Thatched farmhouse fire in Blackburn: £400,000 insurance claim
Location Blackburn
Customer Mr and Mrs Walker
“Morgan Clark made our lives a lot easier, smoothing things along the way right from the very beginning.”
Incident
When Jim and Jan Walker heard a crackling noise coming from upstairs, they initially assumed squirrels were moving around in the roof. Moments later, they stepped outside to discover smoke and flames pouring from the thatched roof of their farmhouse.
Although the fire brigade arrived quickly, the nature of the thatched roof meant water could not reach the heart of the fire. Within a short time, the blaze had spread throughout the property.
The couple watched helplessly as the fire consumed their home from one end to the other. Ceilings collapsed, water flooded the ground floor and decades of treasured possessions were either destroyed or severely damaged.
Jim later described the aftermath simply as “a scene of devastation.”
Claim
The morning after the fire, Jim and Jan were approached by several Loss Assessors before choosing to appoint Morgan Clark to represent them.
Rather than moving into standard temporary accommodation away from their home, Morgan Clark arranged for the couple to remain on their property in a spacious static caravan. Jim and Jan wanted to stay close while the reinstatement was taking place. Morgan Clark arranged accommodation that suited their wishes, allowing them to be part of daily decisions as their home was restored.
Working closely with the insurer, contractors and specialist restoration companies, Morgan Clark managed every stage of the claim over the following two years.
Particular attention was paid to restoring the property exactly as the couple wanted. Their bespoke kitchen, installed just six months before the fire, was replaced on a like-for-like basis after Morgan Clark coordinated with both the main contractor and the original kitchen supplier.
Items that initially appeared beyond repair were also saved wherever possible. A treasured 100-year-old oak dining table was recovered, professionally restored and returned to the family in outstanding condition.
The rebuilding process also gave Jim and Jan the opportunity to improve the layout of their home. By repositioning an internal wall, an unused corridor was transformed into a much larger bedroom, ensuring the finished property better suited their future needs.
Results
Morgan Clark successfully negotiated a settlement of approximately £400,000, enabling the complete reinstatement of the farmhouse and its contents.
The claim delivered:
- Temporary accommodation that allowed the couple to remain on-site throughout the rebuild.
- A full restoration of the fire-damaged farmhouse.
- Like-for-like replacement of the recently installed bespoke kitchen.
- Specialist restoration of valuable and sentimental furniture.
- Improvements to the property’s internal layout during reinstatement.
- Approximately £400,000 insurance settlement.
Reflecting on the experience, Jim and Jan said:
“Morgan Clark made our lives a lot easier, smoothing things along the way right from the very beginning.”
They particularly appreciated being able to remain involved throughout the claim while still benefiting from professional support. Looking back on the experience, Jim summed up the transformation: “There’s no comparison between where we were after the fire and where we are today.”
Both Jim and Jan strongly recommend using a professional Loss Assessor and said that if they were ever unfortunate enough to experience another major insurance claim, Morgan Clark would be their first call.