Once a claim is made, Council will investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident to establish whether or not Council has any legal liability. Completion and acceptance of the Claim for Compensation form does not mean Council is liable.
Council will endeavour to respond to claims as quickly as possible. However, the processing of claims is often dependent on the supply of relevant information. Therefore, assessment of your claim may take some time to complete. If you wish to make a claim against Council, there are two options: 

1. Claim against your own insurance policy – property, motor vehicle or home and contents
   You may lodge a claim under your own applicable insurance policy, following which your insurer may consider seeking recovery against Council. There might be an excess fee to be paid and you should discuss this with your insurer.

2. Claim directly to Council - personal injury, property or motor vehicle claims
   If you are seeking compensation directly from Council for injury, loss or damage arising from an incident, please complete the Claim for Compensation form. You will need to provide documentary evidence or proof to substantiate your claim.

Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW) 

In dealing with claims, Council works within the framework of its legal obligations and responsibilities under the NSW Civil Liability Act 2002. The Act recognises that functions exercised by councils are limited by available financial and other resources. 

For the purposes of context, Northern Beaches local government area covers 254 square kilometres ranging from Manly to Palm Beach and out to Duffy’s Forest. Council maintains 923 kilometres of road network and an extensive network of footpaths. As such, it is not reasonably possible for Council to have knowledge of every actual or potential road, pothole, footpath or tree related imperfection, defect or hazard within its boundaries. Council recommends you seek professional legal advice if you are unsure whether to claim for your loss or damage.

For more information, go to Tree Claims or Road and Pothole Claims.