Use this page to learn how to submit a claim to Bath & North East Somerset Council for damages or injury, including details for third-party solicitor/s, fraud prevention measures, evidence requirements, and the decision-making process.
Submit a claim through the Claims Portal
If you are a third-party solicitor/s, you can submit a new Employer’s Liability, Public Liability, or Road Traffic Accident claim using the Claims Portal.
Use the Council's Portal Code C00585.
Submit a claim as an individual
If you’re making a claim yourself, please complete the online claim form.
Fraud prevention
We have a duty to protect public funds. This means we may use the information you provide to prevent fraud and money-laundering and to verify your identity.
Your personal information may be shared with fraud prevention agencies. If fraud is detected, you may be refused services, finance, or employment. This is a precautionary step to safeguard public funds and does not mean we are accusing you of fraud.
You can find out more about how your data is used and your rights:
- Fair Processing Notices for CIFAS
- Claims and Underwriting Exchange (mib.org.uk)
- National Fraud Initiative Privacy Notice – GOV.UK
- National Anti-Fraud Network Privacy Policy (nafn.gov.uk)
- Insurance Fraud Bureau Privacy Policy (insurancefraudbureau.org)
Damage or injury incidents
If you’ve been injured or your property has been damaged while using our roads, you may be able to claim for your losses. However, there’s no automatic right to compensation.
The law states that highway authorities are not responsible for everything that happens on their roads. While Bath & North East Somerset Council maintains public highways, it cannot be held accountable for all incidents.
How we decide claims
We base decisions on facts and the law. Our approach reflects what we believe would be the attitude of the courts:
- If we think the courts would reject a claim, we will reject it.
- If we think the courts would award compensation, we will offer a settlement.
Evidence needed for claims
Property/Vehicle Damage: Photographs of the damage, estimates for the cost of the repairs, or copies of the paid receipted invoices if urgent or emergency repairs were required.
Injury claims: Your claim will be passed to our liability insurers for their consideration. You may need to provide medical evidence and/or evidence of your loss of earnings.
By law you are required to minimise your losses
Legal fees
We cannot advise you on whether to get legal help. If you appoint a solicitor, their fees might not be recoverable even if we accept liability.
What happens next
- We’ll acknowledge your claim within 7 working days
- We’ll investigate the circumstances based on your information
- We’ll inform you whether we accept or reject your claim
If necessary, we’ll pass your claim to our liability insurer.
Get in touch
If you have any questions or need support, please email us at Insurance@bathnes.gov.uk