Your policyholders deal with more than just fire damage after a fire—smoke damage as well as water damage caused by firefighting efforts are issues that need to be addressed. Safe and effective cleaning and removal of smoke damage is a job often best left to professionals like ServiceMaster Restore. Without proper cleaning techniques and the right equipment, it can be very difficult to restore a home or business after it's been damaged by smoke and fire.
Tips For Filing Smoke Damage Insurance
When your policyholder is faced with smoke damage, they should keep the following five tips in mind:
- Call your insurance company or agent immediately following a fire. Do not wait. Waiting to report a smoke damage insurance claim may cause delays in the processing of your claim and could ultimately mean your home is without repair for some time.
- Have your policyholder review their homeowner's or renter's insurance policy. If the policy was lost in the fire, their insurance company or agent can provide another copy. Look on the declarations page for information regarding the policy's coverage, deductibles, limitations, or exclusions and if there are any filing deadlines. If they’re unsure of what kind of coverage your policyholder’s insurance policy might have, get in contact with your insurance company. They’ll be able to provide more details regarding what is covered by their insurance policy.
- If possible, take photos or video of the damage. Try not to disturb the affected area as you take photos or video of the damage. Allow only necessary authorities on site to avoid causing further damage or possible risk of harm due to possible damage to your home’s structure.
- Call a professional smoke damage removal team like ServiceMaster Restore® to come out and assess the damage and provide a remediation plan. They’ll be able to walk through the damage and identify what could be salvaged and the estimated time it may take to address the damage to your home.
- Begin gathering all the necessary information needed to file the claim. This information may include but is not limited to:
- Date of the loss
- Type of damage (fire, smoke, water or all three?)
- Location of the damage
- Contact information for the property owner
- Your personal contact information if you're not the property owner
- A copy of the police report
- Remediation estimates
- Receipts for all repairs, restoration and other related costs
- Receipts for any hotels or meals if the damage forced you to find other lodging
- Complete list of all damaged items/building materials
- Verify with your insurance agent the procedures and timeline for filling all parts of the claim.
Rely On The Experts For Your Restoration Needs
Although dealing with a disaster can be stressful, remind your policyholder that they’re not alone. With over 65 years in the cleaning and restoration industry, the professionals at ServiceMaster Restore are committed to being at your side every step of the way. Our commercial fire and smoke damage removal services include expert processes for electronics restoration, document and data recovery, smoke, and odor removal and more to completely restore their home back to its pre-loss conditions. We’ll even guide them through every step of our process to ensure they can get back to business as usual right away.