Insurance claims
Everyone working for Redcar and Cleveland Council has a legal duty to keep and process information about you in accordance with the law.
This leaflet explains why we ask for your personal information, how that information will be used and how you can access your records.
Why is information recorded about me?
We use information about insurance claimants to enable us to carry out specific functions for which we are responsible and for the purpose of litigation.
We keep records about claimants. These may be written down (manual records), or kept on a computer (electronic records).
These records may include:
- basic details about you, for example, name, address, date of birth,
- unique identifiers (such as your NI number),
- contact we have had with you, for example, appointments & letters of correspondence,
- notes and reports about your relevant circumstances
- details and records about the service you have received,
- relevant information from other people that we have been in contact with in relation to your insurance claim
- reports and information to decide liability
What is the information used for?
Your records are used to allow the Council to fully investigate your claim.
It is important that your records are accurate and up-to-date as they will help make sure that our staff are able to provide you with the help, advice or support you need.
If you do not provide us with this information then we will not be able to process your claim.
How long for?
In order to provide you with this service, we rely on the legal basis of legal obligation. Your details will be kept for 6 years after your claim is closed. Processing is kept to a minimum and will only be processed in accordance with the law.
When other agencies are involved in your claim, we may need to share details about you to enable us to work together for your benefit.
Information will only be shared with third parties if they have genuine and lawful need for it.
Occasions when your information needs to be disclosed (shared) include:
- management of your claim by the Council’s claims handler
- defence of the claim by the Council’s litigation solicitor
- when the law requires us to pass on information under special circumstances,
- crime prevention or the detection of fraud as part of the National Fraud Initiative
Anyone who receives information from us has a legal duty to keep it confidential
We are required by law to report certain information to appropriate authorities – for example where we encounter suspected fraud.
Partner organisations
The management of claims made against the Council has been outsourced, so other organisations will process your data.
These could include:
- Gallagher Bassett and Zurich Municipal who provide the Council’s claims handling service who will process personal data.
- Plexus Law who will defend the Council in any litigated claims
Information will be processed within the EEA and will not be shared with overseas recipients.
Can I see my records?
The Data Protection Act 2018 allows you to find out what information is held about you, on paper and computer records. This is known as ‘right of subject access’ and applies to your insurance claim records along with all other personal records.
If you wish to see a copy of your records you should contact the Data Protection officer. You are entitled to receive a copy of your records free of charge, within a month.
In certain circumstances access to your records may be limited, for example, if the records you have asked for contain information relating to another person.
Do I have Other Rights?
The Data Protection Act 2018 allows you other rights; for example if there is an error in your records you have the right to make sure it is rectified or erased. In some circumstances you can restrict or object to processing, request data portability and request not to be the subject of solely automated decision making.
You have the right to withdraw your consent that you have provided, at any time and we must cease processing. This may restrict the service that we are able to provide.
You have the right to be told if we have made a mistake whilst processing your data and we will self-report breaches to the Commissioner.
Further information
If you would like to know more about how we use your information, or if for any reason you do not wish to have your information used in any of the ways described in this leaflet, please tell us. Contact the Data Protection Officer:
Data Protection Officer
Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council
Redcar and Cleveland House
Kirkleatham Street
Redcar
TS10 1RT
InformationGovernance@redcar-cleveland.gov.uk
01642 774774