, 3 pages
Sets out the agreement under which the Alliance for Insurance Reform and other interested parties report suspected insurance fraud to the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau.
Open the documentOperational Protocol, Insurance Ireland & Alliance for Insurance Reform
An Garda Síochána, Insurance Ireland & Alliance for Insurance Reform , PDF, 15 pages
The operational detail behind the MOU: when a formal report should be made, how reports are submitted, how the IFCO assesses them, and what an evidence pack must contain.
Open the document
These are official documents published by An Garda Síochána with Insurance Ireland and the Alliance for Insurance Reform. PALI reproduces them for member convenience, they are reference material and not legal advice.
Had an incident? Tell us early.
Members get support from the PALI team and escalation into the scheme where relevant.