The majority of policyholders who have ever been a victim of a fire or has suffered damages to their property (home, business, etc.) from fire insurance claims will make costly mistakes during and after the claim has been settled. Unfortunately there always seems to be one grossly expensive mistake that most all policyholders make. It’s so simple that it’s hard to believe that people don’t even realize they have done it. Can you even imagine that many policyholder’s who has suffered a fire will rely solely on the insurance company adjuster’s opinion? They allow their adjuster to inspect their property, evaluate and process the claim, and create an estimate for the entire fire insurance claim… Without Any Questions. Imagine people like doctors, lawyers, accountants, willfully accepting the insurance adjuster’s own opinion without obtaining any comparisons, numbers from other contractors, or consulting a fire insurance claim professional. This is, without-a-doubt, the most costly mistake people will ever make in their entire life.
It’s bad enough to have your property destroyed by fire, but relying on someone else to visit your property, inspect it, provide a proper value, and then trust that they got it all correct… Is Simply I N S A N E ! Yet, policyholders allow this to happen all across the country, day-in and day-out. For most people it’s human nature to count their “change” at the grocery store or diligently review their dinner bill to be sure the waiter didn’t charge them for items they did not order. We’ve all done it. We go out of our way to count and keep track of our chump change. Yet, when it comes to tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of dollars from a fire insurance claim, we rely on the insurance company without question.
No one knows your property like you do. There is much to do to properly prepare and configure a fire insurance claim that in most instances, items are forgotten or missed during the process. Especially if it’s done by someone at your insurance company. They don’t know about your building, your property, or your contents (furniture, clothing, etc.) like you do. How could they possibly be as accurate as you? Furthermore, just because an insurance company adjuster visits your property for an inspection does not mean they are a professional contractor, builder, or certified in fire and water damage restoration.
With the review of thousands of closed claims, we have found that in most cases, both insurance companies and policyholders unknowingly miss damages that are hidden from the naked eye. In almost all instances; it is a good idea to have a professional review your fire damage claim. Preferably a fire insurance claims appraiser, consultant, or fire consulting firm.
Policyholders often believe that when the insurance company sends them a check and they deposit the money in their bank account – the claim is closed. This couldn’t be further from the truth. The fact is; that in most states a policyholder has 3-years to make a claim and even ADD to an existing claim. So, a review of your claim to see if you have been properly compensated can occur, during the claims process or even after the claim has been settled. You can also obtain more money from your claim – even if it has been torn down and demolished.
Yes, even when a claim has been closed and the policyholder has deposited the checks, or the home or building has been torn down, demolished, and removed, they can still receive more insurance proceeds from damages that were not assessed properly. In many of the cases, it’s been found that tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of more dollars should have been paid. Even when a person is under the impression that they have received a fair fire claim settlement… The Fact Is – They Usually Have Not.
However, it’s up to the policyholder to do their part to protect themselves. Here are a few tips to assist in the review of your fire insurance claim. There are tips if you are in the middle of your claim – as well as tips if your claim has closed some time ago.
1. During Claim Process -
1. Document The Building Damages: Take time yourself to inspect and document the damages to your property. Take pictures and measurements of all rooms in your home or building. Take an overview picture of the room and then some close-up pics of the ceilings, walls, windows, doors, floors, etc. of that room. Photograph your way around the building and each room to your left (clock wise). Be sure to take an overview picture before entering the next room. Be it, a room, closet, or hall. This will allow for an easier way to organize what pictures belong to what rooms. An example would be; Take overview picture of the master bedroom, then work your way from the ceiling to the floor. Take an overview picture of the ceiling and then zoom in for close-up damages on the ceiling. Continue by taking an overview picture of each wall, followed by close-up pictures of damage on walls. Continue this same process with the doors, windows, and floors. Just before you enter the next bedroom, hall or closet, the very first picture will be an overview, and so on. (No pictures or close-ups of any clothing, furniture, or electronics yet, just the room pics.)
1. Closed or Settled Claims -
1. Obtain Documents For Building: Your insurance adjuster had taken photos of the property during their inspection(s). If you do not have any photos yourself, or if you only have minimal photos – you should request a copy of all photos that were taken by the insurance adjuster. You will want to also request the copy of the adjusters scope. The scope will be the diagram/sketch and measurements they used to calculate the square feet of each room of the building. Request the complete line-item, detailed estimate they wrote to arrive at the settlement numbers of your claim. These documents will be useful to you and for any fire insurance claim consultant you may choose.
