Your place of business – be it a store, a rental property or an office building – is your source of income and a valuable asset. If a fire causes extensive damage, you are forced to file a business interruption claim. And at the same time, a separate claim for fire damage. Experienced fire damage adjusters know that you want to start the repair works as soon as possible and get back in business. However, doing things in a hurry is not in your best interests.
We know that every passing day means losing money. But you don’t want to get a quick settlement and realize that it only covers a small percentage of the total repair costs. We also know that fire can cause damages invisible to the eye. For this reason, you should be patient and let one of our fire damage adjusters help you get a fair insurance claim settlement.
Do Not Start Permanent Repair Works before Damage Assessment
As a diligent business owner, you can’t wait to start getting the charred items out, get a cleanup team and start fixing damages. Before this, the adjuster sent by your insurance company and your fire damage adjusters must have a chance to evaluate these damages.
Any kind of repair work you do before this inspection will be excluded from the Scope of Loss and will be paid strictly out of your pocket.
Get Quotes from Several Contractors
Repair contractors know that commercial properties are generally larger than residential homes, meaning that they will have a big job on their hands. For this reason, some of them tend to overestimate the cost to fix everything.
While you don’t want to pick the lowest bid, you shouldn’t choose the most expensive, either. Even experienced fire damage adjusters cannot justify unrealistically high repair costs. It will also be in your best interests to have the fire damage adjusters look at the property before the contractors, so you have an idea of what to expect.
Secure Your Property
Commercial buildings (especially stores) damaged by fire are a temptation for robbers. Although you should not start doing repair works, you must secure your property – for instance, by placing boards over broken windows and damaged doors.
Also, if you notice any sign of burglary after the fire, you must report it to the police and your insurance company, as well. The fire damage adjusters will help you with any additional insurance claims you may have to prepare and file.
We understand how important it is for you to repair all the fire damages and reopen your business. We are going to make sure that your insurance company will pay to the fullest extent of your policy, so contact us as soon as possible!