The nature of major fire losses is such that they often give
rise to challenging issues surrounding causation, proof, and
quantification of damages, and to disputes between multiple adverse
parties. It is vital to obtain as much information as early as
possible after a major fire loss. With that in mind, the following
five-steps can serve as a useful checklist when faced with a major
fire loss:
1. Step 1- Immediate Steps: Two things to
consider immediately are to: (i) make sure the site is secure so
that no one gets hurt, and (ii) take immediate steps to preserve
and secure the property of your insured.
2. Step 2- Obtain Information: Following these
immediate steps, attempt to obtain as much information as possible
about the loss. Visit the site and document it by photographing all
angles of the area, both inside and out. Try to obtain as many
drawings of the building as possible, for example: construction,
as-built drawings, or fire evacuation drawings. These
