How to File a Fire or Flood Claim

Last Updated: April 1, 2024 1:36:36 PM PDT

Learn how to file for insurance reimbursement when department-own property is damaged or destroyed in a fire or flood.

1. Report crime to UC San Diego Police immediately.

Call UC San Diego Police, (858) 534-4357, to report theft, vandalism, or other crimes.
Write down the police report number for the crime. You will need to submit it with your insurance claim.
Keep any evidence (such as broken glass, broken locks, or record of an activated alarm) if the crime occurred because of forced entry.

The university's basic property flood insurance pays only for sudden and accidental discharge of water.

Call EH&S Risk Management, (858) 534-2454, to report the incident and initiate the claim process.

Have the police report number ready if a crime was involved.
Submit a Property Claim notification form.
Risk Management will send you additional paperwork that you must complete and return along with supporting evidence.

Call the university's third-party administrator directly at 1-800-416-4029 to report a claim.

Read Basic Property Insurance to find out which items and costs are covered.
Note these exclusions:
- Personal property is not covered unless officially loaned to the university.
- Research is not reimbursable.
- Moving costs are not covered.
- Repair or replacement of the source of the damage is not reimbursable.
- The cost of material only — not the time put into it — is covered.
Keep track of covered costs that are incurred after the fire or flood, including (but not limited to):
- Overtime pay (regular time is not covered)
- Storage fees
- Demolition costs

Collect the following paperwork:
- Original purchase orders
- Inventory listings
Write a statement describing the effort to locate purchase orders or inventory listings that can't be found.

Repair the item:
- Obtain a repair quote from a vendor.
  Note: Contact EH&S Risk Management, (858) 534-2454, before authorizing the repair if repairing will cost more than a new item.
- Have the item repaired.
Follow these steps if an item can't be repaired:
- Request a letter from the vendor verifying that the property is too damaged to be repaired.
  Note: Only items that can't be repaired will be replaced.
- Replace the item with equivalent property. If the replacement is of better quality, the department must pay the difference.
If property is not replaced or repaired, the department will receive the item's actual cash value. Values are determined by Risk Management and adjusted for depreciation.
Note the following costs:
- Departments are responsible for a deductible of $5,000 per fire or flood. Prorated deductibles apply when several departments are involved.
- For claims worth more than $50,000, the department must pay 10% of costs over $50,000. These expenses can be split with other departments affected by the loss.

Send your claim form and paperwork to Risk Management within 45 days of claim initiation:
- Mail Code: 0925
- Fax: (858) 534-5202
Contact EH&S Risk Management to request an extension if you can't meet the 45-day deadline.
Expect claim processing to take a few months because of the following factors:
- Several departments are usually involved; final costs and paperwork from all parties must be submitted to Risk Management before the claim can be processed.
- After review by Risk Management, the claim is sent to the Office of the President – Risk Management for review within 30 days. If approved, funding occurs within 2 months.
- If an outside vendor is responsible, funding could be delayed even longer.

For more information, contact EH&S Risk Management, (858) 534-2454.