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If something goes wrong - your house is burgled or you crash your car - you can make a claim for compensation if you are insured for these losses. There are 3 steps to make a claim.

When the claim involves personal injuries, you don't have to accept the amount your motor or the parties motor insurance company offers, you can if you wish reject their offer and refer your claim to the Personal Injuries Assessment Board, which is an independent statutory body set up by the Government to decide the right amount of compensation for personal injuries and can help to make the process of claiming less costly as you are not obliged to use a solicitor. You can Download their publication PIBA Guide for injured parties', which explains the PIAB process in more detail. If you decide to reject the PIAB assessment you may take your claim to Court. With any claim you make you can decide whether or not to use a legal advisor to assist you in the process.

Insurers for your motor insurance should normally settle claims by cheque, payable to you.

If the amount of a claim is small, consider whether it is worth making a claim. If you make a claim, you may lose a discount with certain insurers and you may find it more difficult to shop around for certain types of cover the next time you renew your policy.

If your claim is refused, your insurance company or broker must write to you to explain the reasons why your claim was refused.

You will usually receive compensation for the value of the item stolen or damage done. There are 3 steps to make a claim. Read your policy details and house hold insurance certificate. Home Insurance Certificate document.

You may want to hire an assessor for larger home insurance claims, such as a buildings claim on your home. The idea with this is that the assessor works on your behalf and can often negotiate with your home insurance company to settle your claim. Remember though these fees are not covered by your home insurance policy so you will have to pay for this yourself. Your Home insurance company considering your claim will check whether your policy covers you for the costs or damage you are claiming for. When they respond you can decide to accept what they are willing to settle for or you can negotiate with them directly or through your broker. When the claim involves personal injuries, you don't have to accept the amount your home insurance company offers, you can if you wish reject their offer and refer your claim to Personal Injuries Assessment Board, which is an independent statutory body set up by the Government to decide the right amount of compensation for personal injuries and can help to make the process of claiming less costly as you are not obliged to use a solicitor. You can Download their publication PIBA Guide for injured parties', which explains the PIAB process in more detail. If you decide to reject the PIAB assessment you may take your claim to Court. With any claim you make you can decide whether or not to use a legal advisor to assist you in the process.

Insurers for you home insurance should normally settle claims by cheque, payable to you. If you have arranged home insurance through your mortgage lender, the insurance company may pay the money to your lender who will then pass it on to you.

If the amount of a claim is small, consider whether it is worth making a claim. If you make a claim, you may lose a discount with certain insurers and you may find it more difficult to shop around for certain types of cover the next time you renew your policy.

Before making a claim, you should also consider the excess on your policy. This is the amount of each claim that you will have to pay yourself. The amount varies but is generally between €100 and €300. You will not be able to claim for amounts less than the excess.

If your claim is refused, your insurance company or broker must write to you to explain the reasons why your claim was refused. If you have underestimated the cost of rebuilding your home and replacing your belongings when taking out home insurance, you could also get less money than you claimed for. This is due to an 'average clause', which is included in some policies. Say the contents of your home are worth €60,000 but you insure them for just €30,000. If your contents are say completely destroyed , the most you will get from your insurance company is €30,000. So even if you claim €15,000, the insurance company will look at the overall amount you insured your contents for and will consider that you are only half insured. So they may pay out only €7,500 i.e. half the total damage.

In the event of a serious illness or accident which may lead to in-patient hospital treatment or before any arrangements are made for repatriation or in the event of Curtailment necessitating Your early return Home or in the event of You incurring inpatient medical expenses in Excess of €350, You must contact AXA Assistance. The service is available to You and operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year for advice, assistance, making arrangements for hospital admission, repatriation and authorisation of medical expenses. If this is not possible because the condition requires immediate emergency treatment You must contact AXA Assistance as soon as possible. Private medical treatment is not covered unless authorised specifically by AXA Assistance.

Medical Assistance Abroad
AXA Assistance has the medical expertise, contacts and facilities to help should You be injured in an accident or fall ill. AXA Assistance will also arrange transport Home when this is considered to be medically necessary or when You have notice of serious illness or death of a Close Relative at Home. Payment for Medical Treatment Abroad

If You are admitted to a hospital/clinic while abroad, AXA Assistance must be contacted who will arrange for medical expenses covered by the policy to be paid direct to the hospital/clinic. For out-patient treatment, You should pay the hospital/clinic yourself and claim back medical expenses from Us on Your return Home. Beware of requests for You to sign for excessive treatment or charges. If in doubt regarding any such requests, please call AXA Assistance for guidance.

Reciprocal Health Agreements
If You are an Irish resident You are entitled to health care through the public system in countries of the European union (EU), European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland if You become ill or injured while on a temporary stay there.
If You are travelling to another EU/EEA country or Switzerland, We strongly recommend You apply for and obtain a European Health Insurance Card for yourself and/or family and make sure that any medical treatment is provided at hospitals or by doctors working within the terms of the reciprocal health care agreement, unless AXA Assistance agree otherwise. If You are admitted to a private clinic You may be transferred to a public hospital as soon as the transfer can be arranged safely. If You are travelling to Great Britain or Northern Ireland You do not require a European Health Insurance Card to obtain the necessary healthcare but need to provide proof that You are ordinarily resident in Ireland (in practice this means a driving license, passport or similar document). If You are currently a VHI, BUPA and VIVAS member You must notify the relevant private medical insurance assistance company at the time of claiming as per contact details below.

