Should You Call SERVPRO or Your Business Insurer First after Flood Damage to Your Store?

10/27/2020 (Permalink)

Contact SERVPRO for the answers you need today.

Marysville Business Owners want to Know the Facts about Flood Damage.

Marysville is a delightful place to live and do business – but anyone who settles here soon learns that they have chosen a wet area of the country! Snohomish County gets an average of 46 inches of rainfall per year, several inches above the national average of 38 inches. Floods are a real possibility here, and store owners need to know what to do in such an event.

If you suffer flood damage to your Marysville store, you will most likely wonder what to do first. Most of us do not think clearly when disaster strikes, leading to poor decision making. One of the first questions you may ask is when to call your business insurer. Should you do it straight away, or wait till SERVPRO has a chance to assess the damage?

Who to call first?

We recommend you call your insurance company first. They will give you a number to call to make a claim. Then, call in a remediation company. You do not have to wait for your insurance adjuster to arrive before making the call.

Can my insurer tell me which remediation company to call?

Your insurer cannot tell you which remediation company you can use. However, they will most likely give you a shortlist of recommended companies. When choosing, find out:

• If the company arrives promptly - SERVPRO of Marysville / Arlington will be on-site within four hours of receiving your call.
• If their technicians are well trained – we train our staff to the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) standards
• If they liaise with your insurance company on your behalf – we are happy to do that

Feel free to take pictures while waiting for us to arrive. Our technicians will also take photographs, but it is never a bad idea to have extras on hand.

Can you start cleaning your store before we arrive?

The answer depends on the extent of the damage and the type of water involved in the flood. Do not start cleaning if:

• You suspect flood water contains raw sewage, chemicals, or anything hazardous to health
• There are electrical risks due to flooded electronics
• There are debris, exposed nails, low lighting, or slip and fall hazards
• The room is structurally unsound, for example, due to a sagging ceiling

However, if the area is safe to enter and you are confident the water is free of contaminants, you may:

• Mop or soak up water from the floor and furniture
• Pick up and hang rugs
• Remove colored items such as magazines or books from floors
• Place foil under furniture legs to prevent rust stains on the carpet
  
  

Use mops or cloths to soak up water – regular vacuums are not designed for use with water. Please also refrain from setting up fans in the area before we arrive.

Should you start throwing away unsalvageable items?

Please do not dispose of any items, even if you are sure they are unsalvageable. Your insurance company will want proof of what is salvageable and what is not. If you throw an item away, you can no longer prove that you need to replace it.

What happens when SERVPRO arrives?

We will begin with an assessment of your store. As well as visually inspecting the damage, we will use professional equipment to measure moisture and humidity levels in your premises. We examine everything from the walls and ceilings to individual pieces of furniture, carpets, and subfloors.

We will let you know our verdict and our advice for the next best steps. Your satisfaction is important to us, which is why we will never start cleaning until you have seen and approved our remediation plan.

We remove excess water with pumps and wands, and clear way items we need to clean or dispose of. Then we set up air movers, dehumidifiers, and portable heaters if required to create an effective drying environment. Thorough drying is vital for preventing structural damage and mold growth. That is why we monitor moisture and humidity throughout.

Can SERVPRO help with your claim?

We can interact with your insurance provider and give them our professional opinion about your claim. We can provide technical information, pictures, and details of our assessment to help your case. If we cannot save an item and the only option is a replacement, we will ensure your insurer is aware of that and provide evidence.

Can you do anything ahead of time to speed up a claim?

We recommend all local businesses set up their own SERVPRO Emergency READY Profile (ERP). This free app provides an online record of your store's critical information and what staff should do in an emergency. You can register us as your go-to restorer, and even submit a notice of loss through the app to save time.

If your store has flood damage, call SERVPRO of Marysville / Arlington at (360) 658-0506.