Nobody is ever really prepared for a house fire. A fire can start anywhere in your home, with many different causes. A fire can be traumatic, and leave you feeling helpless. Victims of a fire can often feel at a loss of what to do next, and not just because of the shock. While nobody wants to deal with fire damage, it’s important to know how. It’s best to be prepared for accidents.
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Get In Touch With Your Insurance Agent
One of the first phone calls you will have to make ought to be to your insurance provider. Before you start worrying about calling a service restoration company to repair the damage, you need to inform your insurance agent of what has happened so you can go over the details of your coverage.
Confirm if there are any inclusions in your policy that you might have missed, like a living allowance for temporary accommodation. You will also need to discuss the claims process and what you can do to speed things up.
You will need to advise the agent of your fire damage remediation plans, as you will need to wait for your insurer to give you the go-ahead before you take any action.
Ask For A Copy Of The Fire Report
A fire report will contain critical details surrounding and contributing to the fire. It will also include information like the date and time, the location, an account of the damage, and the source of the fire if it’s known. All this data will be needed for your insurance claim. Fire reports are public documents, so you can easily get a copy.
Start The Mitigation Process
Fire can endanger lives and cause damage to your property even after the fire itself has been put out. Structures that have been weakened could collapse, or pipes can burst. Inhaling toxic chemicals from the smoke residue and the mix of gasses that have been released into the air is also a risk.
You must start fire damage mitigation as soon as possible, but you shouldn’t do this alone. A professional company should do this for you.
Keep A Record Of All The Damaged Items
Homeowners’ insurance should usually include contents coverage, which will mean your policy should cover the replacement cost of the items destroyed in the fire. To make sure everything is accounted for, make a list of all your belongings and document any losses.
As you mitigate the damage on the property, make a list of all damaged items and photograph them all for proof. If you can, include the date of purchase, the price, and a description of the items damaged, and any online statements.
If you have lost essential documents in the fire, like your driver’s license, your passport, birth certificates, or deeds, you should get these replaced as soon as possible. Some of the documents will be needed for your insurance claim. Ask your insurance agent which documents you will need, and get these replaced first.