After
suffering a fire the homeowner will need to do file a claim for property
damages so they can clean up and start to rebuild. Fires are devastating and
sometimes homeowners will make a costly mistake during and after the settlement
of their fire claims. Most will let a fire claim adjustor come survey their
property and make the claim but there can be things that are missed during the
initial claim. One thing to note is that after the insurance company sends you
a check and closes the fire claims the homeowner has three years to add to the
existing closed claim. This can be done if it is found that the damages were
not assessed correctly. To help make sure that you get the right settlement for
your fire claims, here are some tips to help you.
Document
the damage to your home and other buildings
Take the
time to inspect and document all of the damage yourself. If the home is not a
total loss make sure that you take pictures of the damaged rooms. Try to take
overviews and some close-up photos. Before you enter the room, hall, or closet
take an overview. By doing this it will help you to organize your pictures and
which ones belong to which room. For example, with the living room, take an
overview, then go from top to bottom of the walls, ceiling, doors, and the
floor.
Document
damage to your contents
The next
step is to go back to each room and closet to inventory your contents. For
everything that is damage, including clothes, shoes, furniture, paintings, etc
that have been damaged by the fire making sure to show the damage on the
picture. Yes, this is going to take a lot of pictures but everything needs to
be documented in order to get the right settlement. Make a list of all contents
that have been damage. Once you have listed the damaged items and have the
pictures take another look around the room to make sure that you have not
missed anything. Make an inventory list for each room with the pictures
attached.
Review
your insurance policy
Yes,
insurance policies are hard to understand but before filing fire claims you
should take the time to review your police basics, such as how much coverage
you have on your home, how much coverage is on your personal belongings, and
how much will the policy pay for you to stay in a hotel.
Once you
do fire claims the fire claims adjuster will cover to the site of the fire and
start their own claim. Do not give them the original photos and inventory claim
sheet but a copy. This will help them expedite the claim.
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