Insurance term
Claim
A request for payment under a policy
Definition
A formal request to the insurer for payment after an insured event, subject to notification deadlines and evidence requirements.
In more detail
Most policies set a notification period running from the date of the event, not from the date the policyholder decides to claim. Late notification is itself grounds for reduction or refusal in some wordings.
Evidence expectations — receipts, reports, photographs, third-party references — are set out in the claims conditions and are easier to satisfy if gathered at the time of loss.
Glossary entries are general explanations, not advice. Where a term appears in a contract or policy, the definition in that document governs.