If you’ve suffered damage to your property as a result of a fire, it can be a very traumatic and unpleasant experience. Whilst insurance can’t replace the irreplaceable, it is one way of ensuring you’re covered for the expense and some of the loss. However, some people are still unsure of how exactly they can about making a claim with their insurance company and what rights they have.
As with any claim, the first step is to notify the broker or company who handles your home and contents insurance and inform them of the damage. The sooner this is done, the quicker the process should be. Whether for a large business or a family home, it can take time to assess the damage and see a claim through, so it’s best that you have a contingency plan in place to ensure that you suffer the least possible inconvenience during this arbitration.
Structural damage is clearly more of an issue than localised scorches and burns. If the building has suffered collapses or has been weakened by an intensive blaze, you’ll need to ensure that everything is secured immediately; you may need to discuss this with your insurance company as they may have preferred contractors or other certain requirements.
To help assessors and the insurance company you can also produce an inventory of the property that has been damaged or destroyed. This will give you a better idea of what you can expect from your claim as well as something to pass on to those who are doing the assessment. Being as honest and open with yourself and your insurers can prevent any unnecessary distress or time-wastage.
Whilst always honest, the loss adjuster is employed by the insurance company to provide a fair quote that reflects the actual damage incurred. This can sometimes be a little less than some people hope for, so it’s often best to keep expectations down to a minimum. Insurance companies are there to help, but of course, as with any other industry, aren’t prone to giving away more than is strictly necessary when it comes to dealing with claims.
Throughout the investigation you may be required to provide additional information to help smooth along the process and make. Whilst this can be hard, it is an essential part of determining the cause and damage that you’re claiming for; more often than not, insurance companies are extremely understanding and will do everything possible to reduce the stress and anxiety of the whole process.
While we all hope that this never happens to us, preparing for the worst can save you a lot of heartache and upheaval in the future. Having somewhere you can go for example is one way for you to continue living life normally whilst work is carried out in the case of a severe fire. Read through your insurance documentation too. This will give you an idea of exactly what you can expect and what to do when claiming. Each insurer is slightly different, so there is no single golden rule to follow unfortunately.
With businesses who are making a commercial fire insurance claim a contingency plan can be just as, if not more important. In the case of a building being completely gutted by fire damage, you’ll need to have a framework in place that will allow you to continue trading in some capacity, as well as the ability to swiftly deal with the fire insurance claim.
Prevention still remains the best cure. But if you suffer some unavoidable fire damage to your property, don’t panic. Get in touch with your insurers as soon as possible and begin rebuilding once more.
Derek Rogers is a freelance writer who represents a number of UK businesses. For Loss Assessors and Claim Consultants, he recommends Morgan Clark.
