Investigation services
Property and general insurance investigations
Damage chronology, witness accounts and maintenance history alongside technical assessment.
Witness evidence, records and a chronology of the loss circumstances.
When to instruct us
Start with the question your team needs answered.
These are illustrative ways to scope an enquiry. We confirm the relevant authority, sources, location and output before accepting an instruction.
The date or history of damage is disputed.
Review repair records and communications, then interview relevant occupants or contractors.
A sourced chronology showing what was observed, reported and repaired.
An engineer has identified the cause, but accounts conflict.
Test the accounts against records and independent witness evidence.
A factual report to consider alongside the technical opinion.
Illustrative report extract
How a property enquiry connects the evidence.
This fictional water ingress scenario shows the structure of a factual handover. It is not a client matter or a finding about any real claim.
When was water ingress first observed and reported, and what repairs were undertaken before the current claim?
SYN-01: resident email dated 4 June. SYN-02: contractor attendance record dated 6 June. SYN-03: manager interview, reviewed on 10 June.
The email records a report of staining on 4 June. The attendance record shows an inspection on 6 June. The manager recalls an earlier verbal report but could not identify its date.
The records support written notice on 4 June and attendance on 6 June. They do not establish when the damage began or resolve whether an earlier verbal report was made. Technical causation remains for the appointed expert.
Establish what happened around the loss.
A builder or engineer can assess the physical cause and extent of damage. Everguard examines the surrounding facts: when the damage was first observed, what was reported, who attended, what was known beforehand and what the available evidence supports.
We work to the claims team's defined questions. Our factual findings can be considered alongside technical reports without presenting investigative observations as engineering, building or coverage opinions.
Where a factual enquiry adds value.
- The circumstances or timing of a loss are unclear or disputed.
- Accounts differ between an insured, occupant, operator, contractor or witness.
- Prior damage, warnings, repairs or maintenance may be relevant.
- Occupancy, property use or third-party involvement requires clarification.
- A claims team needs statements, source records or a chronology to assess a coverage, liability or recovery question.
A traceable factual record.
Depending on scope, the handover can include witness interviews and reviewed statements, a chronology, relevant communications and maintenance records, scene observations, a source schedule and a factual report. Material gaps and conflicting evidence remain visible.
The detail behind the enquiry.
Explore the scope, evidence requirements and practical considerations.
Alongside builders, engineers and assessors.
Consider a water ingress claim. A technical expert may identify a defect, weather event or building condition. A factual enquiry can establish when the leak was first noticed, whether there were earlier reports or repairs, who attended, what was communicated and what neighbours or occupants observed.
The claims team receives a clearer account of the event and the history around it. Technical causation, policy response, legal liability and the claim decision remain with the appropriate experts and decision-makers.
Land lease communities and accommodation.
Factual enquiries can be scoped for manufactured homes, residential parks, land lease communities and on-site accommodation. These settings may involve a homeowner, resident, community operator, manager, maintenance staff, contractor and neighbours, each with different knowledge of the event.
We can examine occupancy and use, previous incidents, repair history, management communications, contractor attendance and witness accounts. We confirm the relevant property type, stakeholders, records and access arrangements for each instruction.
A proportionate scope and timely updates.
We begin with the claim question, the available material and the decision deadline. The agreed scope identifies interviews, records, attendance, reporting and an estimate or cap where the task is sufficiently defined. We raise any material change in scope before further work.
We aim to make initial contact promptly. Enquiry and report timing depends on location, witness availability, records and complexity. For urgent matters, interim findings can be arranged while the final report is being completed. Queensland and New South Wales enquiries are available, with other locations coordinated subject to confirmed coverage and licensing.
Before we begin
Practical questions.
Practical questions.
When should we consider a factual investigator?
When the technical assessment leaves a material question about the event, its timing, prior knowledge, the parties' accounts or relevant records. A defined statement or chronology may be enough without a full investigation.
Can you examine manufactured-home or land lease claims?
Yes, subject to the circumstances and confirmed local coverage. We can investigate the relevant accounts, records, occupancy and damage chronology while technical specialists address building and engineering questions.
What are your fees?
Property matters are generally scoped on an hourly basis with an agreed estimate or cap where feasible. We confirm the current professional rate, travel costs and any specialist expense in writing before work begins.
How quickly can you report?
We confirm a realistic timetable after reviewing the location, witnesses, records and urgency. An interim update can be agreed where the claims decision cannot wait for the final report.
Related services
Further reading
Begin with a clear brief
Clarify the circumstances behind the loss.
Share a de-identified claim outline, the factual questions and the decision deadline. We can discuss whether an enquiry would assist.