Suffered business interruption? You don't have to take the insurer's first offer. We document the loss, prepare the claim, negotiate the settlement, and only get paid when you do.
Established 1988 ·
Central Bank regulated, Cert C41330 ·
No win, no fee
01We meetFree site visit, often the same day for emergencies.
02We documentEvery affected room, item and structural detail recorded.
03We negotiateWe handle every conversation with the insurer's loss adjuster.
04You're settledMaximum entitlement, full reinstatement, peace of mind.
35+Years in business since 1988
26Irish counties served
270+
business interruption claims settled
100%No win, no fee guarantee
Dealing with a business interruption insurance claim can be a stressful and challenging experience, particularly when trading has stopped, payroll continues, and the insurance position is unclear. Business interruption (BI) cover is the most under-recovered section of Irish commercial policies; the figure on the schedule is rarely the figure paid out without active negotiation. A loss assessor works with a forensic accountant where needed to quantify the BI claim properly. N.J. Carroll & Associates have handled business interruption claims for Irish operators since 1988.
How to Make A Business Interruption Claim
Establish the date and nature of the loss event. Fire, flood, escape of water, storm, etc. The peril determines whether BI cover is engaged.
Notify the insurer in writing without undue delay. Quote the policy number and identify both the buildings/contents claim and the business interruption claim.
Pull the BI section of the policy schedule. Note the indemnity period, the gross profit definition, the additional increased cost of working (AICW) provision, and any uninsured working expenses.
Compile financial records. Two to three years of management accounts, audited accounts, monthly turnover figures.
Engage a loss assessor. The loss adjuster will instruct a forensic accountant for the insurer; we instruct one for you.
Quantify the loss. Lost gross profit, fixed costs that continue, additional costs incurred to mitigate the loss, payroll continuation.
Apply for interim payments. Most BI policies allow interim settlements to keep the business cash-flowing during reinstatement.
Track the reinstatement timeline. Each delay extends the BI claim.
Negotiate the final settlement.
Reconcile to the audited position once trading resumes.
Remember, BI claims are won and lost on the financial records. Three years of clean books are the foundation; without them, the insurer has too much room to discount.
What is considered a business interruption insurance claim?
Business interruption cover sits within most commercial property policies and pays the lost gross profit and increased costs of working that flow from an insured peril. The BI section is separate to the buildings and contents sections and operates on its own indemnity period (typically 12, 24, or 36 months).
Common scenarios for business interruption claims
Fire damage closing trading premises for months
Flood damage to ground-floor retail or hospitality
Storm damage requiring roof reinstatement
Water damage from escape of water in a multi-tenant building
Subsidence-related works requiring vacant possession
Theft and consequent contents replacement period
Public utility failure where cover extends to it
Denial of access from neighbouring incidents
Does insurance cover business interruption?
Most commercial property policies include BI but the structure varies widely. Common pitfalls:
Indemnity period too short. If the policy covers 12 months but reinstatement runs 14, the last 2 months are unrecovered.
Sums insured under-stated. BI sums are often outdated by years.
Gross profit definition. The policy’s definition can exclude items the business considers profit.
Payroll continuation. Some policies cap payroll continuation, others include it in full.
Additional increased cost of working capped. Often a separate sub-limit.
How N.J. Carroll & Associates Can Help
We are one of Ireland’s most experienced loss-assessing firms, established 1988, regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland. The founders bring a combined background in insurance, quantity surveying, and accountancy, the exact mix needed for BI claims. We work with forensic accountants on every commercial brief.
We act as the insured’s representative throughout. We take the stress and worry off your hands. We ensure that you receive your full entitlement under your policy’s terms. We are wholly independent and committed to your interests alone.
Our standard fee is 8% plus VAT of the total settlement, no-win, no-fee. The initial consultation is free.
N.J. Carroll & Associates Ltd are regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland. Our Financial Regulator Certificate number is C41330. Niall Carroll is a member of the Society of Chartered Surveyors and the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors. We are also a member of the Irish Claims Consultants Association.
Related Insights from the Claimsroom
Why a specialist matters
What you get with a Business Interruption loss assessor
Immediate damage control
Same-day site visit. Make-safe and emergency repairs arranged. Claim opened before the insurer's adjuster lands.
Clear, ongoing updates
Every conversation logged. Every offer presented to you in writing. You make every decision; we do the negotiation.
Maximum settlement secured
Detailed schedule, evidenced and presented. We push until the insurer pays the full entitlement, not the easy figure.
Cover heads we claim
You are entitled to more than you think
Most home and commercial policies include cover heads policyholders never claim, simply because nobody told them. We read the policy line by line so nothing is left on the table.
Buildings reinstatement
Full structural repair to original specification, not depreciated "indemnity" value.
Contents
Furniture, appliances, soft furnishings, replaced new-for-old where the policy permits.
Alternative accommodation
If your home is uninhabitable, the insurer pays for somewhere to stay until reinstatement is complete.
Professional fees
Surveyors, architects and structural engineers when remedial work needs their input.
Debris removal
Make-safe, emergency boarding-up and full clearance of damaged materials.
Loss of metered services
Water, gas and electricity charged through during the claim period.
Insurers
We know how every Irish insurer works
Three decades of claims means we've handled every major Irish insurer's policy wording, claim process, and adjuster panel. We know what each insurer settles easily and where each one fights.
Aviva
AIG
Allianz
AXA
FBD
RSA
Zurich
Irish Life
Liberty
Recent settlements
Stories of successful business interruption claims we've settled
An electrical fault in the kitchen behind a built-in oven, and the ground floor was destroyed and the upper floor was extensively…
Read story
Frequently asked
Common business interruption claim questions
My BI sums insured were set years ago. Will the insurer hold me to them?
Yes, and the average clause may pro-rate the settlement if the sums are now under-stated. The fix is to engage a forensic accountant on your side, present a defensible BI quantum, and where the policy permits, claim full reinstatement-day-one cover where it applies.
Will my premium go up if I make a claim?
Some claims trigger a premium increase, some don't, and accidental-damage claims behave very differently from theft or subsidence claims. We'll advise on the wider implications BEFORE you decide to claim, not just push every loss through.
Is the loss adjuster the insurer sent on my side?
No. The loss adjuster works for the insurance company, their job is to validate the claim and contain its cost. Your loss assessor (us) works only for you, the policyholder. They are not the same role.
How much do you cost? When do I pay?
No win, no fee. Our fee is a percentage of the additional settlement we secure above the insurer's opening offer, agreed in writing up front. If we cannot improve on what the insurer would have paid you anyway, you owe nothing.
Can you visit me anywhere in Ireland?
Yes. Our office is in Dublin 6W and we serve every Irish county. Same-day site visits are routine for emergencies; standard non-emergency visits within 48 hours.
I've already made my claim and the insurer has offered me a settlement. Is it too late?
Not at all. We can step in at any stage of a claim, even after an offer has been made, and frequently improve the settlement. Don't accept the offer until you've spoken to us, signing accepts the figure as final.
Brief us on your business interruption claim
Don't take the insurer's first offer on business interruption
Tell us what happened. Free advice, no obligation, response within the hour during business hours.
Suffered business interruption? Don't take the insurer's first offer.
Talk to us before you talk to your insurer. Free, no-obligation advice. We typically reply within the hour.
