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Insurance Bureau of Canada/ab/Business/Risk Management/Fleet Risk Management/Claims Management

Fleet Liability - Claims Management

​​​​​How vehicle collisions and incidents are handled can have a significant impact of the cost of claims. Know how to document an insurance claim and what your drivers and management should do after an event occurs.​​

​​A major or minor event can involve injuries to people, damage to property or equipment, or a loss of business productivity. ​​​​

Document the Event​​​

To help collect information tha​t insurers require for a claim, drivers for your business or organization can use a report to document the situation. Review a sample accident report that can be used in the event of an accident with a fleet vehicle. 

Preparing a Claim: Tips for Fleet Drivers and Ma​​​nagers

All drivers should read and understand your compa​ny’s policies and procedures. Immediately after an event – in addition to completing an accident or incident report – the following tips may be helpful:

  • Park the vehicle in a safe location and turn on warning signals.
  • Attend to any injured people.
  • Do not attempt to move an injured person unless it is to move the person away from an area of immediate danger such as fire or traffic.
  • Do not attempt to give any treatment beyond first aid.
  • Call, or ask a bystander to call, 911 or the local emergency number for assistance for the police, ambulance and/or fire department if necessary.
  • Do not leave the scene of the accident unless it is to call one of these services.
  • Notify a company supervisor as soon as possible.
  • Report the accident to your insurer.
  • Provide details and information about steps that were taken to avoid the situation. 
  • If safe to do so, take photos of the area where the event occurred.
  • Record the names and contact information of any witnesses, as well as their detailed descriptions of the accident.
  • Refer any discussions with the claimant to your insurance representative.
  • Never admit liability or promise to pay for expenses incurred by the other party.

Instruct drivers to never admit fault on behalf of the organization. After an event, their response can be: “I’m not permitted by my employer to discuss the circumstances of the event. I will, however, report it immediately. An authorized person will contact you.” Investigate potential causes and implement preventive measures. Consider forming an accident review committee within your organization, especially if there are multiple vehicles in your fleet.​​