Insurance Claims

What You Should Consider When Making a Claim

Any damage to your property can be upsetting and disruptive. However, it’s important to know that the Town of Shelburne is not your insurer.

If you have auto or property insurance, report the incident to your insurance company or broker first, for advice on how to deal with your loss. If your insurer believes the Town is responsible for the damages they may seek compensation against the Town on your behalf.

Payment of your claim will only be made if the Town has been found legally liable. Liability refers to responsibility or negligence assessed against the Town, if the Town has failed to meet the appropriate standard of care which resulted in your loss.

In situations involving disrepair of a Town-owned road or sidewalk, you are required to provide notice to the Town within 10 days of the incident.

Please follow the 'submit an online insurance Claim Form' below, to have your claim considered.

Option 1

Online submission at Submit an online insurance Claim Form (preferred). 

Option 2

Submitted by email: Risk Management, Fax: (519) 925-6134 or by personally delivering it to Town Hall at the below address:

Upon receipt of your claim, the Town will acknowledge your claim within 5 business days. All claims received by the Town are sent to an independent insurance adjusting firm, who will conduct an investigation into the facts and circumstances of your claim and determine whether the Town is legally liable for damages. A representative of the insurance firm will contact you.

Please note that the response time may vary depending upon the difficulty of your claim and the availability of information.

Should you have any questions about your claim, please email the clerk.

For claims involving Dufferin County roads, please call 519.941.2816 Ext. 2500, email: info@dufferincounty.ca or visit their website.

For claims involving the Ministry of Transportation (MTO) roads, please contact the MTO Risk Management Department at 416-314-5530.

The personal information on this form is collected under the authority of the Municipal Act, 2001, S.O. 2001, c.25 as amended. The information is used for the purpose of processing claims submitted to the Town.

Questions regarding the collection of this information should be directed to the clerk.

What should I do if my property has been damaged?

Report the incident to your insurance company. The insurance company will assess the damages and make any necessary arrangements to start clean-up and repair of damaged property. Make a list of all the items/areas affected and, if possible, take photographs. Your insurance company should pay for damages and, if necessary, will contact the Town for recovery. If your insurance company does not cover your damages, you can submit a claim to the Town of Shelburne using the online insurance claim form (preferred) or one of the options listed.

Who can I tell about potholes or other road hazards I see?

During business hours (8:30 am - 4:30 pm), call the Town of Shelburne, Public Works department at (519) 925-2600 extension 261.

My vehicle was damaged in a pothole. What should I do?

See a licensed motor vehicle mechanic. Do not continue to drive your vehicle if it is not operating properly. Notify the Town of the exact location, so any needed repair work can be done. If you believe the damage will exceed your deductible, contact your insurance agent for assistance. 

What if I think the vehicle damage is the Town's fault?

If your insurance company pays for your vehicle repairs, it will attempt to recover money from anyone whom they feel was responsible for the damages. Typically, insurers try to recover the amount of the claim that they paid as well as your deductible. If you want to claim directly against the Town, you must complete and submit the online insurance claims form (preferred) or one of the options listed above.  Based on the findings of an investigation, compensation will be provided if the Town is found to be legally liable for the property damage

I have damaged my car on a road that was under construction/has not yet been assumed by the Town. What do I do?

See a licensed motor vehicle mechanic and contact your insurance company, you may have coverage for this type of damage. Submit your claim using the online insurance claim form (preferred) or one of the options listed above. 

If the damage is the result of a construction project, the contractor will have a contract with the Town that contains a transfer of risk clause that would extend to all claims, loss, costs and damages in connection with the contract. This means that the contractor must look after the claims against the Town for damage they allegedly caused.

To assist in processing your claim, the Town will identify the contractor as well as forward your claim to the contractor on your behalf. If the loss has occurred in a subdivision not yet assumed by the Town where the developer is responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of the area, the Town will identify the developer and forward your claim to the developer on your behalf.