From Ashes to Insurance Claims: How to Document Fire Damages Like a Pro

Fire is becoming more prevalent and damaging over time. In the U.S., fire departments respond to an average of more than 350,000 home structure fires every year. These fires can cause property damage, emotional damage, and financial damage. 

Fire damage can occur from external and internal sources such as electrical issues, cooking accidents, heating equipment, or natural disasters (like wildfires). 

For residents of Buffalo, understanding how to document damage from fire will be invaluable for making the insurance claim as easy as possible. To make sure homeowners can get fully compensated for the loss, it is important to document everything right from the start to the end, as demonstrated by a leading fire damage restoration company in Buffalo.

Your Safety First, Documenting the Damage Next

Before doing a fire damage assessment and documentation, always make sure it is safe to re-enter the property. Fires can leave hazards from the fire/clean-up services that could cause injury or harm, such as: 

• Weak structural components
• Residual smoke
• Toxic fumes
• Falling debris

Do not enter the fire-damaged property until it has been properly cleared by the fire department or other authorities. 

When you document your injuries or hazards, you should wear an N95 mask to avoid breathing soot particles, gloves to protect your hands from sharp debris, and hard or steel-toe boots. Be conscious of weakening structural components – stairwells, floors, and ceilings that can become compromised and collapse from little to no pressure. 

• Establish Contact with Your Insurance Company Right Away

Notifying your insurance company right away is an important step towards a successful claim. You need to call your insurer right away to notify them of the fire damage. The sooner the better. Time is of the essence because most policies require damage to be reported within a certain time limit. Get a claim number along with the name and contact number of an adjuster. 

Ask the adjuster about the requirements of the claim, and get information about documentation, format, timelines, and next steps. Clarity in communication is the best way to eliminate miscommunication and delays in the claims process.

• Prepare a Complete Visual Record

Photographic evidence is vital to support your claim. It is important to take photographic and video evidence in an organized manner. First, take overall photographs of each room with a wide-angle lens, and then you can zoom in on the damage. Be sure to take photos from every angle and include time stamps. If either your camera or phone does not allow for a time stamp option, make a note of the time and date manually. 

Take a walk through video evidence of the property and narrate as you document your observations. Make sure to note structural damage, smoke damage, and water damage from the firefighting efforts, particularly the areas covered with soot. 

• Write a Detailed Inventory of Damages

A thorough list of damaged or destroyed personal property can help with an accurate claim and ensure you receive full compensation. For each item, include a description, the brand name, model number, and serial number if applicable. Record your purchase details such as the original price, date of purchase, and store/website of purchase. 

You can include any receipts, warranty cards, or credit card statements as proof of ownership. If you have no receipts, a photograph taken before the fire can also demonstrate ownership. For each item in the personal property list, briefly describe the condition before the fire and provide an assessment of damage. 

• Do Not Dispose Of Your Belongings Until They Are Assessed

While you may feel the need to get rid of damaged things as soon as possible, an important step is to wait until your insurance adjuster assesses the property. These items can serve as physical proof of your loss, as well as verifying your inventory list. Once you have put the damaged property in a secure, dry place, the risk of additional damage will be reduced to a minimum. 

Make sure you label the items properly, especially if you are storing them in an unsecured location. If there is an item that involves hazardous material, you should take photographs, describe it thoroughly, and contact the insurance company for guidance. 

• Document Structural and Property Damage

In addition to documenting personal belongings, you will also want to document any damage to the structure and/or the infrastructure of the property. Walk around the entire home after a fire, document blackened walls, cracked ceilings, buckled floors, smoldering carpet, and compromised supporting timbers. 

There may also be water damage as a result of the firefighting activity, and can develop into mold if not treated quickly and properly. It is also worth documenting any damage to the exterior of the property. Look for damaged windows, charred siding, soot-stained roofs, destroyed fences, and damaged landscaping, and add them to your records.

• Maintain Expense Records

Keeping an organized and accurate log of all incident-related communication and expenses is important for a transparent and complete reimbursement claim. Record each phone call (date, time, summary) to an insurance company official, any email exchanges, and text exchanges with the insurance adjuster, any restoration contractor, and the fire inspector, if there was one. 

Keep all receipts resulting from the incident, such as paying for a hotel, restaurant meals, clothing, medication, any ad hoc pet boarding costs, and any costs for ad hoc repairs. Many homeowners’ policies provide coverage for “Loss of Use” or Additional Living Expenses (ALE), as applicable, which is intended to reimburse emergency expenses. 

• Engage a Public Adjuster

If you feel overwhelmed or think that your insurance company is undervaluing your claim, you should consider contacting a licensed public adjuster. Unlike an insurance company’s adjuster, a public adjuster works only for you, the policyholder. 

A public adjuster is trained in negotiating claims for homeowners every day. He/she will assess your property and damage and look over your policy, and provide an entire case file for a strong claim. Public adjusters typically take a percentage of the final claim settlement, usually around 5% to 10%.

Conclusion: Recover from Fire Damage with Proactive Documentation

The aftereffects of fire damage are quite devastating; however, you can make your recovery easier through documentation. By documenting the damage systematically and communicating with your insurance company on time, and asking for help when you feel overwhelmed, you can walk through an efficient claim process with peace of mind.

Rapid Dry Services recognizes the grief that fire can create in your life. We provide emergency response and fire damage restoration services in Buffalo to help you recover from fire damage and remodel your house. 

Our IICRC-certified professionals can respond to smoke, soot, water, or structural damage and help you figure out what to do next to keep your life on track. We provide the inventory details, moisture mapping, and loss assessment to help you negotiate your insurance claims. Our team will deal with and coordinate with your insurance carrier while working to expedite a resolution and damage recovery.

Our team is all trained, certified, and standing by 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to respond as quickly as possible when disaster strikes. We employ cutting-edge equipment and time-tested methods of restoring from fire, and we never compromise our commitment to quality assurance. Contact us today, and we will serve you as your recovery partner.