Most policyholders who have suffered damages to their property (home, business, etc.) from a fire insurance claim usually makes costly mistakes during and after the claim settlement. However, there is always one extremely expensive mistake that almost all policyholders make over and over again. What’s worse is that they do it without even knowing it. The most costly mistake is; Most policyholders only rely on the insurance company’s adjuster to inspect, process, and estimate the complete fire insurance claim without any questions. They accept the insurance adjuster’s complete evaluation without any comparisons, estimates from their own contractors, or a review by a fire insurance claim professional. This will be the most costly mistake you would ever make in your entire lifetime.

It’s bad enough to have your property destroyed by fire, but relying on someone else to visit your property, inspect it, provide a proper value, and then trust that they got it all correct… Is Simply I N S A N E ! Yet, policyholders allow this to happen all across the country, day-in and day-out. For most people it’s human nature to count their “change” at the grocery store or diligently review their dinner bill to be sure the waiter didn’t charge them for items they did not order. We’ve all done it. We go out of our way to count and keep track of our chump change. Yet, when it comes to tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of dollars from a fire insurance claim, we rely on the insurance company without question.

There isn’t anyone who knows your property like you do. With all there is to do in properly preparing and calculating fire insurance claim damage, it’s no wonder that in most cases, items can be forgotten or missed during the process. This couldn’t be more true if the process is done by someone from the insurance company. They have no knowledge about your building, its finishes (carpet, wallpaper), or your contents (furniture, clothing, etc.) like you. Could they possibly be more accurate than you? Furthermore, just because an adjuster works for an insurance company, inspects your property, and knows how to measure rooms, in no way means they are a qualified contractor, builder, or is certified to evaluate fire and water damage repairs.

With the review of thousands of closed claims, we have found that in most cases, both insurance companies and policyholders unknowingly miss damages that are hidden from the naked eye. In almost all instances; it is a good idea to have a professional review your fire damage claim. Preferably a fire insurance claims appraiser, consultant, or fire consulting firm.

Policyholders often believe that when the insurance company sends them a check and they deposit the money in their bank account – the claim is closed. This couldn’t be further from the truth. The fact is; that in most states a policyholder has 3-years to make a claim and even ADD to an existing claim. So, a review of your claim to see if you have been properly compensated can occur, during the claims process or even after the claim has been settled. You can also obtain more money from your claim – even if it has been torn down and demolished.

Yes, even when a claim has been closed and the policyholder has deposited the checks, or the home or building has been torn down, demolished, and removed, they can still receive more insurance proceeds from damages that were not assessed properly. In many of the cases, it’s been found that tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of more dollars should have been paid. Even when a person is under the impression that they have received a fair fire claim settlement… The Fact Is – They Usually Have Not.

However, it’s truly up to the policyholders to do their part and protect themselves. Below are a few tips and ideas to assist policyholders with the review of their fire insurance claims. There are tips for those in the middle of the claim process – as well as tips for claims that have been closed some time ago.

1. Existing Claim -

1. Document Your Building Damage: Take the time to inspect and document the damages yourself. Take photos of all damaged rooms in your building. Take overviews of the room and then take some close-up photos of the damaged ceilings, walls, floors, windows, doors, etc. of that room as well. Work your way around the building to the left (clock wise). Before entering the next room, closet, or hall – take an overview. This will be an easy way to organize which photos belong to which rooms. An example is; Overview of living room, then from top to bottom, photos of ceiling, walls, windows, doors, then the floor. Then the first photo of the next room is an overview, and so on. (No pictures or close-ups of contents yet, just the rooms.)

1. Closed Claim -

1. Obtain Documents For Building: Your insurance adjuster had taken photos of the property during their inspection(s). If you do not have any photos yourself, or if you only have minimal photos – you should request a copy of all photos that were taken by the insurance adjuster. You will want to also request the copy of the adjusters scope. The scope will be the diagram/sketch and measurements they used to calculate the square feet of each room of the building. Request the complete line-item, detailed estimate they wrote to arrive at the settlement numbers of your claim. These documents will be useful to you and for any fire insurance claim consultant you may choose.

