Claims
Claims
Before making a claim
Contact your own insurer regarding damages. Depending on the situation, you may be eligible for more compensation from your insurers than you can recover from the City. If your insurer believes the City is liable, it will contact the City of Kingston on your behalf.
Note: It is important that you make efforts to minimize damage to your property. If you do not, you may be held responsible for part of the damage.
How to make a claim
If you have incurred damage to your property or had an injury, and you believe the City may be responsible, you can:
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Contact the Customer Service Centre at contactus@cityofkingston.ca or 613-546-0000 and provide information to be forwarded to claims.
OR -
Provide written notification to the City of Kingston, outlining the details of your claim.
Written notifications should be sent to:
Attn: City Clerk
The City of Kingston
216 Ontario St.
Kingston, ON K7L 2Z3
What's required to start a claim
- The name, mailing address, email address and telephone number of the person making the claim.
- The contact name, mailing address, email address, and telephone number of the person submitting the claim (if different from above).
- The date, approximate time of the incident and exact location (address or closest intersection).
- A brief description of what happened.
The Municipal Act requires that the City of Kingston receive notification within 10 business days of the incident. We recommend that you inform the City of Kingston as soon as possible of the damages or injury.
Note: Payment for property damage or bodily injury is contingent upon the City being found legally liable for the damages you have incurred.
Response time
Upon receipt of your claim, we will acknowledge your claim within two weeks. An investigation begins upon receipt of your claim and typically a final response will be sent within 30 to 60 days.
Compensation of your costs
The City will not be held responsible for your costs unless you can provide evidence that the City committed a negligent act or omission which resulted in injury or damage. Like most Canadian municipalities, the City of Kingston only provides compensation when it is legally liable for the damage sustained.
Please note that it is the taxpaying public who ultimately bear the cost of these claims. Fraudulent claims cost all taxpayers. The City will prosecute all fraudulent claims to the full extent of the law.
Most common claims
Pothole claims
The City is not considered responsible for damages to your vehicle from potholes. The City of Kingston complies with the Minimum Maintenance Standards for Municipal Highways (Ontario Regulation 239/02) under the Municipal Act. Contact the Customer Service Centre at 613-546-0000 to report the exact location so the pothole can be inspected and repairs to the road facilitated. If your vehicle has been damaged, contact your automobile insurance company.
Sewers and flooding claims
Any property damage that has resulted from a sewer back-up or flooding of your residence can be attributed to a number of causes, including the weather. The City is required to meet installation and maintenance standards for water and sewage systems. To present a claim against the City, it must be shown that these standards have not been met.
Any property damage claim to your residence should be reported to your property insurance company so they can assist you in mitigating further damage. If your insurance company feels that there is negligence on the part of the City, it will present a claim on your behalf.
If you wish to file a claim against the City, a report can be filed with proper notification with the Customer Service Centre at 613-546-0000 or by written notification to the City Clerk.
Sidewalks and roadway injury claims
In the case of claims for injury on a road or sidewalk, notice must be provided within 10 days of the accident/incident according to Section 44(10) of the Municipal Act. The City will endeavour to investigate the circumstances of the claim. Contact the Customer Service Centre at 613-546-0000 to give the details of your claim.
City-owned tree damage claims
The City will not be found legally liable for damages from a falling branch. If a City-owned tree has caused damage, contact your property insurance company.
Contact the Customer Service Centre at 613-546-0000 to provide the location of the tree. A report will be filed with the City's Forestry department and the tree will be inspected.
Transit related claims
Although falls on a bus are uncommon, they can occur as a result of emergency stops, weather conditions or vehicle collisions. If you have been hurt on a Kingston Transit bus, contact the Customer Service Centre at 613-546-0000 to file a report.