Fire & Smoke - 1-800-ADJUSTERS

Total property damage from fire adds up to over 8 billion dollars per year according to FEMA.

Fire spreads fast. It can be just a matter of one to two minutes before your whole home is engulfed in flames. Smoke inhalation is the leading cause of death from fire. You may not even smell some of the smoke and gases. Fire makes poisonous gases which can disorient you and make you sleepy. Do not waste precious time gathering valuables or making a phone call to a friend. Use your neighbor’s phone or your cell phone once you are out of the building. Get out of a burning building. While you can get new things, you cannot replace lives.

Each year fire departments in the United States respond to over 1,400,000 reports of fires and smoke conditions.

Before the Fire:

Inventory Everything. Be sure to make a complete inventory of everything damaged before throwing it away. Take pictures and video if possible; keep receipts and note all other expenses. You should keep these inventories and notes with the same degree of care that you keep your money because these documents will help in negotiation you’re your insurance provider. Remember that any damage resulting from the disaster can be included in your fire damage claim.

After the Fire:

The first step is to ensure your family and loved ones are accounted for and safe. Next, if your home is open to the elements or saturated from water, ensure you may enter safely by asking the fire department. Then take safe steps to collect certain key materials including ID, proof of insurance, information about medical conditions, pills or medicines, lenses or glasses, debit and credit cards, any essential banking materials including any checkbooks or recent mortgage statement, gold, cash, jewels, letters, diaries, wills, photo albums, and family heirlooms. Be sure to promptly contact your Insurer and your Mortgage provider so they are aware of the fire.

Post-Fire Cleaning Services. Also there are cleaning services you can contact including professional fire and water restoration companies.

There may be a need to take measures to mitigate the damage to your home by covering large holes between the inside and the outside. Some things you can do to protect your property from further exposure to the elements include placing a tarp over a leaking roof, affixing a board to your broken window, and covering large holes. Be sure to keep track of any expenses associated with these post-disaster steps including receipts and documentation.

Be aware that smoke, alone or in combination with fire, can cause extensive damage.

Fire and smoke not only release toxic chemicals, but can also produce toxins by breaking down the glues, construction materials, and the very structure of your home.

A fire does not have to be large or last long to cause serious smoke damage. Smoke damage can affect your home or your business and can affect anywhere air can travel including: your sofa, bed, linens, clothing, carpet, filters, air conditioners, and anything porous in the structure. Often smoke damage is covered in your insurance policy.

You are not alone. There are also professional licensed public adjusters who are ready to help you find all the hidden damage, document everything, and help you deal with the Insurance Company.

Types of Fire & Smoke Damage:

With the help of a licensed Public Adjuster, you may get a much larger settlement for your damages than on your own without the help of a Public Adjuster. The total cost of fire damage restoration can be far more than the insurance company offers. The cost of property restoration from fire and smoke damage to property can be significantly more than estimated by the insurance company. The cleanup cost can be more too. Fire damage is usually accompanied by water damage caused when extinguishing the fire and from the use of chemicals found in a fire extinguisher or used by the fire department. The total cost to repair fire smoke damage and fire water damage can be a lot more than the insurance company estimates or offers. The offer from the insurance company may seem helpful or tempting, but serious fire and smoke losses are ripe for underpayment if you do not have professional assistance on your side. Public Adjusters are licensed professionals who help you, the policyholder, to get back to your pre-loss condition and get paid all the money you deserve for your fire damage.

The below information expresses general categories of fire and smoke and not legal advice. Your specific state laws and your specific coverage may differ in some respects. Call a public adjuster to help you better understand what is and is not covered under your specific insurance policy.

Fire Damage Terms

Accidental Fire:

Accidental fires are those that are not started on purpose. These are typically covered by most property insurance plans. Call us at 1-800-ADJUSTERS so we can help you get the most from your insurance for your accidental fire damage claim.

Appliance Fire:

Appliance fires can occur if you do not properly maintain your appliances or if you use them for purposes which the company did not intended. Some small appliances that produce heat can also cause fires such as coffee makers, toasters, and griddles. These claims are covered by most property insurance plans. Call us now at 1-800-ADJUSTERS so we can help you get the most from your insurance for your appliance fire damage claim.

Arson:

Arson is when a fire is deliberately started with the purpose of setting fire to a home, business, or other type of property. Arson is a crime. If your property is lost from an arson attack (by someone other than the owner or a beneficiary) the insurance company will typically cover your claim if you have property insurance. Call us now at 1-800-ADJUSTERS so we can help you get the most from your insurance for your arson damage claim.

