What’s In This Articles

• How to Negotiate a Fire Damage Insurance Claim
• How to Handle a Fire Damage Claim Tips
• Report the fire as soon as possible
• You must mitigate damages
• Take pictures!
• Prepare the loss
• Keep all receipts
• Pull It all together
• Call for support

How to Negotiate a Fire Damage Insurance Claim

Of course, one of the most traumatic events experienced by homeowners is a fire in their homes. Certainly, the potential for serious injury can be significant. However, the relief that no one was harmed soon fades away as the reality of the property damage sinks in. Now, one key question for the homeowner will be how to negotiate a fire damage insurance claim settlement.

How to Handle a Fire Damage Claim Tips

Generally speaking, your homeowners’ insurance policy is a contract between you and your carrier. Besides paying regular premiums, the insurance policy requires you to do several things:

Report the fire as soon as possible

There will be a time limit to report covered events such as a fire in your home. As a result, if you don’t report the fire within that time, the carrier can deny coverage.

However, you will want to report the fire as soon as you can. In fact, you want the insurance claim process to start as soon as possible. Indeed, the sooner the claims process begins, the sooner you can get your settlement check.

You must mitigate damages

Your homeowners’ policy requires you to take the steps necessary to protect your property and prevent additional damages to your home. Consequently, if there is standing water in your home from the firefighting efforts, you should have it removed. As another example, if there are broken doors or windows, you may have to erect boards.

For this reason, you may have to put a chain-link fence around your home.

Additionally, you should get a contractor and/or a restoration company to remove the debris the house fire caused.

Of course, smoke and soot spread throughout a house during a fire. Therefore, you will have to hire a professional restoration company to clean up the smoke and soot from the affected parts of the home. Consequently, Ultimately, insurance carriers will cover the cost of debris removal/restoration after a fire.

Take pictures!

The more proof you have of the fire-damaged property, the stronger your fire insurance damage claims will be. Therefore, take pictures of fire-damaged furniture, appliances, walls, etc. In addition, take pictures of any personal property that can’t be cleaned /restored before you throw them out.

Lastly, be prepared to share these pictures with any insurance claims adjusters who come to inspect your fire-damaged home.

Prepare a proof of loss

Insurance companies require property owners to file a proof of loss after reporting damage from a covered event. Consequently, in that proof of loss, you will detail the parts of your home that the fire damaged.

Additionally, you will detail the personal property that the fire damaged. For instance, this includes carpeting, appliances, electronics, clothing, etc.

Keep all your receipts

It is very important to document all your expenses related to the fire. As an example, your homeowners’ policy will reimburse you for Additional Living Expenses (ALE). These are expenses you incur because of the fire.

For instance, if you have to leave your house while it is being repaired, you will stay in a hotel or rent a house. Therefore, you can get reimbursed for the hotel/rental.

Likewise, if you drive further to work while you are out of your home, you can claim that mileage.

Similarly, if you must eat meals at restaurants, save those receipts.

Moreover, if you have to buy clothes to replace the clothes destroyed in the fire, you can get reimbursed for those expenses.

By the way, you can ask the insurance company adjuster to give you an advance for these expenses. Or you can ask to get reimbursed as you incur these expenses.

In short, anything the company advances to you will be deducted from the final settlement amount.

Now, Put It All Together

You have collected all the pictures and contractors’ estimates and bills. In addition, you have all the receipts for your additional living expenses. Lastly, you have the receipts for new appliances or furniture you bought or estimates of what they will cost.

Are you ready to negotiate a settlement with the insurance company?

However, what if you missed something?

Let AllCity Adjusters Negotiate a Fire Damage Insurance Claim for You

Most people don’t negotiate very often over big-ticket items. Of course, you may negotiate with a car salesperson when you buy a car. Or you may negotiate with someone when you are buying or selling a home.

However, very few people negotiate for a living.

Meanwhile, at AllCity Adjusting, that is exactly what we do! Indeed, we are public adjusters and professional negotiators. Consequently, we make sure we have the best evidence and make the best presentation so we can negotiate from a position of strength.

Consequently, we will back up your damage claims with a complete damage assessment and complete and accurate repair estimates. Alternatively, if we believe they should replace your home, we will have the proof supporting that opinion.

In addition, at AllCity Adjusting, we are experts in all types of property damage claims. AllCity has handled fire damage claims hundreds of times. We can review the damage to your property, including the fire department’s water damage, damage from fire and smoke, structural damage, etc.

Additionally, if there is any hidden damage from the house fire, we’ll find it. For instance, smoke and soot can get behind walls and in crawl spaces. Likewise, water from firefighting efforts can seep behind molding or get into floor joists, creating the risk of mold or mildew.

Therefore, we’ll make sure your claim for fire damages will include all your damages.

Fire Claim Settlement Procedure

In conclusion, we’ll meet with the company adjuster and negotiate a fair settlement for you. Additionally, we’ll organize damage evidence and repair estimates for your fire insurance claims.

Lastly, we’ll get you every penny you deserve.

Don’t get fooled, get the company that gets you more. Therefore, call us today at 844.692.3587 or visit our website to find an office near you.