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Patrick Ginnelly & Co. Property Claims Assessors Patrick Ginnelly & Co. Property Claims Assessors

Fire Damage Claims

Large flames and black smoke surround a two-storey house
Illustrative images only.

A fire can damage the structure of your property, the things inside it and, for a business, your ability to trade. A fire damage insurance claim has many parts, and each part needs evidence. It helps to have someone on your side while you deal with the damage itself.

Common causes and signs

The burnt shell of a building, with charred timber and ash on the floor and a steel beam above
Illustrative images only.

Home fires often start in the kitchen. Others start with faulty wiring, an electrical appliance, a heater, a candle or an open fire. In a business, a fire can start with machinery, electrics or stored stock.

The burnt area is only part of the damage. Heat and smoke move through the whole building. Look for:

  • scorched or blackened walls and ceilings
  • a smell of smoke in rooms that did not burn
  • warped doors, windows and joinery
  • soot on furniture, clothes and electrical items
  • water damage from putting the fire out

What a fire claim can cover?

Depending on your policy, a fire claim can include:

  • repair or rebuilding of the structure
  • repair or replacement of your contents
  • cleaning and clearing the site
  • alternative accommodation while you cannot live in the property, where the policy includes it
  • for a business, lost income and extra costs

Cover and limits differ from one policy to the next. Your policy schedule and policy wording say what applies to you.

What to do first?

Two firefighters in breathing apparatus spray water on a fire
Illustrative images only.
  1. Make sure everyone is safe. Do not go back into a building until the fire service says it is safe.
  2. Take photos and video of the damage, if it is safe to do so.
  3. Keep damaged items until your insurer has seen them, or has agreed that you can dispose of them.
  4. Keep receipts for emergency costs, such as boarding up or a place to stay.
  5. Read your policy for notice conditions. Tell your insurer as soon as you can, and within any time limit in your policy.

Where fire claims get difficult

  • Hidden damage. Smoke and heat reach places you cannot see. See smoke damage claims.
  • Scope of repair. You and the insurer may disagree on what to repair and what to replace.
  • Contents. A full list of damaged items, with their ages and values, takes time to build.
  • Underinsurance. If the sum insured is lower than the real cost of rebuilding or replacing, the insurer may reduce what it pays. For home claims, the Central Bank found that the underinsured share of paid claims rose from 6.5% in 2017 to 16.5% in 2021/22 (Central Bank review, read 2 October 2026).

How we help

As Loss Assessors, we act for you, not for your insurer. We report the claim, meet the loss adjuster at your property, put together the detailed costs of the repairs and replacements, and deal with your insurer until the claim is settled. A loss adjuster works for your insurer. A Loss Assessor works for you.

Not sure which claim fits? Contact us and tell us what happened.