Employers' Liability Tracing Service: Frequently Asked Questions

How do I use the EL Tracing Service? 

Click on the link to the online enquiry form, and fill out as many fields as possible. The fields in red are mandatory and you will need to complete these properly in order to submit your enquiry. Once you have completed the form, click ‘Submit’ at the bottom of the form. A new page will then come up with your reference number on it. 

It is vital that you make note of this number and use it in all future correspondence with us.

The online form won’t submit.  Why?

When you fill out the online enquiry form, you will be asked to fill out as many of the fields as possible, to help insurers match your information to their records.  The fields highlighted in red are mandatory and must be filled in properly otherwise the form will not submit. Have a look back at your form and see if you have done so.

Also, make sure that the disease exposure dates or the accident date falls within the period of employment, or the form will not submit.

If the form still will not submit, please give us a call on the helpline.  

Should I submit more than one enquiry for the same claimant and the same employer?

No. It’s much easier to submit all the information about a claim in one form.

If the claimant has been exposed by the same employer but over different periods of exposure, then simply put in the date they were first exposed as the start date, and the date they were last exposed as the end date. The same applies for periods of employment.

If the employer has had several different names, put the name that the claimant knew it by in the ‘Employer name’ field and put the other names and dates under question 5 at the bottom of the form.

When will I receive a response to my enquiry?

Once you have submitted your enquiry, the Tracing Service sends it out to EL insurers to check against their records.  Enquiries for mesothelioma claimants are processed within a maximum of 5 weeks, and you will generally receive your response on a Friday morning.  All other enquiries are processed within a maximum of 8 weeks, and you will generally receive your response on the first of the month. 

What will the response say?

If an insurer has matched your enquiry to their records, the response will give details of the EL policy, including the name of the insurer, the policy number, the start and end date, and contact details for you to follow it up with them.  However, the response does not provide proof of liability, as further details will need to be established by both sides. The response may say that, unfortunately, no matching record has been found.

Should I submit another enquiry if the first one doesn’t find anything?

If you find out new information, such as dates of employment that fall outside of those you originally submitted, or a different name for the employer at the time the claimant was employed, then you should resubmit your enquiry.  

Can I use the Tracing Service to search for policies that are not for EL insurance? 

No.  The enquiries are only sent out to EL insurers and there is no similar system for dealing with enquiries about other types of insurance, such as public liability insurance or professional indemnity insurance.

Can I use the Tracing Service to search as for an employer that is still trading?

Not if you are a claimant or their representative. Sending an enquiry through the Tracing Service is likely to cause unnecessary delay if the employer is still trading. We advise you to contact the employer directly.  

Can I use the Tracing Service as an employer?

Yes, but only if you are facing a claim for personal injury/disease from a former employee. The main purpose of the Tracing Service is to help claimants find an insurer to claim against, and unfortunately we don’t have the capacity to help employers to put their old insurance records in order. 

Can I use the Tracing Service as a broker?

Yes, but only if you are acting on behalf of a customer who is facing a claim for personal injury/disease from a former employee.  The main purpose of the Tracing Service is to help claimants find an insurer to claim against, and unfortunately we don’t have the capacity to help employers to put their old insurance records in order.