Very few things can devastate a business like a fire sweeping through it. Think about the stock that you keep on your business premises alone and what that loss would do to your turnover. You would most likely be out of business for a while, which is hardly good news for your bottom line.
The king (and his team of royal advisors) has considered the unexpected events that could result in a fire so that if the worst happens, you can put in and finalise your claim as quickly as possible and get back to building your business empire.
Without further ado… Here’s how you can put in a claim for fire damage in your business.
1. Notify the king about the incident
We don’t need trumpets and fanfare to accompany your message, but you do need to alert us within 30 days of the incident happening. In fact, because this step is so important, we suggest you save these details right now.
You can either call the king’s finest on 0860 21 00 00 or email us at [email protected]
2. Alert the po-po if something smells funny
If you suspect any foul play or are concerned that the fire happened as a result of a crime-related event, then you must tell the police within 24 hours of the incident. Better to be safe than sorry in this regard. And if you’re still not sure if you should phone the SAP, ask us when you call us to notify the king about the incident.
Our expert claims consultants are very well-versed in all things fire-related and are there to guide you through these circumstances and questions.
3. Documents and details
We don’t expect you to know every piece of paperwork that we need in order to finalise your claim. That’s why step 1 is to call us about the incident (we really can’t stress how important this step is).
We’ll guide you through the list of documents related to your claim that we need, including where to get them, if they need to be certified, and what to fill in. Rest assured that you won’t be left in the dark about what we need from you in order to make sure that your claim is settled as quickly as possible. Just make sure that whatever you do provide us with is true and complete.
4. Receipts matter
If you’re reading this before you’ve had to claim, then take this to heart. We’ll need receipts so that you can prove ownership and value of any items that you’re claiming for. We may even need to send 1 of our super-efficient royals to inspect any damaged property to check out the full extent and nature of the damage.
5. Pay your excess
Part of the claim process is for you to pay any applicable excess amount/s first. Even if the reason why you’re claiming isn’t your fault. The excess is part of your insurance contract and is a necessary part of our agreement with you.
Generally, this amount includes your basic excess figure that applies to each specific insured event or item, and any additional excess figures that may be applicable for certain insured events or circumstances.
This can come as a shock to some people when they claim, which is why we make sure to highlight the fact that your excess amounts are shown on your policy schedule when you buy fire cover for your business.
6. Help us out
We might ask you, with the greatest humility, to give us a helping hand in any recovery action against any third party responsible for the loss or damage to your business. We’ll pay you back for any reasonable extra expenses that you took on to achieve this.
For everything else… Trust our royal experts
These steps will guide you through and prep you for the general claim process when it comes to the terrible event of a fire in your business. More than this, however, is the fact that we provide you with dedicated service and care through our expert business insurance team. Our team will work with your broker to make sure that this stressful incident is settled as quickly and painlessly as possible.
If you don’t have fire cover for your business, get in touch today.
