16. (1) The consumer shall cooperate with the insurer in the investigation of insured events, including by responding to reasonable requests for information in an honest and reasonably careful manner.

(2) The consumer shall notify the insurer of the occurrence of an insured event within a reasonable time or in accordance with the terms of the contract, provided those terms comply with the requirements of section 20.

(3) Where non-compliance by the consumer with a specified notification period does not prejudice the insurer, the insurer shall not be entitled to refuse liability under the claim on that ground alone.

(4) Without prejudice to any other duties in this section and to an insurer’s right to make the final determination in relation to a claim, the insurer shall be under a duty to—

(a) handle promptly and fairly any claim made in relation to the contract of insurance (a “claim”),

(b) where it is not made by the consumer himself or herself, notify a consumer of a claim as soon as practicable after the insurer is informed of the claim,

(c) engage with the consumer as regards a claim, and such engagement shall include providing an opportunity to the consumer to submit to the insurer relevant evidence which could inform the insurer’s determination as regards the claim,

(d) where a claim has been settled or otherwise disposed of, inform the consumer of the amount for which it has been settled or otherwise disposed of and the reason or reasons for its being settled or so disposed of.

(5) A reference in subsection (4)(d) to a claim being otherwise disposed of includes a reference to a claim being disposed of by reason of liability, against the insurer, being established in legal or arbitral proceedings in respect of the matter or matters concerned but where the claim is disposed of in that manner the duty under subsection (4)(d) to inform the consumer of the reason for its being so disposed of may be discharged by referring the consumer to the judgment or arbitral award concerned.

(6) In relation to any claim made in relation to a contract of insurance (whether by the consumer or a third party), an insurer shall not, for the purpose referred to in subsection (7), fail to engage in a meaningful manner with the consumer or third party as respects correspondence on the matter (with the insurer) of the consumer or third party.

(7) The purpose referred to in subsection (6) is to dissuade the consumer or third party from exercising contractual rights in respect of the claim.

(8) The insurer shall pay any sums due to the consumer in respect of the claim within a reasonable time.

(9) Where it is not possible to quantify the total value of the claim within a reasonable time but where part of the total value has been quantified, the insurer shall pay that part to the consumer within a reasonable time.

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