Alarming and Draining!

When you get a phone call at 5.00am on a Sunday morning, you know instinctively something is wrong, but I couldn’t have imagined that the call was to inform me that the practice was on fire or realise the impact it would cause during the following months.

As it happens it was the adjacent building that had been arson attacked and the practice had only been partly damaged. Fortunately the fire had only affected the reception area and not the surgeries. However, nothing could have prepared me for the devastation. The walls and ceilings were black from the smoke, the smell was nauseating, water dripped from everywhere including the light sockets and there was rubble everywhere.

During following months we replaced phone systems, computers and office equipment. We had the offices partially rebuilt and the reception redecorated.

From the fire to completion of the works, it took 3 weeks necessary closure of the practice and 10 months disruption.

Lessons Learned…
Ensure you keep a file with all claims receipts and correspondence for the loss adjuster
Insure the practice income as accurately as possible; it may cost a little more each year but it can have serious implications with regard to a business interruption claim!