Claims & Insurance

If you feel that you have suffered an injury or damage as a result of the actions of the Town or its employees, you may pursue a claim. While anyone can pursue a claim, it does not guarantee that you will be paid for damages stated in the claim. 

We recommend you contact your insurance company first. They can advise you on how to deal with injury or damage. Your insurance coverage may be more extensive than what you can receive from the Town. Additionally, if your insurer believes Cochrane is responsible for your damage, they may seek compensation on your behalf. 

The Town will only provide compensation when found legally liable for the damage sustained. This approach helps to reduce costs for the tax-paying public, who ultimately bear the cost of these claims.

How to submit a claim

Online Claim/Incident Report Form

By providing you with this form, the Town of Cochrane does not admit any liability for the damages. The form is solely used for investigation purposes of the incident described.
Small house on a table

Alternatively, you can download and complete a Claim/Incident Report Form. Attach all relevant information, estimates and photos. You can submit the claim package by email, to legislative@cochrane.ca or you can mail or hand-deliver it to: 

Town of Cochrane – Legislative Services:
Attn: Risk Management Advisor
101 Ranchehouse Road, Cochrane, AB T4C 2K8

Download the Claim/Incident Report Form

Once the Risk Management Advisor receives your claims package, you will receive acknowledgement within two business days. The Town will investigate the claim to determine whether the municipality was negligent and liable for the damage. 

You will receive a written response advising of the decision within 30 days of receipt of a completed claims package. This decision may include information on next steps. Depending on the nature of your claim, an adjuster appointed by Cochrane’s insurer may also contact you. 

Denied claims

If records show that service levels and a reasonable standard of care were met, your claim may be denied. The results of the investigation along with supporting evidence justifying the denial will be provided to you.

Limitation periods

The following limitation periods apply for claims against the Town. These outline how long you have to submit a claim, and are governed by the Municipal Government Act

  • 21 days for snow, slush and ice 
  • 30 days for road repairs or non-repairs 
  • two years for all other actions

Incident information