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12-10-2011, 02:27 PM
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House Fire-Insurance Settlement Advice
Hello all, my sister had a major fire in her house last night and is just starting to deal with the insurance company. Although I was a firefighter for 35 yrs. my expertise was in extinguishing fires not settling claims so I thought I would inquire here as to the perils and pitfalls of dealing with the claims process. If you happen to have experience with this or any advice it would be greatly appreciated to help her receive an equitable resolution of what I think will be a long process. Initial estimate is that she will be out of her home for six months during rebuilding. I am not looking for specific legal advice but just general guidelines.
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John. SWCA #1586
Last edited by hsguy; 12-10-2011 at 02:36 PM.
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12-10-2011, 02:49 PM
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Sorry for your family's loss. In my law practice days, I became familiar with such matters. A house fire will often cause much more than monetary loss, in emotion, heartache and time invested. Were I your sister, in addition to formal notice to her insurance carrier I would check any mortgage/trust deed documents right away for their notice of loss requirements and then carefully comply with those. Also review any municipal code factors. Might also be good to call her attorney.
Next, I would promptly look for a qualified adjuster, if she has any major questions or her agent is personally unknown to her, as with many situations.. The website for unitedstatesadjusters, for example [just do a g00gle search], has several excellent suggestions. It is not that her carrier would seek to minimize her claim, it is that there may well be subtleties that deserve an independent eye.
Good luck,
Dyson
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12-10-2011, 07:07 PM
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In Minnesota and maybe elsewhere we have "public" adjusters who work on commission for you and are well worth it. Our daughter had a basement fire years back and the difference offered by the insurance company and what the adjuster got for her more than compensated for the cost.
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12-10-2011, 07:33 PM
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hs,
I feel for your sister's tragedy, blessings that there were no lives lost.
I was in the Nashville flood, last year, and have flood insurance. The insurance company will depreciate everything, so make a very comprehensive list of all losses and prepare to substantiate all claimed values. Inventory everything and google all for replacement values --go for the highest price on replacement.
I wound-up being compensated for about one-third of the replacement value of my loss.
They even depreciated the insulation in the walls of my house, so, claim everything.
Best of luck,
Mike
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12-10-2011, 07:57 PM
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My advice based on experience with a roof replacement is expect them to lowball her.
We had a windstorm destroy much of the shingles on our 100 year old house. Adjustor came out and climbed up on top and gave me HIS estimate, based on HIS expertise on such matters. Quote was $1800, minus my $500 deductible. He asked me what I thought of his estimate and I said it was full of #$%^. He was rather offended. He informed me that all that was necessary was for the roofers to tear off the top layer of shingles and replace it. Uh, sure, not only impossible, but also not legal by code. We had several long discussions, and at one point I told him "look, I understand what we are doing, we're playing poker, and you've got two pair, while I'm holding a full house". I told him he may be used to dealing with uninformed, easily intimidated people who would just bend over and take this, but I'm not that way. I actually enjoy dealing with people like him, knowing I'm in the right. I ended up getting $12,000 to re-do my roof.
I decided to call this adjustor up afterwards, just to get his reaction. Interestingly, he was not with the company any more.
My point is, some adjustors will try ANYTHING to get you to take their first, very low offer. If they sense the policy holder is someone who is easily intimidated, they will absolutely take advantage of them. This is often just the actions of the adjustor, and not company policy. The company I reference has in the past been extremely helpful and honest, but in this case, not so much.
My advice, tell her to be strong, and know exactly the amount of the loss. Then she is in a much better position.
All the best.
Jim
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12-10-2011, 08:03 PM
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My rental house burned in Aug. 2008. Renters didn't have insurance but I did. House was rebuilt to my satisfaction but the insurance people went after the renters for the whole thing. I had to come up with the $1000 deductable. But I would get an attorny that specilized in that sort of thing. Please wish you sister the best of luck. A house fire is about the worst thing to go thru.
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12-10-2011, 08:51 PM
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Read the policy and see what the coverages are. I have replacement value for my house. They gave me a check that was excellent, with no problems. If the actual bill had been more, I would have received another check for the balance. I did have my contractor of choice on site when the insurance adjuster made his inspection. Having the expert available really helps.
If the policy says you get the depreciated value, thats all the insurance will pay.
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12-10-2011, 09:19 PM
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Try and locate any photo's that may show the contents of the rooms that were damaged. Photographic proof of your loss helps to offset the lowball offers. You easily forget about all the nicknacks sitting around that were aunt so & so or grandmothers. Antiques with VALUE. Especially any artwork and oil paintings. Vases, pottery pieces, etc. Do a little research and find out if are valuable, some pottery may be worth up to 4 figures. Don't just accept any offer until you are satisfied it covers everything.
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H Richard
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12-11-2011, 01:26 AM
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If there is any question about how the insurance company is or is not dealing with her, I suggest, along with the other good suggestions posted, that she contact the Insurance Commisioner of the state. Most states have them, albeit, by other names sometimes. Insurance Companies don't like to be under their scrutiny, and the service is free.
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12-11-2011, 04:33 PM
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If the insurance carrier is Travelers or State Farm -- get a public adjuster and don't rely upon the carrier's own (or contracted) adjuster to treat you fairly... I know from experience with both companies!
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12-11-2011, 11:29 PM
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Thanks all for the great advice, it is much appreciated!
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John. SWCA #1586
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12-15-2011, 10:12 AM
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1st - Do not rush to settle. It will take time to really collect your thoughts. We had a major fire 12 years ago and still occasionally remember items that were lost in the fire and not remembered until now.
2nd - Give every family member a notebook and tell them to invision walking into a specific room. Write down everything they remeber being in the room. Compile all the notebooks into a master list. You learn to do this when all your photo's burn with the house.
3rd - Check with relatives and friends for photos of the house. Chritmas and Thanksgiving pictures are really good.
4th - Assemble your contents list in a spread sheet (Excell is good). This will allow you to keep a running total and makes it easier for the insurance company to read (easier for them, the better they treat you).
5th - If your policy has an upper dollar limit, do not stop there when cataloging loss. Most inusrance companies will depreciate house hold goods and only re-imburse the depreciated value.
6th - Do not forget about supplemental insurances. The NRA firearms insurance is a good example. It will pay on firearms losses in excess of your deductable. Sometimes car and boat insurances also have claims features similar to this (if the car burned in the garage, personal property in the car may be covered by the car insurance).
7th - It sounds like you are already doing this, but give your sister and her family all the support you can. A major fire is as close to a death in the family as it gets.
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