Owners of the Heafey Hoffmann Dworak & Cutler Funeral Home in Omaha, Nebraska, and their insurers, Cincinnati Casualty Company and Cincinnati Indemnity Company filed a lawsuit on March 20, 2017, against Mathews International concerning a fire at the mortuary that happened over a year ago.

The Omaha World Herald has reported that on January 26, 2016, the mortuary went up in flames and losses totaled over $2.2 million.  According to that article, the insurance companies contend that the blaze resulted from improper design and installation of the rebuilt crematory flue stack.

It also notes that the Mathews International was contracted and did work on the crematory, including the flue stack, in October 2015.  The article also notes that Mathews International has declined to comment on the lawsuit.  The insurers and the mortuary are seeking a total of $5.75 million in damages.

Funeral Director Daily take:  While we won’t speculate on why the fire started or who is to blame, the fact that this happened should give all funeral home managers cause to reflect on their operations.  What would you do if your building was destroyed by fire or flood — do you have a plan of action?  Is there another building in close proximity that could help you out while you were rebuilding?

Many times the actual damages to the building might be the easiest to repair.  However, how do you pay for staff and other obligations if you don’t have a building to operate out of.  I think just reading this story should make you stop and think about what you would need to do to stay in service to your clients in the absence of a building.  If you are out of business for awhile, your client families will be served by someone else who may become their new funeral director of choice.

Are you properly insured regardless of what might happen?  At least annually sit down with your insurance agents and discuss the possibilities.  Just re-newing the policy and sending in the annual premium is of little help if it doesn’t solve the problems you intend it to.[wpforms id=”436″ title=”true” description=”true”]