2. During Claim Process -

2. Document Your Contents Damage: Next is to visit each room and closet once again to inventory your contents. Take an overview photo of each piece of furniture, pair of shoes, shirts, pants, ect. Then a close-up photo of any damage on that item. Write each item down on a Contents Inventory Form. ( Download one by visiting http://www.insuranceclaimsgroup.com/forms.html ) Similar to the way you have photographed and organized your building damage photos, you should do the same with your contents. Example; Take overview photo of living room, then work your way around the room to the left (clockwise). Photograph and list all the items on each wall until you get back to the doorway you began at. This way items will not be missed or forgotten. Once the living room inventory has been completed, move to the next room and start by taking an overview photo of the room. this helps organize what room the contents were located. List the name of the room at he top of each page of your inventory list. Now the photos and the list are both organized in sequence with each other.

2. Closed Or Settled Claims -

2. Obtain Documents Of Your Contents Damage: The insurance adjuster has taken photos of your contents during their inspection as well. If you have no photos yourself, or minimal photos – then request all photos taken by the adjuster of your contents. You should also request the complete detailed contents inventory they have written to arrive at their numbers. This documentation will be useful for the fire insurance claim consultant you choose.

3. During Claim -

3. Review Of Your Policy: Fire claim victims should take the time to and review their insurance policy. Most policyholders don’t even know basic information, like; How much building coverage do they carry? How much contents (furniture, clothing, etc.) coverage? How much they have to stay in a hotel, to rent a home or furniture? Surprisingly enough, many policyholders have no idea about any of this. In most cases this documentation has been burned in the fire. In such cases; policyholders can visit with their agent and request a “certified true copy” of their full policy. It’s also recommended to ask the agent to explain how much coverage you hold on your property.

3. Closed Claim -

3. Obtain Copy Of Your Policy: Contact your insurance company and request a certified copy of your “FULL” insurance policy, including the Declarations page. This documentation will be useful for the fire insurance claim consultant you choose.

4. Existing Claims -

4. Consult With Professionals: The adjusters visit damaged properties, inspect fire damages, and conclud estimates of the amount of damages a fire has incurred. It’s extremley important that policyholders have sch a process completed for themselves as well. Think about it; how do policyholders really know the insurance company’s adjusters are doing their jobs in the correct manner? Should policyholders be willing to just give up tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars – without beng sure? It is the adjusters job to explain all the fire insurance claim coverage that is available. However, this type information is usually witheld. Sometimes it’s witheld on purpose, and at other times it’s also witheld on purpose (Was that a misprint? Witholding information from policyholders is usually witheld until they actually ask. More often than not; such witholding happens on purpose.) It is your home or building, it is your insurance repair money, and it is your policy – the one you have PAID for. You are responsible for educating yourself. You need to ensure you’re receiving the complete compensation you’re entitled to. It’s up to he policyholder to seek and hire the fire insurance claim appraiser or consultant. You need to consult someone who can complete a full review, looking out for your interests, and diligently review your insurance company’s documents of your claim. You deserve to know if you obtained a fair shake or not.

4. Closed Claim -

4. Consult A Independent Insurance Appraiser: Have you been provided with a fair settlement? How is a person sure they have unless they consult with a professional? Anyone who is not 100% sure if they have obtained fair and full settlement from an insurance company, owes it to themselves to investigate. If policyholders have collected and reviewed all the docs and photos that are listed above; they have sufficient documentation to consult the opinion of an independent appraiser and insurance professional. A professional review of your claim documentation is all an independent insurance appraiser needs to advise if you were treated fairly. To consider leaving yourself in the dark, with no flashlight in sight, without knowing if you’re forfeiting tens of thousands and/or hundreds of thousands of dollars in the insurance company’s pocket – doesn’t make much sense at all. The minimal fee it would take to understand where you stand is a very tiny cost to pay. Compare that same tiny cost to a large chunk of insurance funds that you weren’t even aware existed… is a no-brainer.

The reasons are very simple. The fact is, the insurance company’s adjusters work directly for the insurance companies, where fire claims appraisers works directly for the policyholders. At this point you have made the right move by taking time to be sure you had insurance coverage for your property. It is now up to you to jump to the next step to ensure you have fully received what was paid for.

