Has your business been affected by Covid19?

You can trust Mid West Assessors during times of uncertainty

Coronavirus / COVID-19 has understandably caused a significant degree of confusion, fear and frustration since first being identified in China in December 2019. Resulting social distancing measures have affected the way we work, interact and go about our daily lives and we have already witnessed an impact on the economy as businesses start to close their doors and stock markets tumble. Despite the uncertainty, you can trust Mid West Assessors to continue to provide you with the expert advice and responsive service you need to guide you through these uncertain times

The impact of COVID-19

COVID-19 was first reported to the World Health Organisation (WHO) on 31 December by medics in Wuhan, a city of 11 million people in Hubei Province in China. Since then, the virus has spread throughout the globe, with the WHO declaring a pandemic on 11 March 2020. At the time of writing, more than 179,000 globally have been infected. Statistics show that while 80% of people will likely only suffer mild symptoms, the mortality risk is greatest for the elderly and people with underlying conditions.

In Ireland, the first case of COVID-19 was identified on 29 February, followed quickly by an exponential rise in cases throughout the Republic and Northern Ireland. In a televised St Patrick’s Day address on 17 March, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar warned that up to 15,000 people could be infected across the country by the end of March.

As part of the Irish government’s strategy to tackle the spread of the virus, a series of social distancing measures have been recommended by the Health Service Executive (HSE) including keeping two metres between people during interactions, avoiding crowded places and working from home. To this end, schools have been closed, and pubs and bars have been asked to shut their doors. The financial impact of event restrictions, cancellations and social distancing tactics have already forced some businesses to close.

While scientists are working furiously towards developing a vaccine, restrictions may stay in place for an indefinite period of time, creating uncertainty for the future.

Business as usual

Despite these challenges, Mid West Assessors continues to operate as normal, underpinned by an advanced technology infrastructure and remote working capabilities. If you have a claim in progress, you can rest assured that we will continue to act on your behalf to negotiate a settlement that is in your best interests. While insurers may experience some delays due to increased demand, our team will do its best to keep your claim moving and ensure a rapid response to your insurer’s requests for information.

New property claims

While COVID-19 may continue to dominate our lives over the coming months, fire, flood, storms and accidents will continue to happen. When they do, you can trust our team to be by your side. New claims will be handled with the same sense of urgency, care and attention as before COVID-19, albeit with some changes to the way we work in line with the latest HSE advice. For example, should we need to meet with you or your insurance company’s loss adjuster to discuss your loss, we will first ask you some questions about your potential exposure to COVID-19 in the past 14 days, or whether you are currently displaying any symptoms. We will also follow HSE social distancing guidelines which include avoiding close contact such as handshakes, regular handwashing and coughing into an elbow.

Claims for Business Interruption

If your hospitality or tourism business has been affected by cancellations, event restrictions or government-imposed closures, you may have some recourse for claiming your loss.

Business Interruption (B.I.) insurance provides cover for a business that experiences financial loss as a result of certain types of adverse events. If you hold a B.I. policy, your policy wording will set out the conditions under which you can claim cover for your loss.

Some B.I. policies may provide cover up to certain limits where a “notifiable disease” (in this case, COVID-19) has forced the closure of a business, however not all policies will provide this level of cover.

If you are unsure whether your insurance policy provides cover for COVID-19, we can review your policy wording free of charge to determine whether you can claim for your financial loss.

Trusted for more than 30 years

For more than 30 years Mid West Assessors has brought reassurance, comfort and resolution during our clients’ time of need. The challenge presented by COVID-19 is no different and we will continue to provide a stable, trusted and expert claim management service throughout Ireland and the UK. Mid West Assessors is proud to be part of the Allay Claim Management company, one of Ireland’s leading independent loss assessing and property claims specialists, providing local office locations and personal service with access to a national network of in-depth expertise.

Get in touch

While the world battles to overcome COVID-19 in the coming months, rest assured our team is ready to take your call and help you with your concerns.

Take advantage of our free service to review your B.I. insurance policy wording and find out whether you can claim your COVID-19 related financial loss.

Telephone: 1850 28 1850    Email: info@allay.ie