The type of claim you wish to file falls into one of two categories: Property Damage or Personal Injury. Please only file the appropriate claim form. If you sustained property damage and an injury, you will need to file two separate claims.
Property Damage Claims – Includes but is not limited to sewer backups, failed City tree, damaged mailbox, lost or damaged personal property, damage to your vehicle, or other types of property damage/loss not mentioned here.
Personal Injury Claims – If you have been injury on City property that was caused by City property or Staff, you may file a personal injury claim. It is very important to document where the injury occurred, how and why it happened, what caused the injury, and what body parts were injured.
**PLEASE NOTE**
The City of Grand Rapids is NOT liable for storm-related damage.
Submitting a claim for damage, loss, or injury does not guarantee financial reimbursement to you. The City of Grand Rapids reviews each claim on an individual basis.
For the City of Grand Rapids to be liable, our staff must have known about an issue and failed to fix it in a reasonable amount of time, or it must be due to negligence on the part of the City or one of its staff. If you have sustained property damage and/or bodily injury which you believe is a result of the City of Grand Rapids infrastructure or staff, you may file a claim for review and consideration.
Claims are managed by the City of Grand Rapids Risk Management Office. Your claim will be received by the Liability Analyst who will initiate the investigation process. Once all information is gathered from the City Department(s) involved and from the claimant, the claim will be reviewed for decision by the Liability Analyst, Risk Manager, and Assistant City Attorney. They will determine if the City is liable under applicable laws. If your claim is accepted, a release will be sent to you to sign. Once the signed release is returned, your claim will be reviewed by the City Comptroller who will approve release of reimbursement funds. There is no formal dispute resolution process for denied claims, and the decision remains final.
The claim process usually takes 30 to 60 days for completion, sometimes longer depending on the claim circumstances and/or type of information needed. If your claim is not resolved after 60 days, please check in with the Risk Management Office at 616-456-4670.
You can file your claim online, by mail, e-mail, fax, or in person (by appointment only). Keep in mind that you must provide documentation supporting your damages or injury, and the dollar amount you seek reimbursement for.
Sewer Back Up Claims
24-hour Emergency Hotline: 311
Sewer backup claims MUST be filed within 45 days of the sewer backup event or within 45 days from when you first discovered the backup. Please be reminded that City of Grand Rapids property owners are responsible for maintaining the sanitary sewer lateral from the house to the street. This includes the section under sidewalks/parkways. Please see diagram and additional resources below:
***You are HIGHLY encouraged to maintain an insurance policy that covers sanitary sewer overflow.***
Resources
Pothole Claims
Damage related to potholes is covered ONLY if the pothole you hit was reported to the City at least 30 days before. If you simply wish to report the existence of a pothole you saw, please call 311 or click the button below.
Report a Pothole
Mailbox Claims
Did a City plow cause damage to your mailbox? You may be eligible for a reimbursement of expenses for your mailbox.
Please complete a Property Damage Claim form for review and consideration. You must provide photos of the damage and either receipts showing your out-of-pocket expenses or at least 2 estimates to replace your mailbox.
Be reminded that the City is not liable for weather/storm-related damage. We do not pay for damage caused by snow pushed up against a mailbox.
Please note, per the United States Postal Service, mailboxes should be placed 6 to 8 inches from the back of the curb. See the diagram below:
Please visit the USPS website for further information.
File a Claim with the City
*If you only wish to report an issue or safety concern, do not complete a claim form.
See section " REPORT A SAFETY ISSUE, CONCERN, OR FRAUD”