Accidents happen, but sometimes there are incidents that people may see as accidents, but in reality they are not. For instance, if your Tenant sets the property on fire, they could claim it to be unintentional and thus an accident but do you have to trust their word on it? What’s the best thing to do? Have the incident investigated, of course. Then you should review your contract. You also need to get in touch with your insurance company. As the Landlord you have a lot of things to do; since you are the one who has the full responsibility for the property and you are also going to bear most of the loss.
Setting the Property on fire intentionally
One of the most common reasons why Tenants set fire to a property is when they think they are being evicted unfairly. Sometimes a terrible misunderstanding or argument between the Landlord and Tenant could end up with the property being heavily damaged. If the investigation results with intentional act on your Tenant’s part, then you have every right to file a case against them.
Additionally, you are also entitled to make an insurance claim, since you did not cause the fire. You have to keep in mind that as long as you – or one of your family – has nothing to do with the fire that cause damage to your property, then your claim is going to be paid.
The important thing is to be able to prove that the fire was caused by your tenant. There have been cases where fire claim insurance was not paid because the investigation result was mysterious.
Fire or building insurance is basically explained as a policy that insures the property for damages that may result from fire. This can be caused by fault or negligence by you (the Landlord), your Tenant or something else – natural disaster like hail or wind, leaky pipes, vandalism and malicious mischief. In the case of Tenant’s negligence or intentional act, you may still be covered if the policy includes fire, as a covered peril.
Getting in touch with the Insurance Company
So, the most important thing that you should do if your tenant sets your property on fire is to get in touch with your insurance company. Do not assume that the firm will contact you or that someone else will do that for you. You own the property, you are the one insured, you take responsibility to make that call.
It is essential to document the incident and by calling your insurer right away, you are setting your claim in motion. If you live in the same building, your insurer will also be of help when it comes to temporary lodging and expenses.
Acting responsibly is basically the best thing that you can do. Of course, you need to be perfectly calm to be able to do that. So, make sure you are in the best condition to talk before you make that call. You need to be able to discuss the details with your insurer.
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