A practical guide from dot2dot nursery insurance
When something unexpected happens at your nursery, the last thing you want is to be unsure about what to do next. Whether it’s an accident involving a child, property damage, a safeguarding concern or a road incident involving a nursery vehicle, knowing how to manage the claims process can make a real difference to the outcome.
This guide is designed to help you feel prepared. It covers everything from when to contact us and what information to gather, to the support that’s available to you when you need it most.
When should you contact us?
Our advice is always the same: contact us as soon as possible after any incident that may become a claim. You don’t need to wait until a formal claim is made. Getting in touch early means we can start supporting you straight away and if a claim does come in further down the line, we’ll already have the information we need.
Incidents you should let us know about include:
- Any serious incident at your setting
- Injuries to children, visitors or employees, particularly where individuals are being challenging
- Safeguarding incidents
- Ofsted suspension or closure
- Damage to your property
- Damage to your nursery vehicle
It’s worth knowing that claims can arrive a significant time after an incident occurs. For example, claims relating to children can be made up to three years after their 18th birthday. By reporting incidents to us early, even for information only, we’re in the best possible position to support you if and when a formal claim is received.
Reporting an incident for information only will not trigger a claim.
Property insurance claims: what we’ll need from you
If your nursery suffers damage to its property, here’s what to have ready when you contact us:
- A description of the incident
- A copy of your lease, if you are a tenant
- Photos of any damage
- A detailed list of damaged or stolen items
Depending on the nature of the claim, insurers may also ask for proof of ownership, replacement cost information, estimates for repair work, invoices for any emergency repairs carried out and a crime reference number where the damage is the result of a crime.
Please be aware that you have the right to carry out reasonable repairs to secure the building or prevent further damage, while a claim is being processed.
What if you don’t own the building?
If you rent your nursery premises, it’s important to notify your landlord of any damage as soon as it occurs. In the event of water damage, your landlord will be responsible for the drying out of the building. Getting them involved quickly can have a direct impact on how soon you are able to get back up and running. This is why insurers will ask for a copy of your lease. Your insurance policy can only cover what you are responsible for under that agreement.
If you have made improvements to the property such as new flooring, children’s bathrooms or kitchen facilities, these may be covered under Tenants Improvements within your policy. Insurers will ask for evidence that you carried out this work or that you are responsible for it under your lease.
Support available from your insurers
In the event of significant property damage, insurers can provide a range of practical support, including:
- Disaster recovery assistance for fire, flood and escape of water
- Drainage specialists for blocked drain claims
- Support with subsidence concerns
- Appointment of a Loss Adjuster to help coordinate the work required and manage interim payments
Employers’ and Public Liability claims
If an accident occurs at your nursery involving a child, a member of staff or a visitor, please contact us. This includes situations where:
- A RIDDOR (Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations) report is submitted
- You have notified Ofsted or the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO)
- A parent has expressed concern following an incident
Early reporting gives us the best opportunity to gather evidence and provide support. In some cases, acting quickly has allowed claims to be redirected entirely. For example, if faulty equipment is involved, an early engineer’s inspection can establish a manufacturing defect before evidence is lost.
Documents we may need
When an incident occurs, please gather and retain the following wherever possible:
- Accident report form
- Staff statements
- CCTV footage (insurers will provide a secure link for you to upload this)
- RIDDOR or Ofsted notification
- Copy of any internal investigation
- Photos of the area and any equipment involved
- Staff to child ratios at the time of the incident
- An update on the recovery of the injured party
- Copies of any dialogue with parents
If a formal claim is received, insurers may also require:
- Risk assessments
- Daily checklists
- Child development trackers
- Staff training records and copies of paediatric first aid certificates
Please note that in some cases, solicitors may send claims directly to insurers without your knowledge. This is standard practice. If this happens, we will contact you to let you know.
Motor claims
If your nursery operates a vehicle and it’s involved in a road accident, please contact us as soon as possible after the incident occurs. The sooner a claim is reported to insurers, the quicker we can help get your vehicle back on the road.
When you call us, we’ll guide you through everything we need.
Additional support available to you
Your dot2dot nursery insurance policy gives you access to a wider network of specialist support. When you need it most, we can connect you with:
- Expert liability and safeguarding solicitors
- Regulatory and HR legal advice
- Public relations support to help with parent messaging and any press involvement
Because sometimes a claim needs more than just insurance. And we’ve got the right people around the table to help.
The golden rule
You can never tell us too much, too early or too often.
Every detail matters. Every early conversation helps. If something happens at your nursery, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. That’s what we’re here for.
If you are unclear on anything, just give us a call and someone here will be ready and able to help guide you through the process.
Get in touch about your nursery insurance
If you have any questions or need to report an incident, our team is always ready to help.
01204 570390