We are all well aware that ascertaining the cause of a loss event is essential in order to clarify the cover for the claim, determine liability for the same and to take measures to prevent it from happening again.
In the case of serious fire losses, sometimes given the degree of destruction caused by the fire, it is not easy to pinpoint the origin of the same, despite contracting experts in root cause investigations.
In cases of Machinery Breakdown claims, the study of their cause is less complicated, but nonetheless often requires the intervention of metallurgical or electrical laboratories, depending upon the presumed origin of the loss event.
It is only by means of a metallurgical analysis that you can verify whether the fracture process of a blade or metal part has been a slow and gradual one or sudden and unforeseeable, besides being accidental. In the first case, the loss would not be covered whilst in the second, it would be. Again we would need the assistance of a metallurgical laboratory to ascertain whether any corrosion or erosion was slow and gradual or accidental and fast, and therefore possibly covered in this latter case.
At VANTEVO CLAIMS ADVISORS, we tend to use the laboratories of Engineering Schools, since in the event of any dispute, the courts usually positively weigh the reports signed by professors, since they assume they have the knowledge and independence to issue their opinion.
There are not normally any problems with the conclusions reached in the laboratory reports, since these are usually clear and conclusive, and their conclusions are objective and well documented, and accordingly can be accepted by all the parties involved in the claim.
At VANTEVO CLAIMS ADVISORS, we usually ask that, in addition to ascertaining the “root cause” of the loss event, they suggest measures to avoid similar claims in the future and their recommendations normally are very interesting.