Fire Damage Restoration & Repair Insurance Payments: Did You Get Enough?
Fire Insurance Claim and Property Damage Attorneys
According to the Insurance Information Institute, the average claim value related to fire and lightning was $68,322 between 2013-2017. While homeowners’ insurance claims related to wind or hail were the most prevalent for the reporting period, fire and lightning claims were the costliest. That’s why it’s so important to file these claims correctly.
When you submit an insurance claim for fire, smoke, or soot, your insurance company will send its own field adjuster to document and estimate your fire damage. Unfortunately, many property owners assume that their insurance company will do the right thing and pay a fair settlement for their fire damage claim. Property owners may also believe their insurance company’s first offer is their final offer.
Take caution, however. Even with the best intentions, your insurance company’s settlement offer may fall short of what you need to become whole again. For example, your insurance adjuster may not correctly give you “like kind and quality” pricing in their estimate. If your 5-inch baseboards got damaged, they should pay for 5-inch replacements, not 3. Similarly, if your solid wood doors were damaged from fire, smoke, or soot, they should estimate solid wood door replacements, not hollow ones. In addition to the “like kind and quality” issue, your insurance company may overlook some of your damage or assume some damage they see is unrelated to your fire claim.
At the Professional Law Group, we have decades of experience helping clients like you pursue fair recovery for these issues after their property was damaged in a fire. Learn more about how we can help you by calling (800) 529-4141 or contacting us online.
Potential Fire Damage Claims for Homes and Businesses
Depending on your specific fire damage, there are several possible compensatory factors to consider when you have a fire damage insurance claim. These include:
- Structural damage: Repairing the damaged structures, such as burnt walls, floors, and roofs, as well as fixing smoke damage or water damage caused by efforts to extinguish the fire.
- Personal property damage: Replacing the personal items you lost to fire or smoke damage.
- Potential lost wages: Compensation for the money you couldn’t earn because you were handling the disaster.
- Business interruption losses: Compensation for losses your business suffered due to damaged merchandise, lost sales due to store closures, and more.
- Additional living expenses (ALE): Providing you with funds to live elsewhere while repairs are made to your home.
What to Do If You Have Damage from Fire, Smoke, or Soot
If you have fire damage, you must hire insurance claim professionals to accurately and completely compile your estimate for the insurance company. As insurance claim attorneys, claims adjusting is a part of our service. When you sign up to become a client, one of the first tasks we’ll accomplish is to send out our own estimator to document and calculate your damages.
This estimate and a well-thought-out negotiation strategy by your insurance claim attorney are the foundation of your property damage claim. When it comes to home, business, or car fires, you may be entitled to more than what the insurance company wants to pay you. Contact us for a no-obligation consultation.
Get Help with Your Fire Damage Claim
We know the tricks insurance companies use to underpay or deny claims. Moreover, anything you say may be used against you. You need someone on your side. Contact us for a free consultation before you go any further with your insurance company.