As part of my commitment to continuous professional development, I travelled to Market Harborough in the UK to participate in the BDMA, “Key Elements of Damage Management for Insurers and Loss Adjusters” formal structured training course. The course focused on Fire Damage and Water Damage/Flooding.
The course covered damage management best practice for fire, water and flood damage, as set out in the BDMA Standards.
This particular course was designed exclusively for Public Loss Assessors (like myself), Chartered Loss Adjusters, Insurers other claims management professionals, working within the insurance industry and tasked with agreeing on remediation of damaged buildings. The practices and recommended remediation techniques are integral to the function of my job and the industry as a whole.
What did I learn from this course?
In addition to an overview of the generic procedures followed by professional damage management practitioners when dealing with water, flood and fire damage, the course covered:
- Measuring moisture in buildings accurately to avoid extended drying periods
- Correctly identifying drying systems for cost-effective drying
- Understanding how to classify water, flood and fire incidents to help make better decisions
- How drying systems can be used to significantly reduce the scope of building work
- Which materials and building designs affect drying, and how they can be dealt with
- Ways to control indemnity spend in general and improve the customer’s experience
Whilst I had already built up considerable knowledge and understanding regarding the correct management of damaged buildings, I found it invaluable to have a recognised accreditation body, tabulate and present the recognised industry standards, from the UK.
I found the course to be a valuable addition to my existing knowledge base, and ‘all in all’, very worthwhile.
If you need help with a fire, water or flood damage claim, contact us to talk it through.