Claims
Notify a Claim or Circumstance
Insured law practices must notify Lawcover in writing as soon as practicable
When should I notify a claim?
Insured law practices must notify any claim to Lawcover as soon as practicable after the claim is made. The sooner we know about a matter, the quicker we are able to assist.
If you have any doubt about whether you should notify a matter, please contact Lawcover on 02 9264 8855 and ask to speak to a Claims Solicitor.
What if it’s not yet a claim?
Even if a claim has not yet been made against you, we encourage you to notify us of facts or circumstances that could lead to a claim. If you notify Lawcover of circumstances in writing during the period of insurance, you have a statutory right to cover for later claims arising out of those notified circumstances. Early notification allows for early intervention which, in our experience, results in an earlier and more cost-effective resolution.
Top Up Professional Indemnity Insurance – notifying circumstances is essential
Lawcover’s Top Up policy excludes claims that arise from circumstances the insured was aware of but had not notified in writing prior to the commencement of the Top Up policy. We encourage you to make appropriate investigations of your partners/staff and notify Lawcover in writing of any claim or any matter that might give rise to a claim prior to the expiry of your current Top Up policy.
Who can make a claim?
Claim notification forms can be completed by:
- A principal of the insured law practice; or
- An employee of the insured law practice who is authorised to make notifications on behalf of the practice.
If you are a client of a law practice and you believe that you have a claim against an insured solicitor, you should consult an independent solicitor for advice as to whether or not you have an entitlement to claim and how to proceed with that claim.
If you have any problems completing the questions or submitting the notification, please contact Lawcover on (02) 9264 8855 and ask to speak to a Claims Solicitor.
How will your claim be managed?
- Upon receipt of a notification from an insured law practice, Lawcover will open a file and allocate it to one of the Claims Solicitors.
- Lawcover will assume conduct of the defence of the claim on behalf of the law practice. Unlitigated claims are usually investigated and managed in-house by a Claims Solicitor, who all are qualified solicitors experienced in defending professional negligence claims against solicitors. Litigated claims are referred to one of Lawcover’s expert panel solicitors.