When a missing response stalled a claim

A consumer contacted our office after being advised that their insurer could not proceed with a vehicle damage claim under Direct Compensation Property Damage (DCPD) because the other insurer had not confirmed liability.

After reviewing the situation with the consumer, it became apparent that the other driver's insurer might never receive that confirmation. The driver had not reported the accident to their own insurer and was not responding to their insurer's attempts to contact them.

A closer review showed that the insurer already had information indicating their insured was not at fault and that the other vehicle was insured at the time of the accident. We asked whether they had sufficient information to proceed with the claim despite not receiving a formal acceptance of liability from the other insurer.

Following a review of the file, the insurer agreed they had enough information to move forward and proceeded with the claim under DCPD.

Takeaway: A claim should be assessed based on the available evidence. When communication issues involving another party create delays, a closer review can sometimes identify a path forward and help ensure consumers receive a timely decision.