It is important in all cases to immediately take whatever steps are prudent and necessary to minimize existing damage and prevent further potential for property damage loss. This could include boarding up a broken window to prevent additional damage or loss. Quick action could minimize a business interruption loss whether or not you have this exposure insured. Sometimes you will have adequate time to discuss this with The GEM Agencies and/or the insurance adjuster and sometimes you will just have to use your best judgment.

It is important to gather information to present to the adjuster. This will consist of:

• Inventory of loss and/or damaged items
• Description of the loss
• Pictures of the damage
• Reports from police and/or fire departments (Note - you need to know which jurisdiction is responsible)
• Reports from witnesses

Have your accounting department set up a separate account to code costs which involve the claim. Discuss with the adjuster how he wants costs to be presented so you can set up proper categories.
The following loss site recovery activities should be considered to assist in minimizing the loss:

• Coordinate with the adjuster whenever possible.
• Establish areas of safe access
• Remove toxic hazardous materials
• Clean debris and dangerous structures
• Secure staging areas
• Restore/repair structural supports and surfaces, service utilities and lease- hold improvements
• Identify restorable equipment
• Schedule critical equipment and materials relocation
• Control corrosion on equipment and materials prior to restoration
• Preserve large immovable machinery
• Monitor time-dependent corrosive process
• Identify critical customer priority
• Coordinate customer buy-off of salvaged work-in-progress

Do not authorize any repairs beyond those that would either protect and/or minimize the loss, without the adjuster's authorization.

• You may be required by the carrier to:
• Exhibit the remains of the property.
• Submit to examination under oath.
• Produce for examination all books of account, bills, invoices, and other vouchers or certified copies thereof, if originals are lost.
• Provide a proof of loss signed and sworn to by you. This shall set forth the time and cause of the loss, the interest of the insured and all others on the property, including any encumbrances thereon and the value of each item or property and the amount of loss thereto.