4 Essential Things To Do When Filing a Fire Damage Claim

4/13/2022 (Permalink)

When Filing a Fire Damage Claim, There Are Four Things You Must Do

If a fire occurs in your Pleasantville, NJ, home, you may be at a loss for what to do next. One of the most important tasks to complete is filing a fire damage claim. Doing this can allow you to cover the fire restoration process. If you're unfamiliar with this task, here are four essential things to do when filing a fire damage claim.

1. Study Your Coverage

To make the most out of your insurance policy, you must study your coverage. These are particularly important factors to investigate:

• What damages are covered
  
• How soon your claim should be filed
  
• What your next steps are
  
  

If you need more thorough information, you can call your insurance company for help. Just be sure beforehand that you're planning on filing a claim.

2. Ask About Assistance

If your home is uninhabitable after the fire, you may be able to receive assistance from your insurance company. Part of your fire insurance could include housing, at least until your home has been restored. You may also be able to get essential products replaced. Keep in mind that these expenses may be taken out of your claim.

3. Document the Damage

Your fire restoration costs won't be covered unless the damage can be located and proven. If it's safe, walk through your home and look for damaged areas or items. Be sure to document what you see, preferably with visual proof. This will also be useful when an adjuster comes to inspect your home. When this happens, you can be sure every bit of damage is noted.

4. Keep Your Claim Open

While it may be easy to close your claim after getting the initial fire restoration payment, this could become problematic after a while. You may find that further damage has occurred since the accident. In case this happens, consider keeping your claim open for a while afterward.
Covering smoke cleaning and other aspects of the restoration process is essential. Therefore, it's important to file a claim as soon as possible.