Fire and Smoke Damage Claims
When you own a home or business, there’s really no such thing as a “small fire.”
Even a fire that’s controlled and contained quickly can cause serious harm to your property.
Fire
Fires can have a number of causes:
- Chimney problems
- Electrical shorts
- Cooking or barbecue fires
- Brush or forest fires
- Accidental fires
- Arson
And the destruction that results from a blaze isn’t just limited to smoke, flames, soot and heat.
The act of putting out a fire can lead to water damage and breakage.
Any of all of these factors can make your home or business unlivable or unusable.
Smoke
“Where there’s smoke, there’s fire,” the old adage says, even though it’s not always necessarily true.
Your home can incur smoke damage from heater malfunctions, fireplace problems, cooking appliances or even smoke that comes from a nearby house or brush fire.
Flames can also pressurize smoke and send it into remote areas of your home.
What to do if your home suffers fire and smoke damage
A serious fire at your home can be life-altering for you and your family. In the aftermath of a destructive fire, here are a few things that you should do.
- Don’t dispose of any possessions that have been damaged or destroyed. Even if they are beyond repair, you need to be able to prove that you owned these items.
- Insurance companies expect you to file a claim as soon as possible. Getting a public adjuster involved can help you with this process.
- Be sure to takes on all phone calls and communications you have with your insurance company.
- Consider putting up a fence to guard against thieves and cover up holes in the walls and ceilings to prevent rain and debris from getting into your home.
- If you become displaced, your insurance company should reimburse you for hotels, food and gas, so remember to keep track of your expenses.
A Public Adjuster Can Help
When a fire happens, it’s important to determine the full extent of any fire or smoke damage that may have occurred. And not all types of destruction are noticeable right away. An experienced public adjuster licensed in PA and South Jersey has the skills to estimate the extent of any damage and value your claim correctly.
If you’ve had a fire, or if your home or business has been affected by a fire at a neighbor’s, contact us immediately.
Your insurance company has professional adjusters to protect their interests. You should have someone on hand to protect yours.