VHI Assistance: Tel +31 - 71 - 36 41 335
VHI Assistance USA: Tel 1 - 866 - 854 34 79
BUPA Assistance: Tel +31 - 71 - 36 41 822
VIVAS Assistance: Tel + 353 - 1 - 619 3620

Australia
If You require medical treatment in Australia You must enrol with a local MEDICARE office. You do not need to enrol on arrival but You must do this after the first occasion You receive treatment. Inpatient and out-patient treatment at a public hospital is then available free of charge. Details of how to enrol and the free treatment available can be obtained by the Australian Embassy in Ireland by contacting 01 664 5300 or www.australianembassy.ie. If You are visiting Australia on a Student Visa You are not covered by MEDICARE. Alternatively please call AXA Assistance for guidance. If You are admitted to hospital contact must be made with AXA Assistance as soon as possible and their authority obtained in respect of any treatment NOT available under MEDICARE.

How to make a claim under your plan
If you are in any doubt about whether or not you are covered, you should contact vivas health, prior to undergoing treatment. Vivas Health can then confirm your level of cover which will assist you with your claim. Please provide your membership number when you contact Vivas Health. Please forward all claims that you have settled to Vivas Health within 3 months following the end of your policy year. In patient and day case claims
Vivas Health has a direct payment arrangement with a number of hospitals. This means they will settle the bill directly with the hospital if the claim is for eligible in patient, day case or maternity treatment or for a scan performed in their listed approved treatment centres for scans.

You may call Vivas Health on 1850 717 717 to find out whether a specific hospital has a direct payment arrangement with them. A hospital that has a direct payment arrangement will provide you with the claim form to sign at the end of your stay in hospital. The hospital will then submit the claim form to Vivas Health for settlement.
If the hospital does not have a direct payment arrangement with VIVAS Health you will need to complete the claim form and pay the bill. The hospital will supply you with a claim form or alternatively you can contact Vivas Health to request one or you can download one from their website at Claim form Vivas Health. You will have to settle the claim directly with the hospital and get the treating hospital, doctor or consultant (as appropriate) to complete the form. Please ensure that you send the completed claim form and all receipts to Vivas Health when you are discharged from hospital. In this manner Vivas Health can swiftly assess the claim and reimburse you for all eligible treatment. Out patient claims
If you are making a claim for out patient benefits, you should settle directly with your health care provider. You must retain your receipts. At the end of your policy year you must call Vivas Health to register your claim. After this call, you must send all receipts to Vivas Health to ensure that they can reimburse you for all eligible treatment. Please check that all receipts state:
- the full name of the member receiving treatment,
- the type of treatment received,
- the date the treatment was received and
- the signature and contact details of the treating consultant and the hospital or centre where you were attended.

All receipts must be sent to VIVAS Health, PO box 764, Tougher, Cork within 3 months after your renewal date. If you have also purchased a day-to-day 50 plan, remember that many out patient benefits should be claimed from this plan rather than as an out patient benefit. Please note a benefit cannot be claimed twice as both an out patient benefit and a day-to-day benefit. Day-to-day claims
If you are making a claim for day-to-day benefits you will need to settle directly with your doctor or health care provider. You must retain your receipts.
At the end of your policy year you must call Vivas health to register your claim. After this call you must send all receipts to them to ensure that they can reimburse you for all eligible treatment.

Please ensure that all receipts state:
- the full name of the member receiving treatment,
- the type of practitioner that you attended,
- the date the treatment was received and
- the name, address and qualifications of the practitioner providing the care on the practitioner's headed paper. In the case of claims for prescriptions please provide a copy of the prescription claim form issued by your pharmacist

All receipts must be sent to VIVAS Health, PO box 764, Tougher, Cork within 3 months after your renewal date. Please note a benefit cannot be claimed twice as both an out patient benefit and a day-to-day benefit. Claiming for accident and emergency cover abroad
VIVAS Health will only pay for services under this benefit where a member uses the international assistance number stated on the membership card in advance of receiving any treatment and follows the advice given.
Vivas Health will make their best endeavours to pay your in patient hospital or professional bills directly. However, in the event they cannot do so, please retain all original receipts and contact vivas health on your return. Claiming for overseas treatment
Claiming for procedures that are available in Ireland
If VIVAS Health pre-authorises your overseas treatment they will send you an international claim form. This claim form must be fully completed and signed by both you and your treating consultant. You will need to settle the claim directly with the hospital but once vivas health have received the completed claim form and all corresponding receipts, they can reimburse you swiftly for all eligible treatment.

VIVAS Health will pay for the cost of the procedure, associated hospital charges and the reasonable costs of unforeseen, additional and medically necessary procedures up to the level of benefit that they would have paid for the same procedure and related charges for you in Ireland in a hospital and accommodation type for which you are covered. Travelling costs are not covered. Payment will only be made if a completed international claim form and a receipt or receipted invoices are received by VIVAS Health including sufficient information for them to assess your claim. Payment will always be in line with the cover provided under the plan you are on at the time treatment was received, and as long as your premium payments are up to date and treatment has been pre-authorised. Claiming for surgical procedures that are not available in Ireland
When VIVAS Health pre-authorises your overseas treatment they will send you an international claim form. This claim form must be fully completed and signed by both you and your treating consultant. You will need to settle the claim directly with the hospital but once VIVAS Health has received the completed international claim form and all corresponding receipts they can reimburse you swiftly for all eligible treatment.

VIVAS Health will pay for the cost of the procedure, the associated hospital costs and the reasonable cost of unforeseen additional and medically necessary procedures as agreed during the pre-authorisation process. Travelling costs are not covered under this policy.

Please call our customer service department on 1890 333 123 We will then send you a claim form, tell you what you need to do and what documents are needed.