How to make a claim from your IPSE membership

One important aspect of your IPSE Membership is the security offered by the various insurances included, whether that’s tax investigation protection, illness and injury cover, compensation for jury service, or any of the other insurances included that you hope you will never have to use.

The claiming process is straightforward and fairly quick. Here is all you need to know about what you are covered for and how the claims process works.

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Claim financial and legal assistance in the case of a HMRC investigation

IPSE membership provides you, most importantly, with protection in the event of any tax investigation by HMRC. Our tax investigation insurance provides cover for up to £100,000 of legal costs which pays for our expert representative to fight the case for you. IPSE Plus members are further covered for ‘pre-tax investigation costs’ so our representative can get involved before an enquiry has even begun. Membership also provides compensation for any lost earning arising should you be required to attend any meetings with HMRC during the enquiry too.

Should you need to make a claim for representation you will need to download, complete, and return the ‘Tax Representation Claim Form’ from the ‘MY IPSE’ area of the IPSE Website. You will also be asked to supply some documents to support your claim including a copy of the original letter/correspondence from HMRC, a copy of the tax return under enquiry and relevant accounts documentation. This should all be sent to the membership team where we log the claim and pass it to the claims team who will then contact you shortly advising of the next steps. We advise that you submit your claim at the earliest opportunity.

If you are not yet a member and would like to find out more about HMRC tax investigation cover, give us a call on 0208 897 9970.

Business cover for the self-employed

In addition to defending you on tax matters, IPSE membership also protects you against many of the pitfalls that may befall the self-employed. Our range of business interruption insurances provide a safety net so that whatever happens, you know we’ve got you covered.

These are uncertain times and where contractual agreements are not upheld by your agency, or you have a contract agreed with an agency that then doesn’t commence, membership means you can claim up to £1000 compensation (£750 for Standard).

In the unfortunate event your client or agency is declared bankrupt owing you money, you can claim up to £10,000 to cover these losses. We have recently extended this to cover the growing number of members forced by clients to work under umbrella companies so that Plus members in this position, whose umbrella company fails, can now also claim up to £2,500.

If you are summoned to jury service, your membership will provide up to £5,000 (£2,500 for Standard) compensation for the time that you are unable to work.

IPSE Plus members can also claim up to £2,000 compensation for loss of earnings due to illness or injury. To claim for this, you just need to be signed off by a medical professional as unable to work for a period of three weeks or more.

For all business interruption claims there is a single form, this again can be found when logged into the IPSE website. You only need to fill in the relevant section and the declaration at the end and send this back to the membership team along with the requested supporting documentation all of which is clearly outlined in the form. This will normally include a copy of the relevant contract and evidence of the earnings lost.

How long does it take for the money to reach my account?

The timescale to process a business interruption claim can vary with most being resolved within two to three weeks, although agency/client failure claims can take longer as insolvency proceedings can be slow.

Once a claim has been approved, payment is made immediately into your nominated bank account.

If you have any questions about the claims process or what is included with your membership please don’t hesitate to get in touch with the IPSE membership team by email at [email protected] or by phone on 0208 897 9970.

Where can IPSE members find support?

Whether you are an experienced contractor or just starting out, your IPSE membership is a gateway to the best guidance, resources, and information to help you make your business a success.

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Meet the author

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Patrick Carter

Membership co-ordinator at IPSE