Fire Claim First Steps

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Fire Claim First Steps
Your house is on fire, what do you do? First,
make sure everyone safely gets out of the house
and call 911. First responders will work to put
out the fire and prevent it from spreading. This
may include opening a section of the roof to
allow the smoke to release.
At this point, restoration contractors could show
up, offer their services, and explain how they
can help. While protecting your property and
mitigating damages are your duty as the
homeowner, take caution with these contractors
and know what you are getting into. We do not
recommend signing any contracts with anyone
until you have done your research and read
through the entire contract first. Many
contractors and restoration companies have a
direct pay
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authorization they will want you to sign. Do not
sign this. This authorizes your insurance
company to pay mitigation invoices directly
without you listed as a payee. Weve seen many
claims where homeowners never see the invoice or
estimate from the contractor because it was sent
directly to the insurance company. Instead,
request that you as the policy holder be listed
as a payee and payments come to you so that you
can have record of your claim payments. Next,
you should call your insurance company and file
the claim. Typically, this requires basic
information on the type of claim, your contact
information, and the extent of damages. They
might also ask if you have mitigated your
damages. For a fire claim this is usually
covering the hole in the roof from the fire
department and securing access to the home. These
expenses are covered as they are emergency
services. Please note Public insurance
adjusters are prohibited to be at the loss
location while emergency vehicles are present.
Call a public adjuster as soon as possible to
help you through the process.