Boarding Up Insurance Claims in Harlow
If you’re making an insurance claim after damage to your property in Harlow, the boarding-up stage produces three documents your insurer is likely to ask about. After every job we supply an itemised invoice, time-stamped before and after photographs, and a written statement of the work done. Your insurer decides what the policy covers. We aren’t loss adjusters or legal advisers, and we don’t make that decision. What we can do is make the property safe and give you a clear record of what we did.
This page covers what that paperwork includes, what to do before we arrive, and how to photograph damage without putting yourself at risk.
What paperwork do insurers need for boarding up?
Each insurer has its own requirements, so check with yours. Most will want to see what was damaged, what was done to make it safe and what it cost. Our documents cover those three things.
Itemised invoice
The invoice lists the agreed work line by line, so it doesn’t arrive as one unexplained total. It shows which openings were boarded and how they were secured, along with any extra work. For example, it might list securing a damaged door frame or making broken glass and debris safe. That makes it easier for your insurer to match the cost to the damage.
Time-stamped before and after photographs
We photograph the openings before we start and again once the boards are fixed. The photos are time-stamped, so they show:
- the condition of each window, door, shopfront or roof opening when we arrived
- the boarding and fixings in place when we left
- when each photo was taken
These photos record our visit only. Any photos you take yourself, or that the police take, are separate.
Written statement of the work done
The statement describes the job in plain words: which openings we secured, the materials and fixing method we used, and anything we found that affects the next stage, such as a frame too damaged to hold a new door. Your insurer, loss adjuster or the tradesperson doing the permanent repair can use it to see where things stand.
Boarding up after a burglary: insurance steps first
If you’ve been broken into, the claim usually starts before we arrive. Common guidance is to:
- Report the break-in to the police and keep the crime reference number. Your insurer will almost certainly ask for it.
- Contact your insurer or their claims line to tell them what has happened.
- Photograph the damage if it’s safe to do so. Don’t touch broken glass, and don’t go into rooms where you’re unsure the intruder has gone.
You don’t need to finish all of these before you call us. A person answers our phone 24 hours a day, and we can talk through the boarding while you deal with the police and your insurer. Our burglary repairs page covers securing forced doors, frames and locks in more detail.
Photographing property damage safely
Your own photographs can add to the record, but your safety matters more than the photos. A few points help:
- Take wide shots first so the location is clear, then close-ups of the damage.
- Photograph from where you’re standing safely. Stay back from broken glass, loose frames and anything overhead.
- Don’t climb ladders or go onto roofs to photograph skylight or roof damage. We assess that when we attend.
- After a fire, wait until the fire service has handed the site back before going near it. Don’t enter if you’ve been told the building isn’t safe.
- Keep the original files. Don’t edit or crop over them.
If you can’t get photographs safely, don’t try. Our before photographs will record the openings we’re securing.
Fire and storm damage claims
The same three documents apply after a fire or a storm. After a fire, we secure openings only once the fire service has handed the site back to you. Smoke and odour remediation is outside what we do; ask your insurer or a specialist about that work. After a storm, our photographs and statement show which windows, doors, roof openings or skylights we boarded and the condition we found them in.
The quote comes before any work
We give you a free, clear quote on the call before any work starts, so you know the cost before you agree to it. That helps if your insurer wants to know what’s being spent. The quote depends on:
- the number and size of the openings
- height and access, such as upper floors, roofs, skylights or work from ladders
- materials and board thickness, such as exterior-grade plywood (typically 18mm) or OSB for smaller openings
- the fixing method, including security or anti-tamper fixings
- whether a damaged door or frame needs securing first
- any debris or glass that needs making safe
The pricing page explains why these factors change the scope of a job. The invoice will match the work we agreed with you.
Boarding is the first step in the claim
Boarding up makes the openings safe and secure so you can deal with the claim without leaving them exposed. Permanent repairs such as new glazing or a replacement door come later, through whoever your insurer or you choose. The statement and photographs give that tradesperson a clear starting point.
What we don’t do
We’ll help you with paperwork for the boarding work. We don’t:
- tell you whether a loss is covered
- negotiate with your insurer or act as a loss adjuster
- give legal advice about your policy
- claim to be “approved” by any insurer
Boarding Up Harlow is an independent local boarding-up service. We have over 10 years’ experience and full insurance (certificate on request), and our team is DBS-checked. If your insurer or agent asks for our insurance certificate, we can provide it.
Quick answers
Can I get boarding done before my insurer has agreed the claim? Many people do, because leaving a property open can make the damage worse. Check your policy or ask your insurer if you’re unsure. We’ll quote on the call so you have the cost to pass on.
Who receives the paperwork? You do, as the customer. You can forward it to your insurer, landlord or managing agent as needed.
I’m a landlord or agent. Can the paperwork cover an empty property? Yes. The invoice, photographs and statement work the same way for vacant property securing.
You’ll find more practical questions on our FAQs page.
Talk to us about your claim
If an opening needs securing now, see our 24-hour emergency boarding up page or call straight away. Otherwise, call or email with:
- your postcode
- the type and rough size of each opening (window, door, shopfront, roof or skylight)
- photographs, if you’ve been able to take them safely
We’ll talk through access, give you a free, clear quote and work out attendance from your postcode.