Insurance Claims Support for Boarding Up in Bromley (BR1–BR8)

If you’re dealing with a break-in, smashed window, fire damage or storm impact, the last thing you want is paperwork confusion on top of an insecure property. We regularly carry out boarding up in Bromley and across the BR postcodes, and we understand what insurers typically ask for after emergency works.

We’re not loss adjusters and we can’t tell you what your policy will pay out — but we can secure the building quickly and provide clear documentation (photos and itemised invoices) that helps you progress an insurance claim.

Need urgent security first? Use our emergency boarding up service and then come back to the claim paperwork once the property is safe.
Call: Call 020 4634 7872 | Email: info@boarding-up-bromley.co.uk

What insurers usually need after boarding up

Most home and commercial insurers want to see two things:

  1. Evidence of the damage and the cause (for example burglary, vandalism, storm, impact)
  2. Evidence that you took reasonable steps to prevent further loss (making the property secure and weather-tight)

Boarding up is typically treated as emergency mitigation — the temporary work that stops the situation getting worse (more theft, water ingress, repeated vandalism, or public safety risk). Whether it’s covered depends on your policy and excess, but it’s commonly something insurers expect you to do.

If you’ve had an incident, it can help to read the relevant guidance page as well:

What we provide for your claim (documentation you can forward)

When we board up a property in the Bromley area, we can supply practical, insurer-friendly documentation, typically including:

  • Time-stamped photos of the damage before work begins (where safe and accessible)
  • Photos of the completed security (showing fixings and coverage)
  • An itemised invoice describing materials and labour (e.g., plywood/OSB, fixings, temporary security measures)
  • A brief work statement explaining what was done and why (e.g., “temporary security to prevent further loss”)
  • Site notes on access constraints or safety issues (for example, if frames are too unstable for non-destructive fixing)

If you’re managing a commercial unit, warehouse, or a managed block, we can also work with your facilities team on access, keys, and out-of-hours contacts. For commercial-specific needs, see commercial boarding up.

How the insurance process usually works (practical overview)

Every insurer has their own workflow, but in Bromley and the BR postcodes we most often see this pattern:

  1. Immediate safety and security

    • If the building is open to the street or the weather, you arrange emergency boarding up.
    • If the police or fire service attended, keep the incident or reference number.

  2. Notify your insurer early

    • Do this as soon as you can, even if you don’t yet know the full repair scope.
    • Ask how they want emergency works handled (some have preferred suppliers; many allow you to instruct your own contractor).

  3. Collect evidence

    • Photos/videos if safe.
    • Police crime reference number for burglary or malicious damage.
    • Any witness details if relevant (e.g., vehicle impact).

  4. Temporary security + later permanent repairs

    • Boarding up is temporary risk reduction.
    • Later, glazing replacement, door/frame repairs, or making good is usually arranged separately.

If you’re unsure what type of security you need, our what is boarding up guide explains options in plain terms.

Before you call your insurer: quick checklist

If it’s safe to do so, gather the following. It helps your claim and helps us document the job properly:

  • Your policy number and insurer contact details
  • The incident date/time and a brief description of what happened
  • Police crime reference number (burglary/vandalism) or fire incident details if applicable
  • Photos of damage (wide shots and close-ups)
  • Notes on what’s insecure: window, door, shopfront, rooflight/skylight etc.
  • Whether the building will be left unattended (important for choosing anti-tamper methods)

If you’re calling at night or out of hours, focus on safety first. For urgent help, go straight to 24 hour emergency boarding up in Bromley.

Our approach: securing the property in a claim-friendly way

The goal is always the same: stop further loss, keep people safe, and leave a clear record of what was necessary.

Step 1: Assess damage and choose the right method

We’ll look at what’s failed and what’s still structurally sound:

  • Broken glazing in a timber sash or uPVC frame often needs careful boarding to avoid worsening cracks and distortion.
  • Forced doors may need boarding, but if the doorway is repeatedly targeted or the property is vacant, a temporary steel door can be a better medium-term option.
  • Shopfronts on busy frontages benefit from stronger, more tamper-resistant boarding and fixings that can’t simply be unscrewed from outside.

