Property damage comes in all forms, though few events leave a dramatic mark like a fire. Fire damage might even spread and destroy an entire property if not discovered and dealt with fast enough. A fire incident can be traumatizing for everyone involved. Further, losing one’s home is only the start of a painful journey—filing an insurance claim might continue to be challenging and traumatic.
Although the chances of losing property to a fire may be remote, the implications are severe. In a recent year in the United States, fire caused over $18 billion worth of property loss and thousands of deaths. The risks are real, so investing in a strong fire damage insurance policy is necessary.
However, the peace of mind from insurance coverage can quickly disappear after receiving a claim denial or disappointing offer of benefits. This kind of outcome can trigger an even more harrowing ordeal. Not knowing whether you can expect adequate insurance benefits after losing property to a fire might push any claimant over the edge — this is why a New Orleans fire damage lawyer might be the only option.
What Will a Fire Damage Attorney Do?
After a house or commercial property fire, the last thing anyone needs is to go through another fight with insurers. Unfortunately, this is common, and fire damage costs can be astronomical. Therefore, hiring a fire damage lawyer will help alleviate the claimant’s anxiety about the future.
A fire damage lawyer knows the law and has experience working with difficult insurance companies. They have a wealth of experts in certain fields who will help a claim with the following:
- Finding the root cause of the fire
- Consolidating the total loss amount
- Revealing damage that the insurance company overlooked or ignored
- Helping establish the value of the damaged property
Further, a fire damage insurance attorney will do the following:
- Review your claim and policy
- Find the best angle for helping you dispute or win a fair settlement
- Help assess damage and organize the claim to reflect your losses in accordance with your policy rights
- Negotiate with insurers for a fair settlement
Contacting a fire insurance claim lawyer before initiating any claim will give any policyholder an advantage. Even advertising one’s working relationship with such a legal support team can make insurance companies think twice about questionable actions.
Most Common Fire Causes
A structural fire might happen anywhere in a residence or business, with multiple ways of igniting. Fires start for several common reasons:
- Fireplaces. Homeowners with open fires often leave them unattended, or the fires aren’t properly managed. One spark from an unguarded fire can be enough to lose your house.
- Cooking. Deep fat fryers and gas stoves can lead to disaster when not used safely. Leaving a pan of hot oil might lead to a fast-spreading oil fire. Reports show cooking was the leading source of residential building fires in recent years.
- Candles. An open candle flame can catch curtains, furniture, or clothing.
- Children. Kids might get hold of matches or a lighter, not understanding the risks near flammable materials.
- Smoking. Leaving unextinguished cigarette butts smoldering can lead to house fires.
- Grilling. An unmanned barbecue near the home structure might cause a property fire or damage outdoor structures.
- Electrical Malfunction. Badly wired appliances or overloaded circuit boards can create electrical fires. Electrical fires are especially worrying, as they can happen anytime without warning.
- Arson. Sadly, arsonists exist, and a combination of bad luck and poor security might result in a property fire started by arson.
- Space Heaters. In the colder months, outdoor gas heaters may be set too close to furnishings or other structures, causing a fire.
Consequences of Fire and Smoke Damage
Only one out of every 425 insured homes results in a fire or lightning damage claim, though these claims are often some of the highest valued due to the following common damage.
Property Damage
Fire damage to a home might have far-reaching implications, some of which are not apparent until much later after the event. It can hurt a building’s structural integrity in the long term; moreover, other effects, such as lingering smells, discoloration, and soot staining, might appear after the event.
Health Implications
Even after the fire is extinguished, invisible health problems can arise later on due to smoke inhalation, emotional trauma, or physical injury. Residue from smoke can also seep into carpets, walls, and ventilation areas, causing respiratory issues.
Water Damage
It’s important not to conflate fire and water damage, though they are inextricably linked when the fire department extinguishes a house fire. The excess water used in the rescue will cause further damage to walls, furniture, and floors. From there, mold will develop, leading to more health woes.
A fire has many long-term consequences, resulting in a detailed and difficult claims process. The property owner may need a fire damage lawyer on their side, especially if their claim is denied, undervalued, or disputed.
Types of Fire Insurance
Fire insurance is divided into four key types:
Standard Fire Insurance
Most policies will be standardized, which is the most basic policy offering the lowest level of fire damage protection.
Third-Party Fire and Theft Insurance
There are more levels for this category of fire insurance, which cover theft on top of standard fire insurance. Third-party damage might be factored into such a policy, guarding homeowners against the perils of damage caused by someone else.
Comprehensive Fire Insurance
A policy that will cover even more elements, such as fire caused by lightning or other natural disaster catalysts, such as earthquakes, storms, or other events.
Specialized Fire Insurance
Some homeowners or properties may require a fire insurance policy custom-made for their particular needs. For instance, if a property conducts activities with high fire risk, particular outcomes must have coverage.
Fire Insurance Policy Particulars to Consider
Any homeowner should do their part to understand how their policy works, as the terms and conditions will dictate a settlement outcome. Therefore, policyholders should learn the following policy areas:
- Exclusions. Knowing what is not covered in your policy is pertinent to understanding how your claim will look.
