Affected by the Riots? Insurance and Other Remedies

6 August 2024By Chloe Franklin

Insurance

If your property has been damaged due to the recent nationwide spate of riots, your first port of call for remedy should be your insurers.

Affected individuals should notify their insurers of any damage as a result of the riots, as soon as possible.

Most property policies will include standard cover for physical damage to property. However, some policies may contain an exclusion for losses caused by, or in consequences of riot.

The definition of a riot (unless otherwise defined) in an insurance policy is its technical legal meaning as per The Public Order Act 1986 s.1, which requires a minimum of 12 people for the offence of riot.

The Riot Compensation Act 2016

In the event that a claim is declined, for example, due to a riot exclusion or a vehicle only being insured for third-party losses, the Riot Compensation Act 2016 (“RCA”) may provide an alternative route for compensation.

The RCA was introduced to help communities recover more quickly from the impact of rioting where the affected individuals are either inadequately insured or have had their claim declined by their insurer.

If your property is insured, the RCA requires an affected person first to claim via their insurers. However, If the claim is declined in full or part, the affected person can seek further remedy under the RCA.

What the RCA will cover:

Owners of a building may claim for damage to the buildings structure;
Tenants/Occupiers may claim for damaged/stolen contents;
Damaged or stolen business items stored in a vehicle;
Damaged or stolen stock-in-trade vehicles; and
Damaged or stolen underinsured vehicles.

What the RCA will not cover:

personal items held outside of a building;
consequential loss e.g. loss of trade or rent; and
personal injury – this is dealt with by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA).

Deadlines:

An affected individual will have 42 days from the date of the riot ending to claim under the RCA, unless;
The affected individual has first made their claim under their insurance, in which case they will have 42 days from the date the insurer declines/partially declines the claim.

How to claim via the RCA:

Claimants should complete and send the GOV.UK dedicated claim form via post or email to the claims authority for the police force in the area where the riot took place.
The details of where to send the claim form will be found on the police force’s website.

Helpful Links:

Chloe Franklin is an Associate at Fenchurch Law