What Should You Consider Fire Damage?

5/12/2022 (Permalink)

If you have recently experienced a fire in a commercial property in Maple Grove, MN you may not be sure exactly where the fire damage stops and additional or secondary damage starts. Here are a few pointers regarding which types of damage are typically attributed to a fire. Be sure to factor these items in when filing a commercial property insurance claim.

Building materials and structure:
• Fire may compromise the roof and windows of a building
• Fire may weaken or otherwise undermine the load-carrying capacity of a building's frame or structure
• Fire may destroy safety features or other aspects of the property needed to meet commercial building code requirements

Contents:
• Fire may damage furniture or fixtures to the point where they need to be replaced
• Electronics that have sustained fire damage, melted, or become filled with smoke will need to be cleaned or replaced

Lost profits:
• A fire may prevent you from operating your business as normal schedule

Business interruption insurance coverage can help you cover losses accrued after a fire during the restoration period. This window of time starts after the fire is fully extinguished and continues until the insurance provider deems the property restored. You will need to document fire-damaged building materials and contents that are no longer viable for your insurer to accept and process your claim.

If a fire has occurred in your commercial property, you may be contending with damage caused not only by fire and smoke but by water from suppression systems or fire hoses. It can be very difficult to determine what is or is not fire damage. If you are still not sure, you should rely on the expertise of fire mitigation specialists. These restoration experts can help you provide your insurance adjuster with the information they need to process your claim and restore or replace damaged or lost assets.