Fire Damage Claims
Property Loss Consultants Public Adjusters are available to do a complete review of your fire damage insurance claim. From initial on-site property damage estimates to reviewing your insurance company adjuster estimates for completeness, Property Loss Consultants Public Adjusters are experienced and ready to get your life back in order after home fire damage.
Fire in its most common form can result in a blaze,which has the potential to cause physical damage through burning. A fire can be accidentally begun, naturally caused by lightning, electrical shorts, cooking fires, wildfire, or intentionally set by arson.
Lightning is often the cause of fires or damage to electrical systems and other parts of a house, lightning is caused when storm clouds cool below a certain temperature, and positive and negative electrical charges in the clouds’ water vapor separate from top to bottom. Negative electrical charges at the bottom of the cloud build in strength until a magnetic attraction causes those particles to ‘jump’ to positively charged particles accumulating at the ground. There are thousands of lightning strikes in each state every year, and each has the potential to do great harm to people and damage property.
A wildfire is an unplanned and uncontrolled fire that occurs in the areas where woods and homes overlap. These are not single home fires, but larger firestorms that can threaten multiple homes, and typically burn many acres of forest. In an average year, 140,000 wildfires burn an average of 14.5 million acres. Wildfires are not just a problem in California, Arizona, or Texas, where recent outbreaks have brought national attention. Wildfires have occurred in nearly every state in the country. All property insurance policies provide coverage for losses resulting from fires. Depending on the level of exposure, you may need to consider a higher deductible to obtain coverage, or keep it affordable.
Even a small fire produces a significant amount of residual property damage. Smoke can spread to your furniture, clothes, electronics and ventilating system. The typical homeowner’s policy covers damage due to wind, fire and lightning. So if your home has been completely destroyed by a fire or if the roof has been burned, your insurance company will pay to have your home rebuilt or to have the roof replaced. It will also pay if flames and smoke have damaged any other part of your home.
Your insurance company might cover your housing expenses as part of your property loss claim, depending on your plan. These “additional living expense coverage” or “loss of use coverage” options will pay for similar housing while repairs are being made to your home or if you permanently relocate. Typically, you need to seek reimbursement for expenses incurred. Also keep in mind that payments do no cover lost wages or earnings.
In addition to paying for property damage to the dwelling, homeowners’ policies cover other structures on the premises, such as a garage or tool shed, as well as damage to your furniture, clothes, appliances and other personal possessions up to the limits of your policy.
Insurance companies constantly try to cut corners on fire insurance claims in an attempt to save money. Losing your home and personal belongings to a fire is already a devastating experience. The last thing you want is your homeowners’ insurance company giving you a hard time regarding your claim.
