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The fire triangle- Fuel, Oxygen and Heat are the 3 main attributes of fires. In laboratory conditions these 3 elements balanced result in complete combustion. In the real world of Fire insurance claims, the unequal balance of the 3 elements result in smoke residue (soot) being produced to some degree. If you have complete combustion you have no soot. Therefore, soot is the product of incomplete combustion and in technical terms combustion is the chemical process of burning or changing a solid into a gas via heat.
Oakleafe Claims as the leading Insurance Claims Loss Assessors understand how to identify the Characteristics of fires and how to effectively deal with the components and effects of smoke and heat damage. Oakleafe claims loss assessors understand that in a fire damage event the gases generated are extremely dangerous to individuals directly and indirectly exposed.
The many loss assessors that currently exist within the insurance claims handling industry lack the diverse and technical knowledge to understand the effects of contamination from fire event. A burning structure and its contents produce literally thousands of different gases which generally fall under two categories- Oxides of Nitrogen and Sulphur dioxide.
Oakleafe Claims will be able to effectively and competently deal with the secondary effects and damage from not only the fire itself but also the subsequent water contamination from fire extinguishing and suppression. The insurance loss adjuster will expect You the policyholder to mitigate the damage to your property or its contents by taking steps to prevent further damage to contents and building materials.
Oakleafe Claims will be able to draw on its wealth of experience like the Characteristics of fires to ensure the cost of the fire insurance claims are reduced by identifying acid soot residues, implementing moisture control measures to reduce mould contamination and safely remove smoke damaged contents and neutralise acid soot residue.
Oakleafe Claims take seriously their professional responsibilities to be sufficiently knowledgeable and technically experienced in fire insurance claims and the restorative process that follows. Insurance claims for fire damage and the proceeding insurance claims handling must always be performed by a loss assessor who is positive and reactive in the way they are performing their duties- something that Oakleafe Claims and their expert team of loss assessors possess.
If you are unfortunate enough to require fire claim help through the use of an experienced Loss assessor then Oakleafe Claims will draw on their integral tried and tested strategy’s and Insurance claims handling skills to organise and route the tasks and operations required to avoid unnecessary delays and repetition of services. You may know the Characteristics of fires but are you experienced enough to handle the whole Insurance claim by yourself?
Fire damage insurance claims are complex and time consuming and it is therefore imperative that quick decisions are made to prevent long term and costly damage to your property and its contents.
Loss Assessors are independent Insurance Claim experts that can Identify traits of Fires and can take the stress away from your insurance fire claim. They work for you the policyholder, and only you. Using their expertise knowledge of the characteristics of a claim and skills Loss Assessors will aim to get everything you are entitled to.
A Loss Assessor from Oakleafe claims will simplify the importance of a fast response- ultimately saving money, trauma, liability and inconvenience to the policyholder and subsequent fire damage insurance claims.
Insurance Claims, What Should I Do? FAQ. The very first thing you need to do is to engage a Loss Assessor. It is your responsibility to mitigate any damage and prevent it from spreading. Insurance Loss Assessors have vast experience in Insurance Claims Management and are able to handle all aspects of the claim including all communications with the Insurance Company. They would endeavour to get everything you are entitled to and take away the stress. They would help you notify the Insurance Company who would then send a Loss Adjuster to view and inspect the Incident. A Loss Assessor would be there for you every step of the way.
What is a Loss Adjuster and what do they do?
Insurance Loss Adjusters are the opposite of a Loss Assessor, they sent by Insurance Companies. It might seem like they are trying to help but in fact they are employed and paid for by the Insurance Companies. They are there to analyse and investigate the incident and often hire additional 3rd party investigators to determine the cause. Their number one priority is to find ways to limit or even refuse the pay-out settlement known as “repudiation”.
How much can I Claim?
This is strictly dependent on the amount of damage which occurred and the policy that you are covered for. Insurance Companies create big large policies full of many different pages trying to cover up or make certain information hard to find. A Loss Assessor can go through the entire policy and analyse the best possible approach to your Insurance Claim.
What is Liability?
Liability is the legal responsibility or obligation for a company’s action. During a claim an Insurance Company would investigation and determine the cause of the incident. Different actions can be taken depending on the result which can be complicated, but Liability must be accepted before a claim can proceed to the next stage.
How long will my claim take?
Every claim is unique and different in its own sense. The range of complexity can vary from claim to claim especially when dealing with a Business Claim which can lead to Business Interruption. Business Interruption is the process of analysing and calculating financial forecasting of a Business where it would be missing out on if the Loss would not have occurred.
How do you evaluate damage or Loss?
Depending on the type of damage or loss, Insurance Loss Assessors would engage additional specialists to help analyse and assess the loss such as: Chartered Surveyors to inspect property damage, Cyber Security Experts to analyse IT infrastructure and Business Specialists to view sale figures and financial forecasting.
Who pays the settlement?
After liability has been accepted and the final report has been sent to the Insurance Company. It is often agreed between yourself and the Loss Assessor for a small feel for the Claims Handling Service. Remember that an Insurance Loss Assessor is likely to get you 30% more when what your Insurance Company would have offered you making their service vital in getting everything you are entitled to.
White goods appliances – mainly washing machines and tumble dryers – account for as many as 60 house fires a week in the UK alone according to Which?
The number of fires has increased each year for five years.
Which? wants the authorities to tackle the issue of fire damaged properties due to appliance failure within three months. Of course the appliance manufacturers have questioned some of the data that Which? used. There is a growing fanbase of people and organisations that want an overhaul of the UK’s product safety system. This follows the series of well publicised fires such as the Grenfell Tower tragedy, which was started by a faulty fridge freezer. Fire Insurance claims rate into the millions so Insurance Claims Management Companies are being resilient to any claims and it is always advisable to get a Insurance Loss Assessor to check your policy in such an event.
One example of a defect affecting millions of tumble dryers under the Hotpoint, Creda and Indesit brands has apparently led to hundreds of fires since 2004. The Commons Business Committee made public that more than one million potentially dangerous dryers were still being used in people’s homes.
In fact a freedom of information request to fire authorities and the Home Office shows the scale of faulty appliance fires in Britain. faulty kitchen appliances have accounted for over 16,000 fires across the UK over the last 5 years.
Branded washing machines and tumble dryers accounted for one third of fires, followed by cookers and ovens, dishwashers and fridge freezers.
A series of adverts are due to be aired. This is just the first step. According to a claims management company It is essential that consumers have access to this information to let them know there is a risk of smoke and fire damage to their property. They advised the government to create a database of recalled products so people can buy based on fact when it comes to safety.
Rachel Reeves, who chairs the Business Committee, said: “While we welcomed the decision to establish an Office for Product Safety and Standards, we agree the government must make sure it has real teeth and ensure it leads to more people registering their products, a better recall regime and ultimately a reduction in the number of fires that place so many homes and lives at risk. In any case if you did suffer a fire seek the help of a Loss Assessor who will prepare and present the claim for you.
The damage caused by fires are more devastating then most people thing. Even small fires that have been contained still pose a big risk. The Smoke Particulates from Smoke Damage can still cause substantial problems to both the property and the occupants inside of it.
If you have been declined whilst trying to claim on your domestic or commercial insurance, we can help. We can also help with professional services, for example, Brokers, VAR Valuations and Managing Agents.
