Every Claim Has a Story.
Know How to Read It.

The opening must establish: (1) the date, time, and location; (2) the identity of all parties present; (3) the recording disclosure and consent; (4) the claimant's acknowledgment that they are speaking voluntarily; and (5) that they understand the statement may be used in claim resolution. Never begin substantive questioning without completing all five elements — courts scrutinize the opening for voluntariness.

Immediately acknowledge the withdrawal on the record: "I note that [name] has indicated they wish to stop at this time. We will stop the recording." Do not attempt to continue questioning. Document the exact timestamp and circumstances in your activity log. Review the policy's cooperation clause — most ISO-standard policies allow suspension of benefits pending cooperation, but this must be coordinated with coverage counsel before any reservation of rights letter issues.

Lead with open-ended questions to establish the claimant's narrative in their own words — this creates a baseline you can probe for inconsistency. Reserve closed-ended questions for locking down specific facts after the narrative is complete. A common error is closing down too early, which gives the claimant less rope and reduces the opportunity to identify contradictions with documented evidence.

Do not enter a fire scene until the fire marshal has cleared it and issued an origin-and-cause report or authorized investigator access. Photograph the exterior perimeter before entry. Document the origin area last — approach from the area of least damage toward greatest. Do not move debris. If you suspect arson, stop your investigation and contact your SIU immediately — evidence handling chain of custody must be established before any physical examination. Your role is documentation, not excavation.

EXIF metadata should capture: GPS coordinates (latitude/longitude to six decimal places), date and time stamp synchronized to UTC, device identifier, and file hash for authenticity verification. Many carriers now require photos uploaded through a carrier-approved mobile app that embeds a digital certificate. Photos taken with personal devices and transferred manually are increasingly challenged in litigation for metadata integrity. Use your carrier-issued or approved capture application.

Engage a professional for: structural losses where causation is disputed; fire losses with potential arson indicators; large commercial losses exceeding your carrier's authority threshold; and any loss where litigation is anticipated. The cost of a qualified forensic engineer at the outset is orders of magnitude less than the cost of a bad-faith claim stemming from inadequate investigation. Document your escalation decision in the claim file.