Four possible sources
Home, condo or renters insurance
Many policies respond to this kind of loss and some do not. The only way to know is to call the insurer or the agent, describe what happened and ask. Do it before work starts, and ask what photographs and paperwork they want. Nobody but the insurer can tell you whether you are covered.
New York's Office of Victim Services
After a crime, OVS can reimburse crime scene cleanup. It pays last, after insurance. More on this below.
The landlord or the building
Hallways, stairs, elevators and lobbies are the owner's to clean. Inside a rented apartment it depends on the lease and on what happened. Tenant and landlord should agree who is paying before the company arrives.
The estate
When the person who died owned or rented the home, the cost of dealing with it is normally one of the estate's expenses. Whoever pays in the meantime should keep the invoice and the receipt for the executor.
Victim compensation, in more detail
The state's list of what it can cover includes crime scene cleanup and the cost of securing the scene. It applies to crimes that happen in New York State, and eligibility depends on the kind of crime, so not every case qualifies.
In November 2025 the state widened the rule. Reimbursement for cleanup used to be limited to people who lived where the crime took place. Now anyone who paid for it out of pocket can ask, for claims filed from 5 November 2025.
OVS describes itself as the payer of last resort: every other source, insurance included, has to be used up first. Its questions page also sets time limits for reporting the crime and for filing, and asks you to explain any delay, so start early.
You do not need a lawyer to apply. Victim assistance programs in the community help people complete the form; phone OVS at 1-800-247-8035, weekdays 8 to 5, and ask which one is nearest.
What makes one job cost more than another
No company can give a firm price without details, and this site prints none. These are the things the price turns on.
- How much of the home is affected: one spot, one room or several.
- How long it was before anyone found it.
- Whether carpet, flooring, plaster or furniture has to be cut out and removed.
- How much waste leaves the building, and what kind.
- Testing or special handling for asbestos or old paint when floors and walls are opened.
- Access: a fifth-floor walk-up or a house up a long flight of outside steps takes more hours.
- Odor treatment after the removal.
- Whether the work has to be done overnight or on a weekend.
If the insurer and you disagree
Ask for the decision in writing, with the policy wording it relies on. If you think it is wrong, the New York State Department of Financial Services takes complaints about insurance companies through an online form.
Neither this service nor the cleanup company can file, argue or negotiate a claim for you. The company can give you an itemized invoice and photographs, which is what an adjuster asks for.
Money questions
Do I have to pay the company before insurance decides?
That is the company's policy to set, so ask on the first call. Some take payment when the work is done; some will wait for an insurer if a claim has been opened.
Is there a charge for calling this number?
No. You pay nothing to Biohazard Cleanup Yonkers. If you hire the company you are put through to, you pay that company for its work.
The death was natural, not a crime. Does the state help?
The victim compensation program is for crimes. For a natural death, look to the home insurance and the estate.
Once the police hand the home back, phone
The person who answers works for an independent cleanup firm active in and around Yonkers. Put any question to them. Whether to hire them is up to you.
Phone answered at every hour, weekends and holidays included
Calls can be recorded. How that works: privacy, and how this service is paid.