Fire at your Home or Business- Policyholders Tips

A fire at your home or business is one of the most devastating events that can happen. As claim experts, who regularly manage fire damage claims on behalf of policyholders, we understand and know how traumatising a fire can be and how policyholders are left in a vulnerable position.

We’ve put together a few important tips, that’ll help you through the initial aftermath of a fire;

1. Firstly and most importantly In the event of a fire, your number one priority is to get all of the occupants out of the building immediately and stay a safe distance away. That means not stopping to try and salvage items, the fire will spread rapidly without warning and won’t give you a chance to escape.
2. Once you are away from the property, raise the alarm to emergency services and under no circumstances, re-enter the building. Remember Your Buildings, contents and possessions can be replaced, you and your family cannot.
3. Most insurance policies include alternative accommodation as standard. It may take a while for your insurance company to visit, you may have to source short term accommodation in a local hotel, B&B or family members until you have an agreement with your insurance loss adjuster.
4. Following the fire, do not re-enter the building until a registered building surveyor or engineer has had a chance to carry out an initial survey and has permitted to re-entry. There may be unforeseen structural damage to the building, damage to electrical services, gas pipework etc making the site unsafe and dangerous. A fire damaged building may be unstable and can pose countless risks to health and safety, leading to serious injury or death.
5. Shortly after the fire, you as the policyholder will be tasked and responsible for assessing your claim correctly and formulating a claims management strategy. This will include liaising with architects, engineers, quantity surveyors, building contractors, fire damage remediation contractors, fire safety engineers, forensic engineers, along with compiling and formulation full contents and possessions inventory and costings. In addition, as you are your sole representative, its up to you to present your claim to your insurance companies professional loss adjuster, to fully prove your loss, fully demonstrate the full and absolute extent of the damage, and hope that your insurance company loss adjusters will make the payment, as per your estimate!

If you don’t fancy leaving it to chance or are uncertain about handling your insurance claim, one call to us and we’ll take care of the whole process and ensure that your 100% full compensation is achieved. ICS are the property claims experts, we offer full claims management and will take care of the entire claims process, leaving you, the policyholder in full control of your claim.

Direct link to fire damage claim help page