When crimes or extreme accidents happen at home, people’s first instinct is often to call law enforcement for help. While paramedics, police officers, and other first responders will show up to a scene and tend to the injured or dead, that is where their jobs and responsibilities end. It is a common myth that law enforcement officers are required to clean crime scenes and return the area to a safe and decontaminated condition. Another myth is that funeral homes and coroners will come to your home to provide the service. It’s important to note that the responsibility for cleaning up after a tragic accident or crime falls to the person who owns the home.

Who pays for crime scene cleanup?

Not only is the responsibility to clean the space that of the owner, but all costs associated with that cleaning and decontamination are as well, like the possible build back. While most insurance companies will cover bio cleanup, it’s important to know the ins and outs of working with them and how to select the right vendor for the job.

Since dealing with trauma is already quite difficult, there are many remediation companies who can help advise you through the process of filing a claim and are also able to assist you in actually filing the claim directly with your insurance company.  They can also ‘walk’ the claim all the way through the claims process.

What are the possible ‘What ifs’

Working with a vendor that is upfront about the possible cost is important. What if your insurance policy does not cover the cleanup? It’s important to choose a vendor that knows how to read insurance declaration pages and policies so that does not happen.  But what if the claim is denied?  You can possibly find additional support options through the Louisiana Crime Victims Fund. This fund can assist a Louisiana resident who becomes a victim of a crime in cleanup fees and repairs.

What is a preferred vendor

If you have ever had an insurance claim whether it be for your car, your house, or even your health, you’ll notice that your insurance company has preferred people for you to work with. These vendors are selected by the insurance company which means it’s safe to assume that they are focused on the best interest of the insurance company rather than the one(s) insured. 

Just because a preferred vendor is selected by your insurance company doesn’t automatically mean they aren’t the best for the job. It is however important that you do your due diligence and research the vendor, your policy, and the laws of your state before making any commitment.

How to select the right vendor

While preferred vendors are often great for high volume repair work like house fires and water damage, most of them do very little biohazard cleanup. Since the main reason you would need biohazard cleanup is due to a traumatic event, it’s important that you don’t just pick the first vendor on the list, but instead look for someone who you would trust with your health and the safety of your home due to their experience and mannerisms. Most great biohazard cleanup companies can even work with your insurance adjuster to help clarify that your invoice is based on market rates and is therefore reasonable and fair.

Professional biohazard cleanup in Louisiana

Handling the aftermath of a crime scene or extreme accident at home can be an incredibly overwhelming experience. It’s important that when hiring a professional biohazard company to help, you work with a company who has a team of experts that is trained in cleaning contaminated spaces. Their team is also poised to get your house into a livable condition and then worry about dealing with the insurance company later. 

At Xtreme Cleaners, our team is available 24/7 to provide families in Louisiana the support they need after a traumatic event. Our team is trained by psychologists and understands what families are going through in extremely traumatic situations. By working quickly and efficiently to restore a property back to its original or better condition, we are here to help you every step of the way. If you or someone you know needs professional help cleaning up a contaminated space, give us a call at (800) 524-9591.