Hey everyone, I recently went through a tough situation with my fire insurance claim that I thought might be helpful to share. I own a small, older commercial property that unfortunately caught fire last month. I was devastated but thought, at least I have insurance. However, my claim was denied because the insurance company said the fire was due to lack of maintenance on the property. Specifically, they pointed out outdated electrical wiring that wasn’t up to current codes.
I’m feeling a bit lost here. I’ve had this insurance policy for years, always paid my premiums on time, and never had any issues before. I thought I was covered for fire damage, but now I’m being told that because the fire was due to maintenance issues, it’s not covered. Has anyone else faced a similar situation? How did you handle it?
I’m curious about a few things:
- How do insurance companies determine if a fire is due to lack of maintenance?
- Are there specific maintenance requirements I should have been aware of in my policy?
- What steps can I take now to either appeal the decision or ensure this doesn’t happen again in the future?
I’d really appreciate any advice or insights you can share. It’s a tough spot to be in, and I’m hoping to learn from your experiences. Thanks in advance!