The new Covid Claims Service, launched by our Policyholder Disputes team, will help businesses that were heavily impacted by Covid-19 recover payment from their insurers. The service enables businesses across the hospitality, retail, entertainment, sport and leisure sectors with a valid Covid-19 business interruption (BI) claim to pursue payment.
Of 370,000 UK business interruption insurance policyholders, only 43,027 claims have been paid out by insurers according to data published by the FCA in March 2023. Following our team’s success in the At the Premises Test Case, Covid-19 business interruption claims which were previously declined by insurers, or have been put on hold, may now be valid.
Find out more:
What does the Stewarts Covid Claims Service offer?
If your business has suffered interruption following the Covid-19 pandemic, the Stewarts Covid Claims Service offers you the opportunity to receive:
- Legal advice and representation on your insurance claim from Stewarts, the UK’s largest litigation-only law firm; and
- Expert forensic accountancy input on the value of your claim
There will be no upfront cost to qualifying policyholders for the Stewarts Covid Claims service, which will be provided on a ‘no win no fee’ basis.
Who can apply for advice?
Since March 2020, numerous court judgments have clarified and extended the scope and application of business interruption cover. Many policyholders who had previously been informed that they did not have cover may in fact have significant policy payments available under their insurance policies.
Subject to the terms of each insurance policy, it is expected there are still many thousands of policyholders who could collectively recoup tens of millions of pounds in business interruption losses from their insurers as a result of the pandemic.
The Covid Claims Service will initially be focused on pursuing claims for policyholders who have “at the premises” clauses in their policies, but any business who believes they have a valid business interruption claim which has not yet been paid by their insurer is invited to contact Stewarts via the service.
Our team’s credentials
Our Policyholder Disputes team are leading experts in Covid-19 litigation, backed by the full resources of the UK’s largest disputes-only firm, with 80 partners and over 250 qualified litigators. We are well-known for handling the largest and most complex disputes including many ground-breaking actions against insurers, banks and other financial institutions.
Over the past three years, lawyers within our Policyholder Disputes team have advised hundreds of policyholders of all sizes and across all industry sectors in relation to their Covid-19 business interruption claims.
The department will be working in tandem with the firm’s Insolvency practice and can provide additional legal insolvency support where required.
Aaron Le Marquer, Head of Policyholder Disputes at Stewarts, says: “Although the FCA estimated that around 370,000 policyholders held policies affected by the test case which commenced in 2020, the latest data from insurers shows that only around 40,000 claims have been paid so far. Cases that we have pursued against insurers since 2020 have further extended the scope of coverage available to policyholders, and our recent experience shows that many businesses remain uncompensated by their insurers despite being entitled to claim.
“Our Covid Claims Service is intended to assist businesses who have received no compensation from insurers in respect of the Covid lockdowns to find out if they might have a valid claim.
Visit the Covid Claims Service website to get in touch and learn more.
You can find further information regarding our expertise, experience and team on our Policyholder Disputes page.
If you require assistance from our team, please contact us or alternatively request a call back from one of our lawyers by submitting this form.
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