- Premiums. How much is your policy worth, and what will the monthly costs be?
- Coverage Limit. The settlement limit imposed is the most important detail in your policy details. The cost of replacing all your home’s internal items can outweigh the maximum settlement amount.
Home Insurers Might Deny Your Claims
Home insurers have one motivation for claims — protecting their bottom lines. With fire damage claims, which often warrant high-figure payouts, insurers may flat-out deny the claim or only offer a low settlement amount.
What Might Lead to a Low Settlement Offer or No Offer?
There are several usual reasons insurance payouts are lower than deserved, or worse still, non-existent:
- Homeowner negligence. Most often, insurers will put the homeowner at fault for the fire, which will lessen any settlement amount.
- Misrepresentation. They will aim to show that information on the claim was misrepresented or withheld somehow.
- Insufficient Cover. Insurers will always argue that coverage doesn’t extend to all the damage caused.
- Illegal Behavior. If the insurer can somehow show illicit activity leading up to the fire, they will use this to torpedo a claim.
- Arson. Arson is a common insurance fraud act, leading some insurers to accuse a claimant of starting their own fire.
- Damage Disputes. These issues occur when the insurer contests the extent of the damage caused by the fire. For instance, some insurers may not cover water damage, which might be worse than the fire damage itself.
- Valuation Disputes. Sometimes, these happen when the insurance company refutes the confirmed valuation from the property owner. A valuation dispute is also known as “lacking supporting proof.” This is why homeowners should be prepared with a full inventory of their property belongings, including proof of purchase.
- Missed Premium Payments. Sadly, a missed insurance premium can lead to a lower payout. The policyholder must pay regularly and consistently and mitigate the risk of jeopardizing a future claim.
What if I Wish to Dispute a Settlement Amount?
Insurance is supposed to protect against future losses, though receiving a lowball offer is common. Fire is especially damaging, so receiving an insufficient benefits offer can be devastating to homeowners.
There are things a policyholder can do to deal with fire insurance settlement disputes:
- Reviewing the policy. Before making any judgments, policyholders can look over their policy.
- Documenting every bit of loss. It can be impossible to document fire damage without a clear picture of your property before the event. Regardless, keeping a photo or video record of everything is crucial to disputing the case.
- Contacting the insurers. Once a fire has happened, homeowners must contact their insurance company to begin their claim. Appealing the decision. Policyholders must appeal the insurer’s decision immediately if they feel the settlement is below expectation.
- Keeping Records. Policy holders must keep records of all correspondence to protect against accusations of negligence or misinterpretation.
- Seek a fire damage lawyer.
However, disagreements are often simply part of this process, and claimants may wish to dispute an offer and negotiate a higher settlement amount. The chances are you will need to, and you want a fire insurance damage attorney to handle these negotiations.
What If My Fire Damage Claim Is Denied?
Insurance companies are famously hard to negotiate with, making recovery from a traumatic house fire even worse. They will look for any weakness in a claim, using whatever methods possible to save money. If your fire damage claim is denied, it is probably the right time to call a fire damage lawyer.
The Advantages of Hiring a Fire Damage Attorney
There are so many ways a lawyer can benefit a client, starting with the claim process itself. Knowing where to start can be tricky, and understanding a claim’s potential complications might be too much for someone recovering from a fire.
A fire damage lawyer can help you through all the steps of the claim process, which include:
- Filing documents and claims
- Compiling evidence and correct paperwork
- Sorting through damaged and repairable items
- Evaluating structural and property repairs
- Rehousing or finding shelter for clients
- Finding contractors to fix the damage
- Obtaining building permits
- Planning renovations and ordering supplies
A Lawsuit Might Be Necessary
A fire damage lawyer can take your insurer to court if the insurance company is unwilling to honor their side of the policy. In litigation, an experienced fire damage attorney can present strong evidence of your damage and how much you deserve in benefits.
Fire Damage Is Complicated
Fires can come from a multitude of natural and human-made sources. The effects of a fire may go undetected, and insurance companies will not wish to account for such hidden losses — some of which may manifest much later. A policyholder without the right knowledge of lingering fire damage issues is vulnerable to a lowball offer. Do not risk this; always hire legal representation.
Working on Contingency
Naturally, most claimants have already suffered a destructive and expensive episode, so any further costs are unwelcome. Often, claimants may be concerned about taking on a lawyer because of the potential fees.
The good news for any claimant is that reputable fire damage attorneys work on a contingency basis, meaning they will not charge a fee unless they win your case, offering free consultations to review your circumstances and options.
Call a Fire Damage Insurance Attorney If You Have Suffered a Fire
New Orleans Fire
Damage Lawyer
You might not present a strong enough claim on your own, but your fire damage lawyer can gather the evidence you need to prove your fire-related losses. They may assess that you need more or improved evidence, using their understanding of fire damage claims, and ensuring you don’t fall victim to hardball insurers.
Don’t let insurance companies take advantage of you. Maybe you feel your claim isn’t going well. It might be that you need legal help to file your claim to begin with, or your settlement wasn’t in accordance with your losses.
In any case, be sure to call a Louisiana insurance lawyer today for a free consultation.