Has your property been affected by fire? The steps you should take immediately
Lots of people – even if they have an insurance policy – do not know exactly what to do when, for example, their belongings have been damaged by fire. In case you suffered from this kind of unfortunate event, here are some tips to help you on your path.
First of all, you should contact your insurance company, in order to let them know what happened. Some insurance company may even require you to contact them within a certain amount of time since the incident.
Next you should make a list of what you should include in your insurance claim. This list may include the date of loss, location of damage, or a police report. After this step, you should contact your insurance carrier, if you need things such as temporary shelter, food, clothing, or any other thing that may be important for your well-being at that time. The costs of these facilities can be included in the insurance package you own, or they can be deducted from your insurance claims.
Furthermore, you should make a video of the damaged property or belongings, or photograph them, so you will have a way to show your insurer how great the damage is, and to decide whether or not you want them restored or if you want your insurer to pay for them. Also, you should restrict the access to the damaged property or, if only part of the property was damaged, then you need to mitigate damages.
Last but not least, keep in mind that the cleaning process of a property after it had been affected by fire can be expensive if done properly, and lots of insurance companies have developed ways to control their payouts for this work, and you should stand firm and reject all the improper services they may offer you.
