Learn what to do after a campsite injury, when to notify your insurer, how RIDDOR reporting works and what happens when a claim arrives.
Hello, campsite owners. If a guest gets hurt, act quickly, record what happened and tell your insurer.
A campsite injury claim can bring stress and paperwork. A clear process helps you protect the injured person, meet your duties and give your insurer the facts they need.
The 60-day Class BC permitted development right under Part 4, Schedule 2 of the GPDO 2015, inserted by S.I. 2023/747, protects you from planning enforcement. It does not decide whether you are liable when a guest breaks an ankle. The Occupiers’ Liability Act 1957, section 2, sets the duty you owe to visitors.
This is your day-after playbook. For more on camping legislation and permitted development rights, visit our guide to the legal side of camping.
Campsite accident: what to do in the first 24 hours
Start with the person, not the paperwork.
Get medical help first. Call emergency services when needed. Keep the area safe, but avoid changing the scene more than necessary. If you must remove a danger to protect other guests, record what you changed and why.
Then write down what happened while details are fresh. Use your accident book or incident log. Record the date, time, exact location, what the person was doing and what they reported. Stick to facts. Do not guess about the cause.
Ask witnesses for their names and contact details. Note where they were and what they saw. Do not ask them to agree on a version of events. Keep each account separate.
Take photos or video of the area, the hazard and the conditions. Capture the ground, weather, lighting, signs and anything else that may matter. Do this before rain, repairs, foot traffic or other changes alter the scene. Save the original files and note when you took them.
Speak calmly. Show concern. Gather facts. Do not admit liability at the scene or promise to pay a bill. A simple expression of sympathy is not the same as accepting fault. Leave decisions about liability to your insurer.
Notify your insurer promptly
Tell your insurer as soon as possible if someone needs hospital treatment or you think a claim may follow. Check your policy for its reporting requirements. Policies usually require you to notify the insurer “as soon as possible”.
Do not wait for a solicitor’s letter. A delay can make it harder for the insurer to investigate. It can also put your cover at risk or jeopardise it.
Give your insurer the facts you have. Include the date, time, location, injury information, steps taken and whether you have reported the incident under RIDDOR. Send your accident report and photos if requested. Say clearly what you do not yet know.
Keep a note of when and how you reported it. Record the name of the person you spoke to and any claim reference. Follow the insurer’s instructions from then on.
If you are unsure whether an incident is serious enough to report, contact your broker or insurer and ask. Do not decide to wait because the guest has not mentioned a claim.
RIDDOR report: when a campsite injury must be reported
RIDDOR is the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013. It is separate from a compensation claim. A RIDDOR report does not, by itself, prove that you are liable.
An injury to a member of the public is reportable if it arises in connection with a work activity, or if the person is taken directly from the scene to hospital for treatment. Check the facts carefully. Keep a record of why you decided to report or not report.
Make a required report to the Health and Safety Executive through its online reporting system. Report within 10 days. The 15-day deadline applies to reports for workers incapacitated for more than seven days.
Keep the report reference with your incident file. If you have a worker injury or are uncertain which reporting rule applies, check the HSE’s RIDDOR guidance.
A Letter of Claim arrives: forward it unanswered
A formal claim may arrive as a Letter of Claim from the claimant’s solicitor. It may also arrive as a Claim Notification Form, or CNF.
Send it to your insurer straight away. Forward it unanswered. Do not negotiate, admit fault or draft a response yourself. Even a well-meant reply can complicate the insurer’s handling of the claim.
Under the relevant personal injury pre-action process, the defendant has 21 days after receiving a Letter of Claim to identify their insurer. The insurer then has up to three months from acknowledgement to investigate and reply with a Letter of Response. That response states whether liability is admitted or denied and identifies material documents.
Read the Pre-Action Protocol for Personal Injury Claims for the formal process. Use the deadlines as prompts to act, not as a reason to hold a letter until the last day. Contact your insurer as soon as it arrives.
What happens during the insurer’s investigation?
Your insurer will review the incident file and may appoint a loss adjuster. They may ask you for records, photographs, staff details, inspection documents and information about your campsite procedures.
Answer requests promptly. Send complete records. Do not tidy up or rewrite notes after the event. If you need to add a later explanation, date it and make clear that it was written afterwards.
The insurer will consider whether a defence is available. If it believes you are likely to be liable, it may recommend admitting primary liability. If it considers that a defence is possible, it may deny liability on your behalf.
An admission does not mean the value of a claim is settled. Medical evidence can take time. The insurer may then seek a settlement on the best terms available. If liability or the value of the claim is disputed, the matter may go to court. Your insurer will appoint a solicitor to represent you.
A loss adjuster campsite claim investigation is easier to manage when your records are in one place. Keep one incident file. Respond to questions. Let the insurer handle contact about the claim.
Build your campsite injury claim evidence pack
Start gathering the documents your insurer may need. Keep copies in one secure file, and record when you add each item.
Use this checklist:
- Accident report. Include the original accident book entry and any later, dated notes.
- Photos and videos. Save images of the incident area, hazard and conditions. Keep the original files.
- RIDDOR reference. Add the report reference if the incident was reportable.
- Witness details. Keep names, contact details and any accounts they provide.
- Safety documents. Gather risk assessments, method statements and safe system of work documents relevant to the area or activity.
- Related incident records. Include any previous similar accidents and details of the steps you took afterwards.
This is where daily hazard walk-rounds and a reliable incident log pay off. Add the inspection record for the relevant date. Include maintenance records and the procedures that applied to the activity or area.
Keep records as they were created. Do not backdate an inspection or fill a gap with an assumption. If you find something missing, note that honestly and tell your insurer.
For more on setting up outdoor activity on your land, see how to unlock your land and potential.
Know the claim time limits
A personal injury claim must usually be brought within three years of the accident or the claimant’s date of knowledge. The exact start date can depend on the circumstances.
A property damage claim usually has a six-year time limit. Do not use these periods to decide when to tell your insurer. Notify them promptly, even if the accident happened months or years ago.
Claims close to a time limit can move quickly into litigation. Keep old incident records in line with your policy and record-retention process. If a letter refers to an old accident, forward it to your insurer without delay.
Why your records matter
A guest getting hurt does not automatically mean that you are liable. A claimant must prove that the hazard existed and that you failed in your duty.
Your records help show what happened before and after the incident. Dated photos can show the condition of the ground. Walk-round records can show when you inspected an area. Your incident log can show what action you took after spotting a problem.
Keep written copies of your quiet-hours and fire policies. Keep the versions that applied on the date of the incident. Record how you shared them with guests. These documents can help show that you had a system in place.
Good records can challenge claims that do not match the evidence. They can also help an insurer assess a weak claim and decide whether to deny it. Do not rely on memory alone. Record hazards, inspections, repairs and guest reports as they happen.
Five fixes to make this week
- Check your policy. Find the claims notification clause and the insurer’s contact details. Save them where staff can access them.
- Check your accident book. Make sure staff know where it is and what details to record.
- Set up an incident file. Keep a clear folder for reports, photos, witness details, RIDDOR references and insurer messages.
- Schedule hazard walk-rounds. Set a regular time, record what you check and note any action you take.
- Brief your team. Tell staff to get medical help, preserve evidence, avoid admitting liability and report the incident to you promptly.
Use your next team briefing to practise the steps. Keep the instructions short. Make sure every shift knows who contacts the insurer and who records the incident.
A clear plan will not prevent every accident. It will help you respond with care, meet reporting duties and give your insurer a sound evidence trail.
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