Smoke-stained interior of an Irish home after a contained fire

The first 24 hours after a house fire shape the next 12 months of the insurance claim. The decisions taken in those first hours, what to photograph, what to keep, what to throw out, who to call, are the foundation of everything that follows. Here is the order of operations that protects the claim while you and your family deal with everything else.

Hours 1 to 4: safety first

The fire brigade has been and gone. The property is officially safe to approach but probably nowhere near safe to enter. Before anything else:

Wait for the fire brigade or Garda to confirm the property is safe to re-enter
Do not turn on any utilities. Gas, electricity, water all need professional inspection first
Note where every member of the household is staying tonight; some claims pay for hotel accommodation from hour one
If anyone is injured, get medical attention. Document any injuries with photographs and medical records

Do not rush back to “save things”. Smoke and structural damage make even visually intact rooms dangerous.

Hours 4 to 12: secure and document

Once safe access is possible, the focus shifts to securing the property and documenting the loss:

Photograph everything before touching anything. Wide shots of every affected room, close-ups of damaged contents, the path of the fire if visible. Hundreds of photographs is normal; you will be glad of every one of them later
Arrange make-safe boarding. Broken windows, damaged doors, exposed roofs all need temporary boarding to prevent secondary loss from weather or theft
Recover essential papers. Passports, identity documents, mortgage papers, insurance schedules. Even smoke-damaged papers can usually be replaced or copied
Notify your insurer. A simple phone call confirms cover is in force and the claim is opened. Detailed information can come later

Hours 12 to 24: the foundations of the claim

By now, the immediate emergency is over. The claim begins:

Engage a loss assessor before the loss adjuster visits. Fire claims are large, complex, and contested often. The first 24 to 48 hours of professional involvement set the tone for everything that follows
Begin a contents inventory. Room by room, item by item, with replacement values from current retailers. Use photographs from before the fire (phone backups, social media) to evidence what was there
Keep all receipts. For everything you spend on accommodation, food, replacement clothing, transport. Most policies cover these as additional living expenses but only when documented
Do not throw anything out yet. The loss adjuster will want to see the damaged items in situ. Even completely destroyed items have evidential value

Things to avoid in the first 24 hours

Signing anything from contractors or restoration companies who arrive uninvited at the property
Authorising any major work (cleaning, salvage, restoration) before the insurer’s loss adjuster has visited
Disposing of damaged contents without photographs and documentation
Discussing settlement values informally with anyone
Speaking to insurer-recommended contractors before you have spoken to your own loss assessor

The next 7 days

The week after the fire is when the claim takes shape. Expect:

Loss adjuster site visit (usually within 3 to 5 days)
Initial scope and damage assessment
Make-safe and emergency repairs
Alternative accommodation arrangements stabilised
Contents inventory finalised
Structural engineer’s report commissioned where needed

For the wider fire-claim handling, see fire damage claims and smoke damage claims.

When to call a loss assessor

For any house fire, the loss assessor question should be considered in hours, not weeks. The earlier we are involved, the more we can shape the documentation, the make-safe scope, and the claim presentation. The free initial consultation is available 24 hours a day in genuine emergencies.

The summary

Photograph everything. Secure the property. Engage a loss assessor before the loss adjuster. Keep every receipt. The first 24 hours set the next 12 months of the claim.

Written by the team at N.J. Carroll & Associates, insurance loss assessors and quantity surveyors, established 1988.