Barbecue Fire:

Fires start when barbecuing for several reasons including loose clothing, overfilled propane tanks, lighter fluid being added to an already lit fire, unsupervised children with matches, and used coals not being disposed of correctly. Call us at 1-800-ADJUSTERS so we can help you get the most from your insurance for your appliance fire damage claim.

Brush Fire / Brushfire:

Brushfires can devastate entire towns; these fires typically begin where there are shrubs or trees and are very hard to get under control. Although brush fires can be caused by natural causes, most are started by human sources such as power lines, cigarettes, arson, etc. Insurance policies that do not specifically use the term "brushfire" in the policy will typically include brushfires under their fire policy; if your policy has the word "brushfire" within it, then it should specify in clear terms whether it is or is not covered. Call us at 1-800-ADJUSTERS so we can help you get the most from your insurance for your appliance fire damage claim.

Child-Started Fire:

The majority of children who start fires are between the ages of 4 and 9, but children as young as 2 have begun fires. The resulting fire can become much larger than the child ever imagined or planned. Call us at 1-800-ADJUSTERS so we can help you get the most from your insurance for your child/kid-started fire damage claim.

Chimney Fire:

Chimney fires can be large or small in nature. Large chimney fires cause lots of dense smoke, loud noises, and may can burn explosively, causing flames to come out of the chimney. You may not even notice a slow-burning fire in your chimney, but can still cause damage to the structure of the chimney and nearby parts of the building when the temperature gets over 2100 degrees Farenheit. Proper chimney care can help decrease the likelihood of a chimney fire. Call us at 1-800-ADJUSTERS so we can help you get the most from your insurance for your chimney fire damage claim.

Cigarette / Cigar Fire:

Cigarettes are blamed for 1/4th of all deaths that are fire related. Call us at 1-800-ADJUSTERS so we can help you get the most from your insurance for your cigarette fire damage claim.

Electric Fires / Electrical Fires:

A good preventative measure is to use new fire-prevention electrical outlets in your home which detect abnormal heat in a wire and shut down prior to an electrical fire. Call us at 1-800-ADJUSTERS so we can help you get the most from your insurance for your electrical fire damage claim.

Fire Exposure / Exposure to Fire / Fire Damage:

Call us at 1-800-ADJUSTERS so we can help you get the most from your insurance for your fire damage claim.

Fireplace Damage:

Call us at 1-800-ADJUSTERS so we can help you get the most from your insurance for your fireplace fire damage claim.

Grease Fire:

Call us at 1-800-ADJUSTERS so we can help you get the most from your insurance for your grease fire damage claim.

Hot Water Heater Fire:

Call us at 1-800-ADJUSTERS so we can help you get the most from your insurance for your hot water heater damage claim.

Lightning Damage:

Call us at 1-800-ADJUSTERS so we can help you get the most from your insurance for your lightning damage claim.

Microwave Fire:

Call us at 1-800-ADJUSTERS so we can help you get the most from your insurance for your microwave fire damage claim.

Oven Fire:

Call us at 1-800-ADJUSTERS so we can help you get the most from your insurance for your oven fire damage claim.

Smoke and Fire Damage Claims:

Call us at 1-800-ADJUSTER so we can help you get the most from your insurance for your combination smoke and fire damage claim.

Smoke Damage:

Call us at 1-800-ADJUSTERS so we can help you get the most from your insurance for your appliance fire damage claim.

Stove Fire:

Stoves, especially wood stoves, can pose a fire risk to your home or business. Some policies will cover the cost to replace the items you have with similar items while other policies will give the depreciated cash value for the items that were lost. Call us at 1-800-ADJUSTERS so we can help you get the most from your insurance for your stove fire damage claim.

Wild Fire / Wildfire:

See brush-fire. Call us at 1-800-ADJUSTERS and we can help you get the most from your insurance for your wildfire damage claim.

CALL 1-800-ADJUSTERS (800-235-8783) to find a licensed Public Adjuster in your area or email adjusters@1800adjusters.com with your name and telephone number. A representative will contact you shortly. Or dial 1-800-235-8783.

1-800-ADJUSTERS Network Members Include:

David Romano
NY Licensed Public Adjuster
#832498
(Elite 1-800-ADJUSTERS, Inc.)

Craig Spiegel
NY Licensed Public Adjuster
#522017
(Elite 1-800-ADJUSTERS, Inc.)

Andrew Tolchin*
TX Licensed Public Adjuster
#1708460

Participating members are licensed and independently operating public adjusters.

*Andrew Tolchin is also a licensed attorney in NY & TX

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