When a tragic event such as a violent crime occurs to a loved one on your property, it is an emotionally overwhelming experience and there may be some confusion over what to do next.  Calling law enforcement is the first thing you should do if the scene is a crime scene so they can begin the investigation, but law enforcement does not provide crime scene cleaning.  It is important for law enforcement to investigate the scene as it was found and it is your responsibility to hire crime scene cleaners to clean and restore the scene after law enforcement has begun their investigation.  Hiring professionals for crime scene cleanup is important because they will not only restore your property to safer conditions by removing dangerous biohazard materials, but they can also help ease the emotional burden of the tragedy by removing the physical evidence.

Police tape at a crime scene Source: Flickr

The cost of crime scene cleanup is the furthest thing from the mind of someone who has just discovered a crime scene on their property but it is an issue you will have to deal with in this scenario.  Some homeowner’s and renter’s insurance policies cover the cost of crime scene cleaning and if your policy does not cover this cost, there are other options such as victim’s assistance programs that can help you pay for this service.

Paying for Crime Scene Cleanup Costs through Insurance

If you have homeowner’s or renter’s insurance on your property, it may be possible for you to cover the crime scene cleanup costs through your insurance.  Professional crime scene cleaners work with major insurance providers all over the country to help coordinate payment for their services.  However, there is a possibility that your insurance policy does not cover crime scene cleaning which would leave you with the responsibility of paying for these services yourself.  To find out for sure, call you insurance provider and ask if this type of service is covered under your policy.  If your policy does cover crime scene cleanup, the crime scene technicians will help you coordinate payment and claims with your insurance company.

Paying for Crime Scene Cleanup Costs with Victim’s Assistance

Violent crimes do more harm than causing emotional stress and heartbreak, they can also put homeowners in a tough spot financially if they do not have homeowner’s insurance to cover the crime scene cleanup costs.  These types of tragedies are never planned but they must be cleaned up because the biohazard materials such as blood and bodily fluids create dangerous living conditions and cause significant property damage.  If you are forced to pay for crime scene cleaning out of pocket, there are third party agencies that can help.

There are state and federal victim’s assistance programs, as well as private charity organizations, that provide funds for those who have experienced a violent crime on their property but cannot afford the cleanup services.  You can seek founds from several state and private agencies, though you may be required to use the funds on a specific purpose depending on where the funding comes from.  Each victim’s assistance program covers different costs such as funeral services, medical help, counseling, lost wages, and crime scene cleanup costs.  If you are in need of victim’s assistance, your local law enforcement can direct you to the right agency.

Finding Quality Crime Scene Clean Up Services

Discovering a crime scene on your property can be traumatic. Source: Flickr

This may surprise you to know but only a few states have licensing requirements and regulations in place related to crime scene cleaning.  This means that there are companies out there who offer crime scene cleaning services but do not have a good enough understanding or the proper equipment to do the job right.  Crime scenes that contain biohazard materials are dangerous for your health and they must be cleaned and restored thoroughly to make the area safe to inhabit.  Improper cleaning methods may also fail to completely remove stains and odors.  It is important to hire a reputable crime scene cleaning company who can thoroughly clean and restore the scene and back up their work with a 100 percent guarantee.

If a violent crime has occurred on your property and you are worried that you may not be able to afford the cleanup, there are options available to help you cover the cost.  The most common way to pay for crime scene cleaning is through your insurance and if your policy does not cover this service, there are victim’s assistance programs in every state that can help.  If for some reason you cannot pay for crime scene cleanup through insurance or victim’s assistance programs, a reputable crime scene cleaning company like Aftermath can develop an affordable payment plan.  Do not hesitate to contact a crime scene cleaning company near you if you discover a violent crime scene on your property.

Click here for more information on Aftermath crime scene clean up services.

About Vince Sandri

Vince Sandri is a content writer and blogger with more than 12 years of experience. His expertise is in creating content related to disaster restoration, including information about preventing and reacting to natural disasters like flooding, water damage, fire and smoke damage, mold growth, storm damage and more.
Vince has been the main contributor to RestorationMasterFinder.com since 2014. Over that time, he has written numerous service pages and blogs for disaster restoration providers featured on RestorationMasterFinder.com. Vince has done extensive research and covered a wide range of topics relating to disaster restoration to help homeowners, business owners, and property managers better protect their property. He understands the problems that disasters like flooding, fire, smoke, and mold can cause as well as the best ways to respond to these issues to limit the damage.
Vince completed his Bachelor of Arts degree at Aurora University and his master’s degree at DePaul University. He has been writing SEO website pages, blogs, and press releases since 2012. Vince is also a musician and can be seen playing in the Chicago, IL area.