CASE STUDY: You are a claims adjuster working for an insurance company. You received notice of a fire event at an industrial facility. You are now charged with conducting a fire investigation to evaluate the merits of the claim. Please answer the following three questions regarding the fire investigation.
Which of the following will ensure you are conducting a legally valid scene investigation?
To ensure a legally valid scene investigation, permission from the owner is required. This is one of the primary mechanisms for conducting investigations, along with exigent circumstances and search warrants. As an insurance investigator, you typically rely on the owner's permission to access the site legally.
ANS: A. FPH 3-33
The three primary mechanisms for conducting a legally valid scene investigation are exigent circumstances, permission of the owner, or a search warrant. Investigators representing insurance companies can usually depend on the owner’s permission but should clear access directly with the insurance company or their legal representatives.