Our teams of experienced engineers and scientists work together to determine whether a fire was caused by the failure of a component, fixture or piece of equipment and, if so, was the result of a fabrication, material or other type of defect. EFI Global’s in-house laboratories test all kinds of materials, including metallurgy, polymers, composites and ceramics. Our thorough evaluations strengthen any case from the causation side of the investigation and can result in opportunities for recovery or policy defenses.

When contents losses occur due to fire, having an experienced claims team to ensure accuracy and control costs is essential. EFI Global’s contents experts can assist with all types of losses — from small residential claims to the most complicated and expansive commercial losses. From first notice of loss, through pack-out management, scope capture and finally settlement, all contents losses are reported with the coverages, limitations and exclusions applied. Our efficient process enables us to deliver a detailed and accurate inventory, while controlling indemnity payments and claim expenses.

The proper preservation, collection and storage of evidence is critical to the integrity of any fire investigation. Our team of trained experts and technicians ensures that artifacts from every fire scene are gathered, documented, packaged, labeled, transported, and stored in accordance with the highest industry standards. Having our experts at the scene to gather important data gives them a first-hand look at the loss site and allows them to develop and test hypotheses regarding origin and cause; it’s also how we ensure that nothing is missed.

EFI Global’s seasoned experts have years of experience in their respective fields and provide unbiased conclusions supported with expert witness testimony that can withstand the rigors of litigation. Our certified and highly trained fire investigators have performed thousands of origin-and-cause investigations for disputes tried at all levels of the judicial system.

Failure analysis is an important part of investigating any fire where an electrical or mechanical component or system is the suspected cause. Since many of EFI Global’s electrical and mechanical engineers are also certified fire investigators and well-versed in fire patterns and damage, they work closely with our fire investigation team to provide a comprehensive, technical examination that identifies the failure and assigns responsibility when and where possible. Once the fire’s origin and potential ignition sources have been isolated, our engineers examine various components and systems to identify the nature of the failure and whether it resulted from a manufacturing or design defect, negligent installation or third party liability.

Our specialist engineers can help you take proactive steps to protect against fires and fire damage. Based on extensive knowledge of building codes and fire protection, our forensic engineers evaluate the effectiveness of fire protection features — including sprinkler systems, fire barriers and alarm systems. EFI Global inspects facilities’ fire suppression, detection and protection systems to ensure they comply with code requirements and will perform as designed. We can also evaluate whether the presence of undue hazards may challenge those systems. Our engineers can even develop fire models to assess the potential impact of fire scenarios on specific facilities.

EFI Global understands the ramifications of an incendiary fire cause and the evidence needed to successfully defend a fraudulent claim. We rely on industry standards, sound methodologies and scientific principles to support findings that a fire was set intentionally. Our fire investigators are well trained in empirical research techniques, such as on-site interviews, neighborhood canvassing, following paper trails and performing records searches. They work hand-in-hand with our engineers, chemists and scientists to identify, analyze, and document all evidence collected and process the findings in our in-house, 
state-of-the-art laboratories. Our experts are prepared to take a case from the point of assignment all the way to the courtroom.

EFI Global’s cutting-edge laboratories are run by degreed and experienced professionals. Our chemical labs specialize in the analysis of fire debris, ignitable liquid residue, spontaneous heating, fuel contamination and combustion byproduct testing. Results obtained by our laboratory scientists support the scientific analysis of fire origin-and-cause investigations.

We have the experience, expertise and resources to handle sophisticated and complicated explosion sites, anywhere in the world. Our response teams of fire and explosives experts, engineers and other technicians can mobilize quickly to investigate and conduct the scientific testing needed to objectively determine the cause of an explosion or other large-scale loss event. We can also assist in identifying any hazardous or dangerous chemicals that may be present and providing aerial photography of the loss site.

EFI Global’s forensic marine team includes court-qualified and certified fire investigators who are strategically positioned for rapid response around the world. We support marine fire investigations involving recreational watercraft, yachts, cruise ships, marinas, commercial shipping, port cargo handling and waterfront structures. Our team conducts thorough origin-and-cause investigations for each marine fire loss, including documenting the fire scenes, conducting on-site interviews, and collecting and preserving evidence, as needed.

Because fire often masks or destroys much of its own evidence, determining the origin and cause of a fire loss can be a daunting challenge. Our team of expert investigators is well trained in the industry best practices and methods needed to make an accurate and reliable determination of the fire’s cause and an assignment of responsibility. By employing scientific methodologies and a systemic approach to fire scene examinations, we can offer sound origin-and-cause conclusions that withstand the challenge of litigation.

Our expertise in accidental fire causes allows us to recognize, identify, and document issues of potential significance that may aid in the preservation and recovery of insurance funds. We aim to provide an objective investigation, complete documentation and solid determination to optimize potential recovery through subrogation and ensure the facts of the case speak for themselves. If the fire cause is determined to be the responsibility of another party, we’ll provide the evidence and testimony to support a subrogation action.

Additionally, our team can provide insight into the technical issues of a claim and a true, independent assessment of liability. Additional review and investigation by our experts can identify evidence or facts that may have been overlooked or not considered in the original conclusions. We can assess the raw data, review the documentation and evidence used as the basis for the conclusion in the report from the claimant’s technical expert, and conduct independent verification to provide an objective view of the cause and responsibility of a loss or claim — even in the most complicated cases. EFI Global can help when demand letters and notifications of claimed liability surface long after the scenes have been investigated and the evidence has been processed.

We employ a team of automotive experts, mechanical and electrical engineers and investigators specially trained to handle claims involving vehicle/heavy machinery fires. Using our systematic vehicle inspections methods, we can identify the cause of a vehicle fire (mechanical, equipment or electrical failure; third party liability; incendiary; etc.) or determine whether a defect could have caused a reported wreck.

Changes in land use and climate are driving a sharp increase in wildfires around the world. EFI Global’s experts in forestry, terrain, weather and fuels can provide a comprehensive evaluation of any property or landscape and offer professional recommendations on how to mitigate the risks associated with an advancing wildfire.

With changes in land use and climate driving a sharp increase in wildfires around the world, it’s more critical than ever that the cause of wildfires be thoroughly and accurately investigated. Wildfire origin-and-cause determinations differ significantly from those related to structures, and the skills and equipment required to conduct a wildfire investigation are just as specialized. The EFI Global team has the required expertise in forestry, terrain, weather and fuels to get the job done right, anywhere on Earth. With the potential for millions of dollars in wildfire losses, having a well trained and experienced professional handle the loss investigation is the smart investment.