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When running a business, determining whether your commercial space has enough fire insurance is a crucial consideration. In a matter of minutes, a fire can devastate your commercial property causing irreparable damage. If you are renting a building for your business, you could be liable to cover the damages. As a result of not having proper fire insurance coverage, you’re at risk for a major financial loss.
Fires in nonresidential properties have been on the rise. The U.S. Fire Administration reports that nonresidential fires increased 27% from 2013 to 2022, and nonresidential fire-related deaths increased 83%.
ATI Restoration understands the impact that fire and smoke damage can have on a business. It is imperative that your downtime is minimized and you are back to normal as soon as possible. Our commercial disaster recovery specialists are standing by to help 24/7/365. With more than 65 offices throughout the country, we are the largest family-operated disaster recovery company in the nation. Our fire restoration experts are certified by the Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration (IICRC). This ensures that your property will be restored to its original condition or better in the shortest amount of time possible.
Below, we examine what types of fire insurance options are available for your commercial space and how fire insurance works for commercial properties.
If you rent your property, fires can become a major dispute between landlords and tenants. Fire legal liability is a term that defines who is ultimately responsible for the damages related to the fire. If you are the business owner, fire damage legal liability is included under your general liability policy. There is a catch though – in order for the insurance company to pay, it has to be proven that the insured party was at fault.
For example, let’s say that you own a retail store in a drafty building. You use space heaters to keep the area warm. One night, an employee forgets to unplug the heater. As a result, the building catches fire during the night, sending the entire structure up in flames.
By the time the fire department arrives and puts out the fire, the building has already suffered $75,000 in damage and the landlord demands that you pay for the damage since your business caused the fire due to negligence. In this case, fire liability insurance would step in to cover the costs.
There are instances when the insurance company will not pay for losses related to a fire. For example, your fire insurance lease agreement states that you accept responsibility for fire damage that occurs. If a fire breaks out, regardless of the cause, you are responsible for payment because you agreed to this arrangement.
There are other limitations such as:
Since fires can be caused by many different factors, it is important to be sure that you are covered for all causes. It’s also important to make sure that the fire insurance coverage amounts you have will be enough to repair the damage and replace the losses caused by a catastrophic fire. Additional fire insurance coverage can be requested from your insurance provider. Legal liability coverage will not only cover you from damage due to fire, but will also provide coverage for flooding, tornadoes, and other damage.
ATI Restoration offers a comprehensive range of services to help with every aspect of fire damage.
We understand how important it is to get your business back to normal quickly. Our crews are prepared to begin restoration efforts immediately to reduce disruptions to your daily operations and restore normalcy.
While no two fire and smoke restoration projects are exactly the same, the process typically includes:
Our recovery specialists will evaluate the extent of fire and smoke damage to your property and belongings. This will help determine the restoration measures and resources necessary.
We carefully remove all salvageable items from the affected area, including furnishings, fixtures, undamaged stock, and more. These items are cleaned and stored until the restoration process is complete.
To protect your property, our crews promptly board up the damaged structure. This service provides an immediate barrier against external hazards during the restoration process.
If the fire has compromised the building's structural integrity, our team performs necessary repairs to stabilize and ensure safety. Our team includes carpenters, masons, plasterers, roofers, and other professionals with the expertise needed to fortify your structure with the highest-quality repairs.
Once the structure is secure, our team begins the comprehensive process of fire, smoke, and soot damage restoration. This includes removing all traces of smoke, soot, and firefighting efforts from your property. We handle this process with the utmost attention to detail to ensure your structure is entirely free of fire and smoke damage.
Our reconstruction professionals work to restore your business to its best condition. From carpentry to carpeting, plumbing to painting, our team has the expertise to manage every aspect of the reconstruction process, reducing downtime and expediting your return to normal operations.
Our team will coordinate and be present during final inspections conducted by relevant authorities. We will address any concerns and ensure that all necessary standards are met, expediting the approval process and relieving you of additional stress.
If your commercial property is damaged by fire, working with the skilled fire restoration experts at ATI Restoration will help reduce the stress of dealing with your insurance company. We do the hard work for you – taking pictures and videos of the fire damage and calling your insurance company to work with them on the claim from start to finish.
If your commercial property was damaged by fire, contact ATI Restoration immediately for assistance. Our expert team will get your building back to normal as quickly as possible. We’re available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for emergencies. Call us the second fire breaks out, we will be there to start the restoration process immediately. It’s our goal to get your business up and running again as quickly as possible.