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Is renters insurance even a necessity anymore? There are all kinds of possibilities in the world and choosing not to carry renters insurance is kind of like gambling with your financial future. After all, if you are not covered the chances of recouping any of your losses are very slim.

Your landlord carries insurance on the building you live in. Whether you are in a single family home, a duplex, or a high rise apartment building your landlord makes sure that the building is covered in the event that there is a weather anomaly or a fire. Any kind of destruction that the property suffers is covered under your landlord’s insurance.

Renters insurance does not cover flood waters, and you need to buy a government backed flood insurance policy if there is a risk of flooding in your area. You can not expect to file under your landlord’s policies, even in the event of a flood. This is important to understand, as the value of your personal property can exceed tens of thousands of dollars and you may very well find that the financial burden of replacing it all to be extreme.

Many people mistakenly believe that they will be able to file a claim under their landlord’s insurance if there is a fire from faulty wiring, damage from a natural event, or even damage caused by an outraged citizen. They believe this because it’s no necessarily untrue, but it is also not necessarily true, either.

Confused? There are certain loopholes that would allow you to claim damages under your landlord’s policy. For instance, if your landlord torched his or her own building and this was proven in a court of law you would have a legitimate claim. The years that it will take to build a case, take it to trial, receive a finding, and file a civil suit would be long and arduous. You are better off filing a claim with renters insurance and then filing a civil suit if it turns out the landlord is directly responsible for any losses.

Can you afford to be without renters insurance? Most of us can’t and yet so many of us take the risk because we know that this is the one insurance policy that is not as likely to see a claim as other insurance policies. So what? If you don’t carry a good policy you may very well find that you will not be able to replace even the simple items that bring your comfort and joy.

If you create any type of income from your home, it is absolutely imperative that you carry an adequate insurance policy. You would need the immediate replacement of the equipment and space you need in order to earn that income. The risks of refusing to carry a policy are great and unnecessary, especially considering that many policies run less than $30 per month.

Do you want a more affordable rate that still leaves you with the right coverage? Here are steps that will help you attract big discounts easily…

1. Do not insure your house along with the land it is standing on as this is more expensive but quite needless. People who ignorantly do this are paying a lot more than would be of any benefit. They just insure their home for its entire value without subtracting the land’s cost.

For folks who have mistakenly done this, meet with your agent and check your home insurance coverage again. Subtract the value of your land and buy coverage only for your structures and its contents.

This implies that you will pay a lot less on home insurance. Always remember that insuring the land your home is built on is plain waste of money since it does you no good whatsoever.

2. You’ll pay more or less depending on your credit rating. Those who have very good ratings pay far less than people who have low ratings. A poor credit rating suggests that you have not been paying your bills in a timely fashion. This is a behavior that most insurance carriers believe will be exhibited in the way you pay up your premiums. This makes you a higher risk to them and you, therefore, are made to spend much more than some other person with similar profile that has a very good rating.

It will, therefore, be a smart step to do something about making your credit rating better. You will get cheaper premiums if you do.

3. You’ll get cheaper rates if you choose to pay your premiums yearly and not every month. A strong reason for this is the cost an insurer incurs by posting you twelve payment notices instead of just one annually.

Furthermore, each check they get attracts its own transaction fees too. They pay transaction charges twelve times instead of once a year for monthly premiums. These and other costs so incurred by your insurance company are eventually paid by you, the insured..

Therefore choose yearly payments instead if you intend to make savings through this means. The actual amount you could save may differ but you may be able to save up to a month’s premium worth with most insurers if you choose this option.

4. Make the exterior of your home fire-safe and you’ll reduce your home insurance rate. Having things that are highly inflammable or that help combustion around your building will make you pay more expensive rates. Bushes around your home should be cut and maintained at not less than ten feet from your building. This is because how fire-safe a home is goes a long way in determining what it will cost to insure it.

5. Motion-sensitive lighting reduces your home’s risk of burglary and, therefore, helps you get cheaper home insurance rates. Burglars generally do NOT like to operate in any environment they could be easily noticed or caught. Since thieves keep off from houses with such lighting, you lower your home’s risk of burglary and, consequently, your premiums.