Having your home or premises suffer extensive fire damage can be devastating for both your property and personal health. Luckily, you can count on your insurance company in San Diego to cover the damages and pay for fire damage restoration services, right? If only it was that easy.
As many unfortunate property owners have discovered, filing an effective fire or smoke insurance claim can be shockingly complicated. There are seemingly hundreds of different terms and procedures a homeowner needs to understand in order to get the full value of their policy.
We previously wrote about the major causes of fire damage and gave you a quick rundown of the fire damage restoration process. Now we’ll explain how smoke damage insurance works and what to do after your property suffers smoke damage. Read on to learn more.
Does insurance cover smoke damage?
A fire loss includes damages caused by heat, soot, smoke, and the water used to extinguish the flames. If a fire was severe, all of these elements will likely combine to render a property uninhabitable or unusable until extensive restorative work has been done, in which case you may also qualify for “loss of use” coverage.
Although homeowner’s insurance normally covers both fire and smoke damage (seeing as one can’t really exist without the other), these two types of damage use different classifications during the claims process.
In any case, the time period following the fire is crucial in terms of getting the insurance payout you’re entitled to and getting your life back on track.
Here’s what to do after a house fire:
- Get an advance. If you had to evacuate your home, you likely didn’t have the time to pack basic necessities such as clothes, toothbrushes, phone chargers, and so on.
- Secure your property to prevent burglary, vandalism, and other additional damages.
- Document the damages and file your claim as early as possible.
- Make sure your insurer acts without delay. This prevents problems that may occur from being unable to use your property for an extended period of time.
- Document all living expenses your insurer will cover while you wait for your home to be remediated. Save all receipts.
What does insurance cover after a fire?
It depends on your particular insurance package. The regular homeowner’s insurance tends to cover a lot more than most people think, up to and including restoration and repair by certified remediation professionals.
A homeowner’s insurance usually covers:
- Main dwelling, which is the actual home you live in.
- Detached structures such as storage sheds, garages, or other buildings that aren’t connected to your dwelling.
- Personal property such as appliances, electronics, furniture, clothing, and so on.
- Landscaping may also be covered by your homeowner’s insurance policy.
- Loss of use coverage can pay for your living expenses and temporary lodgings during the period while your main dwelling is unusable.
In order to get the full value of their insurance policies, homeowners should take the time to familiarize themselves with the details of their policy or possibly hire an expert to interpret it from them. This will prevent unpleasant surprises and ensure you’re fully covered against fire and smoke damage.
Where can I get San Diego’s expert-level fire damage restoration services?
Have you recently had a fire, water, smoke, or mold-related disaster at your property in Rancho Penasquitos? If so, Risk Free Serv can provide you with both professional-grade remediation services and expert guidance in documenting the damages and filing your insurance claim.
We possess extensive industry experience, high-performance equipment, and hire only fully trained and insured remediation experts. Reach out to us today if you’d like to ask further questions or schedule a free inspection of your property.