As insurance claim attorneys, we have worked with many homeowners who have lost everything in a fire. Because of this, we know this is a very emotional and confusing time for you. We are sorry to hear that you are going through this, and we want to be as much help as possible.
After a wildfire damages your home, there are several things you need to do, including:
- Call your insurance company and let them know where you are staying temporarily. Make sure they have your cell phone number or another phone number where you can be reached.
- If you need extra money during this time, ask your insurance company for temporary living expenses to pay for things like toiletries, clothing, food and hotel bills.
- Keep all your receipts from what you paid out-of-pocket and any money you spent out of the temporary living expense money the insurance company gave you. When in doubt, save the receipt.
- If you can get back into your neighborhood – if it is safe to do so – take pictures of the fire damage to your home.
- Start compiling a list of all your personal property that was damaged. Make this list as complete as you possibly can with descriptions of the items, approximate age of items and costs.
- Get quotes for repair work from reputable contractors so you know how much the repair work will cost.
- Talk with an insurance litigation lawyer if you lost your home or if it was seriously damaged.
When a homeowner looses a home to a fire, he or she should be given priority; however, sometimes insurance adjusters are too busy to realize the magnitude of the situation. Other times, they will try to offer the homeowner a check way too quickly – providing a settlement that is too low.
To make sure you receive a fair settlement for your fire damage claim, call the Voss Law Firm today at 888-614-7730 for a free consultation today.
