A house fire is one of the most traumatizing things a homeowner can experience. Not only are you dealing with damages to your property, the loss of personal belongings, and lingering smoke, ash, and water damage—but you’re also expected to file a complicated insurance claim.
To make matters worse, even though you have just gone through a serious tragedy, your insurance company will deliberately make the claims process difficult. They’ll use confusing language, countless documents, and unnecessary roadblocks to prevent you from getting the settlement you deserve. (That is how the insurance industry makes nearly $80 billion a year in profit, after all!)
Luckily, you don’t have to go up against your insurance company alone. Learn how a public adjuster can help you recover after a house fire, submit a claim, and maximize your settlement.
What Are the Benefits of Working With a Public Adjuster After a House Fire?
Public adjusters are insurance professionals who work on behalf of you, the policyholder. They represent your interests during a property insurance claim. Their goal is to get you the money that you deserve, and they’ll do everything in their power to ensure that you are taken care of in the event of a house fire.
1. They’ll Accurately Assess the Damage
In the event of a fire, your insurance company will send someone to evaluate the damage and get an estimate on the cost of repairs. News flash—this person is paid by the insurance company and will therefore have their best interests in mind, not yours.
Meanwhile, a public adjuster is not operating under the thumb of the insurance company and can give an unbiased estimate of what you are rightfully owed. If you choose to work with a public adjuster, they will come to your property and accurately assess damage such as:
- Soot or ash residue on the walls
- Smoke odors in the drywall, insulation, or upholstery
- Discoloration or staining of paint, wallpaper, or finishes
- Contamination of HVAC ducts or filters
- Heat-warped materials, appliances, or electronics
- Compromised load-bearing walls, beams, or the foundation
- Stability of stairs, balconies, or flooring
2. They Document Damages
In order to even begin the fire claims process, you need to provide documentation of damages. A public adjuster will be sure to meticulously record the damage through methods such as photographs, video, detailed notes, and witness statements (if necessary).
They’ll know what is or isn’t important to capture in order to ensure the insurance company doesn’t push back on the claim due to “lack of evidence”. Once they’ve gathered all the documentation, they’ll organize it and prepare it for claim submission.
3. They Submit All the Paperwork
A public adjuster will organize everything they gathered so they can present it to the insurance company as supporting documentation. This often includes things like:
- Proof of loss form
- Fire department incident report
- Itemized inventory of damaged belongings
- Repair or rebuild estimates from contractors
- Engineering or structural assessment reports (if needed)
- Cost of additional living expenses (ALE) (i.e., cost of living away from damaged home)
Afterward, they’ll fill out all the necessary forms or paperwork and then submit an in-depth claim that leaves no room for questions from the insurance company.
4. They Understand Your Fire Insurance Policy
Insurance policies are confusing; they’re loaded with technical jargon that makes them not just difficult to read, but nearly impossible to comprehend. For the insurance company, this is a great thing, as people will accidentally lose out on substantial amounts of money because they misunderstand their policy. (Sometimes amounting to $10,000 or more!)
Luckily for you, public adjusters are well-versed in insurance policies and can understand complicated terms and fire coverage interpretations so that you don’t have to. They’ll figure out exactly what fire damage coverage you have and what you’re entitled to, thereby preventing any potential underpayments.
5. They’ll Handle Communications With Your Insurance Company
Nobody likes sitting on the phone all day, being handed back and forth from representative to representative while trying to file a fire damage claim. You’ll probably spend more time listening to the hold music or talking to a robot than you will spend speaking to a real person.
That’s why a public adjuster will handle all the communication for you. If your insurance company comes back with a lowball estimate, they’ll negotiate on your behalf. If the claim is denied, they can dispute it and request a re-inspection (or mediation if needed).
6. They Minimize Stress
The claims process is a headache, and when you’re trying to get your life back on track after a fire, public adjusters are there to take one massive thing off of your already long to-do list. Whether it’s handling negotiations, filing the paperwork, or communicating with your insurance company, a public adjuster will give you countless hours back in your day.
7. They’ll Maximize Your Settlement Payout
Although fire only accounts for around 20% of property damage claims, they’re the most expensive at an average of nearly $77,340 per claim. Insurance companies know that fire damage claims are a big hit to their bank account, and as a result, will try to save money by paying you out as little as possible.
A public adjuster won’t settle for whatever small amount your insurance company offers; they’ll fight on your behalf in order to get you the settlement you rightfully deserve. At Fortitude Public Adjusters, we typically get our clients 4 times more money than they would normally get if they handled the claim themselves.
8. They Only Get Paid When You Do
The great thing about public adjusters is that they only get paid when you do, and there are no upfront costs or fees! That means it’s in their best interest (as well as yours) to get the largest fire claim payout they can. Most public adjusters take a 10% fee of the claim—but when you consider that they can make your claim up to 30% larger, it’s only a drop in the bucket.
Questions to Ask When Choosing a Public Adjuster to Help With Your Fire Claim
While a lot of public adjusters may claim to be able to help you, not all public adjusters will be a good fit for your fire claim. Ask questions like:
- “Do you have experience with fire claims like mine?” Confirm that they have experience with fire damage claims (like Fortitude Public Adjusters does). You can even go a step further and ask them if they have experience working on cases that involve your specific insurance agency or policy.
- “Do I stay involved in the process, or do you handle it all?” At Fortitude, we invite the policyholder to be as involved or uninvolved as they like. While you will never be able to be completely removed, you want to be able to depend on your public adjuster to handle most of the process so you can focus on recovering from the fire.
- “Can you provide me with some references?” It’s okay to not want to take everything a potential public adjuster is saying at face value. If it makes you feel more confident in your decision-making, then ask for some references or client testimonials that specifically relate to fire claims.
Contact Us Today for Help With Fire Damage Claims
If you’re still not convinced about hiring a public adjuster after a house fire, then contact us today! At Fortitude Public Adjusters, we’re happy to answer any questions that you may have regarding the fire damage insurance claims process and how we can help maximize your settlement payment.
