Preparing for the Claims Process and Adjuster Visit After a Commercial Fire

11/1/2022 (Permalink)

Preparing for the Claims Process and Adjuster Visit After a Commercial Fire

Depending on the extent of the damage, most business owners will choose to file a fire claim after experiencing such a disaster. Unfortunately, making a claim on your policy can create a lot of stress and anxiety because it is a process that most people are not familiar with. Therefore, to help you prepare for the claims process and the visit from the insurance adjuster, follow these four steps.

1. Call your insurer
2. Mitigate further loss
3. Gather and maintain records
4. Document loss
   
   

Call Your Insurer

Before you can even consider getting the ball rolling on fire restoration, you need to call your insurer and explain what happened. During this phone call, they will probably ask a few probing questions about the fire and the extent of the damage, then they will tell you that they are sending someone out to assess the property and damage.

Mitigate Further Loss

Before touching anything in your property, make sure you clear it with your insurer first, so that you do not jeopardize your fire claim. Most insurance companies expect property owners to take the necessary steps to protect their facility from further property loss. Therefore, they will probably recommend using a fire mitigation company in Bella Villa, MO. Any company you work with may offer board-up or tarping services to protect your building.

Gather and Maintain Records

Next, regardless of the level of fire damage, you will need to gather any relevant records of the damaged property. Also, for any work that you need to complete before the adjuster approves your claim, make sure you keep all receipts and paperwork.

Document Loss

Last, take plenty of photographs of the damaged property. If you have any pictures or documentation of when the items were first purchased, then it may be useful to the adjuster to see those as well. Organize all of the photos and paperwork so that it makes sense.
The process for submitting a fire claim can seem overwhelming, but as with any other bureaucratic process, claims are built around a series of predictable steps. Therefore, when preparing for your claim, follow the steps above and you should be just fine.