Looking Beyond the Flames – What Fire Risk Really Means for Your Business

Compiled By: Schalk W. Lubbe

Fire is one of the most severe risks any organisation can face — and yet, it’s also one of the most misunderstood.

Too many businesses approach fire safety as a checklist exercise. Systems are installed, signage goes up, documentation is reviewed once a year, and everyone assumes the job is done. But from where I sit — advising clients across multiple sectors — I can tell you: compliance is not the same as protection. And it’s certainly not resilience.

At Collaborative Risk Applications, we approach fire risk with a dual lens: engineering integrity and insurance outcomes. That’s where the real value lies.

Fire Risk: It’s Not Just About Systems — It’s About Exposure

The role of fire protection isn’t just to stop a blaze — it’s to prevent business interruption, protect continuity, and preserve insurability. That means understanding the full exposure: not just whether your alarm works, but whether your business could survive a four-week shutdown.

Here’s what we’re looking at:

• Are passive fire systems like compartmentation still intact and effective?

• Has the use of the building changed — and if so, have risk controls kept up?

• Could fire spread through areas no one’s considered because they’re “outside the fire zone”?

• Do you have systems in place that not only meet the code but perform under pressure?

The key point is this: insurers aren’t just looking at whether your building has fire protection — they’re looking at whether it works, and what it protects.

Insurance Expectations Are Changing — Your Risk Strategy Should Too

Insurance markets have hardened. Underwriters are looking harder at risk quality, not just tick-box compliance. They want to see a strategy — and they want evidence that your business has taken meaningful steps to reduce the likelihood and impact of loss.

This is where many organisations fall short. Standard risk surveys focus on high-level controls, often without interrogating how those controls interact with real operations. A qualified fire consultant, particularly one who understands insurance dynamics, can bridge that gap.

When we conduct a fire risk assessment, we’re not just identifying issues. We’re helping you:

• Prepare for renewal with a more defensible risk position

• Improve insurability by demonstrating clear, documented risk improvements

• Reduce loss potential — which can directly impact premiums and deductibles

The True Value of Independent Assessment

Independence matters. Internal teams are often close to the problem — too close to see it objectively. At Collaborisk, we’re not there to replace your team. We’re there to challenge assumptions, test resilience, and provide the level of scrutiny insurers expect — before they ask the questions.

If your fire strategy hasn’t changed in the last five years, chances are your exposure has. Let’s take a fresh look at it, together.