Explore the specific services here:

Step 2: Use suitable materials (and explain them on the invoice)

We commonly use:

  • 18mm exterior-grade plywood for robust, weather-resistant boarding on larger or higher-risk openings
  • OSB (often 12mm) for smaller or lower-risk apertures where appropriate

We’ll choose fixings based on the surface and risk. Where the property is likely to be unattended, anti-tamper fixings matter — insurers like to see that reasonable steps were taken to prevent repeat entry.

Step 3: Install, then photograph the finished security

We photograph the boarded area once complete so you can show:

  • The opening is properly covered
  • Fixings are in place
  • The property is left secure and safer from further loss

If a frame is too damaged to support non-destructive methods, we’ll explain the options before proceeding. Sometimes you can’t safely fix to a crumbling timber surround or fractured masonry without additional work — we’ll talk you through what’s possible.

Emergency work vs permanent repairs (what’s in our scope)

It helps to be clear about what boarding up is — and what it isn’t.

Boarding up is temporary security and weather protection. It’s the “make safe” stage.

  • We secure broken windows, doors, shopfronts, roof openings and vulnerable access points.
  • We can supply stronger temporary options for vacant properties, such as screens and temporary steel doors.

What we don’t do as part of boarding up:

  • We’re not a glazing replacement company (although we can help you stabilise things until your glazier attends).
  • We’re not fire restoration or smoke/odour remediation specialists — after a fire we focus on securing the property. See fire damage boarding for what to expect.
  • We can’t approve coverage or negotiate settlement terms with your insurer.

For longer-term security on empty buildings (between tenants, probate, or renovation), look at vacant property boarding solutions.

Common claim scenarios we see in Bromley & BR postcodes

Because Bromley is a mix of busy town centres, parades of shops, and quieter residential streets, the incidents vary:

  • Burglary through a rear window or patio door (especially where properties back onto alleyways or wooded edges)
  • Vandalism to shopfront glazing along local parades and near transport hubs
  • Storm damage: tiles and branches causing sudden breakages, or rooflight damage leading to water ingress
  • Accidental impact: a vehicle clips a low wall or shopfront, leaving the premises exposed

If your situation matches one of the above, it’s worth reading the relevant situation page and then calling us if the building needs securing. Start here: situations we help with.

FAQs (Insurance Claims & Boarding Up in Bromley)

Is boarding up covered by insurance in Bromley?

It can be, but it depends on your policy wording, excess, and the cause of damage. Insurers often expect you to take reasonable steps to prevent further loss. We provide invoices and photos you can submit, but we can’t guarantee coverage.

Do you provide invoices and photos for insurance?

Yes. We can provide itemised invoices and photos of the damage and completed boarding where safe to take them. This is often what insurers request for emergency mitigation works.

Should I call the insurer before arranging emergency boarding up?

If you can do so without leaving the property exposed, it’s helpful. But if the building is insecure (open door, smashed shopfront, ground-floor window broken), it’s usually sensible to secure it first and inform the insurer as soon as possible afterwards. For urgent situations, use emergency boarding up.

Can you work with landlords, managing agents, or facilities managers?

Yes. We regularly help landlords and property managers secure residential blocks, commercial units, and void properties. See property types we cover for more detail.

How much does boarding up cost in Bromley?

Costs depend on the size and number of openings, materials, access (especially for upper floors/rooflights), and whether extra security is needed. We don’t publish fixed prices because every job is different — see boarding up pricing for the factors that affect cost.

What to do right now (if you’ve had an incident)

If you’re dealing with damage tonight or the property is open to the street:

  1. If there’s a crime in progress or immediate danger, call 999.
  2. If it’s safe, take a few photos and make a note of what’s damaged.
  3. Keep any police reference number or incident number.
  4. Call us to secure the property, then contact your insurer.

For non-urgent, planned security (for example, vacant property protection), you can message us and we’ll arrange a suitable time.

Ready to get started? Call 020 4634 7872 or email us for a free, no-obligation quote.