Red Flags in Origin & Cause Investigation
- Excessive limits or recent increase in limits
- Prior losses, either fire or theft at this or other locations
- Questionable employment history of owner or occupant
- Poor maintenance - vacancy - code violations - absentee landlord
- Existing damage to property at the time of the fire
- Policy about to expire or new policy
- Vacant building
- Existing financial difficulties such as high debt load or large uninsured medical bills
- Key items missing from the personal property inventory
- Timing of the start of fire (weekend, late at night, holiday, etc.)
- Unreasonable delay in reporting incident to insurer
- Divorce
- Loss of employment
- Tax problems (IRS, property, etc.)
- Recent medical problems without proper insurance
- Property for sale
- Change in zoning
