After a burglary or act of vandalism, the damage is not always limited to what was stolen. Doors may be forced open, windows shattered, interiors damaged, and a home or business may be left unusable while repairs are made. For business owners, the interruption itself can create additional financial losses.
Margossian Law helps policyholders present and pursue these claims from the ground up. We work to identify all covered losses, document the damage, and challenge insurance carriers when they fail to properly value or pay a claim.
Common Theft & Vandalism Claims
- Stolen personal or business property
- Damage from forced entry
- Broken doors, windows, glass, and locks
- Damaged walls, cabinetry, flooring, and fixtures
- Residential and commercial vandalism
- Loss of use of the property
- Additional Living Expenses (ALE)
- Business interruption and lost income
- Inventory and equipment losses
The Loss Is Rarely Only What Was Taken
A burglary claim is usually three claims. There is the stolen property. There is the damage caused getting in and moving through the building: forced doors, broken glass, damaged frames and cabinetry. And there is the period afterward when the premises cannot be used as they were.
The first is the one everybody itemizes and the one insurers scrutinize hardest. The other two are routinely underclaimed, and for a business the interruption is frequently the largest of the three.
Proving Ownership Without Receipts
Nobody keeps receipts for everything they own, and insurers know it. An absence of receipts is not an absence of proof.
- Photographs and video of the property in place, including background detail in unrelated pictures
- Bank, card, and financing records showing the purchase
- Warranty registrations, serial numbers, and manufacturer records
- Manuals, packaging, and accessories left behind
- Social media and cloud photo libraries with dates attached
- For a business: purchase orders, inventory records, and depreciation schedules
Sub-Limits Catch People Out
Standard policies cap particular categories far below the overall contents limit. Jewelry, watches, furs, firearms, cash, and business property kept at home are the usual ones, and the caps are often a few thousand dollars regardless of what was actually taken.
Those caps can generally be raised in advance by scheduling individual items, but not after a loss. Knowing which categories apply is what makes the difference between a realistic expectation and an unpleasant surprise at adjustment.