What To Do If You Have A Fire

By Carrie Harris in Homeowners Insurance on June 4th, 2008

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by Carrie Harris

We have all heard it on the news. A home is destroyed by a fire while the people are gone on vacation. Does this ever scare you? Obviously, you don’t want to walk around in fear, but you do need to know what to do if it were to happen to you. Maybe you are already facing the aftermath of a fire. It’s time to start looking at your insurance and what you should do.

Obviously, when you have damage to your home, you will want things replaced, fixed, and thrown out. Hopefully, you have a list of everything you own and how much it all costs. If you don’t, however, you will have to do that by memory. Your insurance company is not on your side. They don’t work for you, they work for the company. This is why it is highly important you know what you are doing when filing your claim.

Depending on the severity of the fire, you may have to stay somewhere else. If you are lucky, you may have family or close friends who have room for you to stay with them. If you have a big family, however, the likelihood of someone having enough room for you is not very big. You must take precautions with your insurance to find out if they cover a hotel stay. If they don’t, you may not want to go that route, not knowing how long you will have to stay away from home.

If you have the money and don’t want to file the claim on your own, you can hire a claims adjuster. They will work for you to ensure that you go through all the steps needed in filing the claim. This can be a huge relief and help to anyone going through the aftermath of a fire.

You would think that in the case of a fire or any other disaster, your insurance company would do what they can to help you out. The harsh reality of this is, however, that they don’t. Why do you pay all of that money every month, you ask? Well, it is because most companies charge too much and they are out to get money, not help you. This is why it is extremely imperative that you know what you are doing when filing a claim.

As you can see, it can be very beneficial for you to hire a claims adjuster. Obviously, you don’t have to. You could have someone you know help you if they have had to go through it on their own before, but I recommend hiring a professional.

I, myself, have not experienced a fire, but if I do, I know what to do. If you have not talked with your insurance agent about what is included when you file a fire claim, you are doing yourself a disservice. It is high time to take a look at whether or not hotel stay is included and anything else that you might need to know.

It is your responsibility to make sure you know what your insurance company will do for you. They don’t work for you, they work for themselves.

About the Author:

Carrie Harris is an expert on homeowners insurance policies and Texas homeowners insurance providers. Not only does she know about insurance companies in Texas, but she also is an expert at South Florida Homeowners Insurance.