How to find out a business's Insurance Carrier - Arson Filter
May 29, 2015 7:18 AM   Subscribe

I'm pretty sure a business I am/was professionally engaged with was burned down recently by arson. I have good evidence to suspect the new owner was involved. This is in LA. I'd rather alert the insurance company. How do I do this?

Like it says on the label, I'm aware from a somewhat insider perspective that a recent business fire is more than likely arson. I would report this directly to the LAFD, but I don't know them. I'm NOT casting doubts on LAFD, but I'm pretty sure the insurance company involved cares more and would take my information more seriously. How do I find this information without putting myself at risk?
posted by anonymous to Grab Bag (8 answers total)
 
Get a lawyer! [MeFi Wiki] It sounds like you would benefit from confidential advice for this situation.
posted by Little Dawn at 7:48 AM on May 29, 2015


Arson is a crime. You can use the LAPD's anonymous web crime tip function here. It's a weird form, but if you scroll down to "Crime Notes," arson is one of the choices offered.

I'm close to someone who is an attorney representing various insurance companies in arson matters. It may help to know that the insurance companies devote extraordinary amounts of money to investigating and denying payouts (or going after the money once paid) on fires with the faintest whiff of arson to cut down on false claims. Even on junky buildings where the payout is clearly less than the cost to pursue the false claim, they do it. I believe they also share information for the good of the industry, at least I know my contact often knew that a given beneficiary or alibi provider had been involved in previous claims.
posted by carmicha at 8:47 AM on May 29, 2015 [2 favorites]


There is a Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) Arson/Counter-Terrorism Section, and I assure you that if the evidence you have is solid, they will take this VERY seriously.
posted by elf27 at 8:48 AM on May 29, 2015 [1 favorite]


For some types of businesses their insurance carrier would be listed on their business license, but typically not a brick and mortar biz that doesn't deal a lot with the public.
posted by kschang at 9:22 AM on May 29, 2015


Yes, this is a police issue.
posted by theora55 at 9:32 AM on May 29, 2015


For the insurance company, this is a matter of limiting their financial exposure. For the police and fire department, however, this is a matter of public safety, especially if it is arson, and the arsonist tries it again. This is not just potentially fraud, it's potentially a threat to peoples' lives in the future. Fire/police will have trained fire investigators to try and ensure that this does not happen again.
posted by carter at 9:43 AM on May 29, 2015 [3 favorites]


The first questions your insurance agency will ask when you call them is, "Have you filed a police report?" Just get that taken care of first. Insurance won't move forward without one.
posted by juniperesque at 9:51 AM on May 29, 2015 [1 favorite]


You can also call the CA Department of Insurance - they have insurance carriers on record, or they should.
posted by Ms Vegetable at 6:41 AM on May 31, 2015


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