Fire and smoke damage claims.

House fires and commercial fires produce complicated claims. Structural damage is only the start. Contents, salvage, smoke residue and alternative accommodation all have to be handled at once.

Overview

What this claim really involves.

A serious fire triggers work on four fronts at once. Emergency make-safe of the structure, salvage of contents that can be saved, drying and odour remediation of everything that came into contact with smoke, and either alternative accommodation or temporary trading arrangements while reinstatement runs. Missing any one of those in the first fortnight costs the policyholder time and settlement value later.

Common issues

Where fire and smoke claims go wrong.

The things we most often see mis-handled when a policyholder tries to run this type of claim on their own.

Free review

No cost. No obligation. We will tell you within one conversation whether this is a claim worth pursuing.

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Common issues we see

  • Contents claim built on memory without a proper schedule, leading to under-settlement
  • Smoke damage under-scoped because the surface looks intact
  • Alternative accommodation refused or capped because the request was not properly evidenced
  • Rebuild scope agreed before hidden damage in the roof void and cavities is identified
  • VAT position on reinstatement not settled properly with the insurer

What KBR Management does

  • Attend site within 24 to 72 hours to secure the position on evidence
  • Instruct salvage, drying and odour remediation specialists as required
  • Build a full contents schedule with values and evidence, room by room
  • Arrange alternative accommodation appropriate to the household
  • Present buildings, contents and alternative accommodation as one negotiated claim
  • Manage the rebuild through to snag and sign-off

How to appoint us

Call an assessor on 0800 980 2230, or send a note through the free review form. Please include the property postcode and, if you have it, the name of your insurer and the policy number. We will read your policy, look at the loss, and tell you honestly where you stand.

There is no obligation to appoint us after the free review.

Common questions

About fire and smoke claims

Answers to the questions we hear most often about this claim type.

In most cases within 24 to 72 hours of instruction. For a serious fire where the property is not safe, we can prioritise same-day attendance.
We instruct a specialist salvage contractor to remove, clean and store items that can be saved. Everything is inventoried and photographed as it leaves the property, so nothing is lost between insurer, cleaner and store.
Most policies include an Alternative Accommodation section that pays reasonable costs while the property is uninhabitable. We arrange the accommodation and evidence the request so the insurer pays properly.
Yes. Smoke penetrates deep into porous surfaces, plaster, insulation, soft furnishings and cavities. Sanding and painting over it is not remediation. We insist on the specialist scope where the loss demands it.

Got a fire and smoke claim right now?