How to Work With Insurance Adjusters After a Fire
If your property was damaged or destroyed in a fire, knowing how to work with an insurance adjuster is vital to recovering your losses. Your homeowner's or renter's insurance is designed to protect you in the event of damage to structure and contents and to rebuild, repair and reimburse you for your losses. By knowing the steps to working with your insurance company, you can expedite your claim and be able to replace your home or valuables in a reasonable time frame.
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
-
1
Contact your insurance company immediately after the fire and let them know what occurred. They will want to send out an adjuster before you do any cleanup so they can see the full extent of the damage. You don't want to change or alter anything at the scene of the fire. Although it can be upsetting to see your property damaged, cleaning it up or trying to make things better may reduce the amount of your recovery.
-
2
Begin an inventory of lost or damaged items. The insurance adjuster and your insurance company will need to know exactly what was destroyed or damaged that needs to be replaced. Make a list of all the items that you know were damaged in the fire. Try to remember as much as you can, but also speak to friends or family or look at old photographs to help you make sure you don't forget to include any damaged or destroyed items on the list.
-
-
3
Document everything. This means you should take detailed pictures of the fire and all damage. You should also attempt to begin collecting documents to demonstrate the value of what was lost. This can include old receipts or copies of credit card statements. This should also include finding out the replacement value of items listed, or checking your original application for insurance to determine if you listed an inventory of items on the application.
-
4
Provide the insurance adjuster with any requested information and follow all directions. The insurance adjuster may ask specific details about the events leading up to the fire or may require you to provide information such as arson and police reports. Send all documents immediately upon request; it is a good idea to send them certified mail so you know that the insurance adjuster received your paperwork.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Find out if your insurance policy covers temporary housing if needed while your home is being repaired. Other temporary living expenses may be covered as well.
References
- Photo Credit fire image by Fotocie from Fotolia.com
