Recent research by a damage restoration business has revealed burst pipes, leaking taps and fire damage are the most common commercial property insurance claims across the UK.
Water escaping from burst pipes or leaking taps is the most common commercial property claim, at 36% according to new research by damage restoration experts, ServiceMaster Clean.
The second highest cause of property destruction according to the research is fire, at 24%, with flooding from heavy rainfall at 23% and accidental damage from unforeseen and unintentional spillages and breakages at 19%. Vandalism delivered the lowest results accounting for just 3%.
Malcolm Holmes, head of commercial support for ServiceMaster Clean said: “Dealing with fire, flood or building contamination is a specialised discipline which is separate from general building repair work. Businesses should look for a contractor that is a member of the British Damage Management Association, ensuring the restoration works are compatible with loss adjuster and insurer processes. If businesses act quickly and use an expert restoration service, buildings can be safely restored with minimum disruption caused”.
Premises affected by flood damage take the longest time to restore, at approximately 37 days, as specialists need to extract water, remove odour, dehumidify the property and restore carpets and upholstery. Fire damage takes approximately 36 days, whilst vandalism can take up to twelve days, depending upon the scale of the damage. Accidental damage is usually the quickest to restore at approximately four days.
Geoff Williams from Manchester Based Loss Assessors Cherry and Griffiths said; “By taking precautions, many cases of damage to buildings can be avoided, preventing the distress, damage and financial costs of property damage“.
“However when a business is affected by water damage, there’s more than just the cost of the building at stake. The jobs of staff are often under threat and the livelihoods of a whole string of suppliers. It’s essential that loss estimates are comprehensive and cash recovered as quickly as possible to protect employment and prevent business failure, many Businesses have never made a claim before, so it is sometimes advisable to contact the professionals before process a claim with your insurance company”.