2. During Claim Process -
2. Document Contents Damage: You will now want to visit each room and closet once again. This time you will be collecting an inventory of your contents. In the same manner you did with the rooms; you should take an overview picture of each piece of furniture, each pair of shoes, each shirt, pants, etc. After the overviews you then take a close-up picture of any damages to that item. (Like smoke or water stains, etc.) Write each individual item down on a Contents Inventory Form. ( Request one by visiting http://www.insuranceclaimsgroup.com/contact-us.html ) The manner in which you take your photos will also help organize them. For Example; Take the overview picture of the room you are about to enter. In this example; let’s say the living room. Your should then continue your way around the room to the left (clockwise). Capture pictures and list each item on each wall until you get back to where you began. It’s important not to bounce around the room. This ensures that items will not be forgotten or missed. When the living room inventory has been pictured, listed, and completed, move into the next room. Again, start with an overview picture of that new room. This helps organize the contents by what room they were in. Be sure to list the name of the room on each page of the inventory list. Now the pictures and the lists are both sequenced and organized with each other.
2. During Claim Process -
2. Obtain Documents Of Your Contents Damage: The insurance adjuster has taken photos of your contents during their inspection as well. If you have no photos yourself, or minimal photos – then request all photos taken by the adjuster of your contents. You should also request the complete detailed contents inventory they have written to arrive at their numbers. This documentation will be useful for the fire insurance claim consultant you choose.
3. During Claim Process -
3. Review Policy: Fire claim victims should always take time to read and review their insurance policies. Moss people have no idea of the basics, like; How much building allowance they? How much allowance for contents (clothing, furniture, electronics, etc.)? How much allowance to rent a home, rent furniture, or to stay in a hotel? Surprisingly, most policyholders have limited or absolutely no knowledge of such information. Usually this type of documentation gets destroyed in the fire. If such; people should visit their agents office and request a “certified true copy” of the policy they own. One should also ask the agent to advise how much coverage they hold for their property.
3. For Closed Claims -
3. Obtain Copy Of Policy: Even if your claim was closed years ago and you have a different insurance company, you can request a certified true copy of the “FULL” insurance policy, with Declarations page, at the time the fire occurred. As well, this type of documentation will be useful when you consult with a fire insurance claim appraiser.
4. Closed Or Settled Claims -
4. Consult With Professionals: The adjusters visit damaged properties, inspect fire damages, and conclude estimates of the amount of damages a fire has incurred. It’s extremely important that policyholders have sch a process completed for themselves as well. Think about it; how do policyholders really know the insurance company’s adjusters are doing their jobs in the correct manner? Should policyholders be willing to just give up tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars – without being sure? It is the adjusters job to explain all the fire insurance claim coverage that is available. However, this type information is usually withheld. Sometimes it’s withheld on purpose, and at other times it’s also withheld on purpose (Was that a misprint? Withholding information from policyholders is usually withheld until they actually ask. More often than not; such withholding happens on purpose.) It is your home or building, it is your insurance repair money, and it is your policy – the one you have PAID for. You are responsible for educating yourself. You need to ensure you’re receiving the complete compensation you’re entitled to. It’s up to he policyholder to seek and hire the fire insurance claim appraiser or consultant. You need to consult someone who can complete a full review, looking out for your interests, and diligently review your insurance company’s documents of your claim. You deserve to know if you obtained a fair shake or not.
4. Closed Or Settled Claims -
4. Consult A Professional: Did you receive a fair settlement for your fire insurance claim? How do you know unless you ask someone? If you are unsure if you have obtained a fair settlement from your insurance company, you owe it to yourself to find out. If you have collected all the data as outlined above; you will have enough data on your claim to have a professional review it. A review of your claim will allow the fire insurance claims to advise you where you stand. Leaving yourself in the dark, with a chance of forfeiting tens of thousands of dollars, or even hundreds of thousands of dollars makes zero sense. A small fee to find out where you stand is a small price to pay, compared to a large sum of insurance proceeds that you did not know existed.
(Free Consultation: Getting help is easier than you think. We provide a no cost review of any present or closed insurance files. Call for your Free Consultation at any time 919-669-9111. Or visit online at http://www.insuranceclaimsgroup.com/contact-us.html )
The reasons are clear and simple. The facts are this, the adjusters work directly for the insurance company, where the fire insurance claims appraiser or consultant works directly for you. You already made the right choice by making sure you were properly insured. It is now up to you to continue with the next steps. That is to research that you have properly compensated for the policy you paid for.
(C) of Insurance Claims Group, Inc. & Joseph P. Brennan: Obtain additional information regarding Fire Insurance Claims and obtain a Free Consultation and Free Fire Claims Assistance for any fire claims. Fire Help by calling (919) 669-9111.
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