Surprising Damages from Fire Loss Insurance Claims

Loss from fire damage is already devastating, and having to worry about making an insurance claim for fire damage and loss can just make the process that much harder. 

At TSO Adjustment Service, we want to take this burden off of you during a difficult time, which is why we’ve put together this article about surprising damages you may incur from a fire (and can claim as part of your fire loss insurance claim).

Plus, we can help you with the insurance claim process.

Smoke and soot damage

This is actually the most common source of damage caused by a fire (fire aside). Not only does soot and smoke permeate in your home, walls, floors, and clothes, but it can affect areas of your home that weren’t actually part of the fire (if it was isolated to a single room or small area).

Smoke and soot damage can be claimed as part of your loss from fire damage, and there may even be long-term health complications that come about as a result of soot particles in the air. Items and your home should be deep-cleaned and purified to ensure you and your family are not exposed to unnecessary pollutants that could harm your health.

Water damage

Many properties often suffer from water damage after a fire occurs; not only from the firefighters hosing down the house but also because of the structural damage that comes about as a result of the fire. Electronics aren’t the only things affected by water damage; it can create significant issues with the structure of your home, warping floors and creating hidden problems of mold behind the walls.

Chemical damage

Fires can cause chemical damage through toxic fumes as a result of mixing with different items in your home. These chemicals are a significant risk to your health, and can lead to respiratory illness and/or disease. It’s very important to have your home assessed by an expert before returning back into the property, because without a respirator, you can have serious damage done to your lungs.

Of course, it costs money to hire an expert to check your home’s air quality (and the presence of toxic fumes), so chemical damage should be part of your fire insurance claim, along with temporary housing while your home is being assessed/fixed (i.e. hotel costs).

Other unseen damages

As we mentioned, a lot of damage that can be done to your home may be airborne or invisible to the naked eye. Just because something looks structurally sound or doesn’t smell off inside your home, there may be much more damage lurking than you are privy to.

Smoke, soot, and other damaging toxins can be present in your home - either in the air or deep in your fabric couches/clothes, etc. Experts should be checking your home before you return to it, as many of the dangers from a fire are silent killers.

Insurance restrictions

Insurance restrictions from fire damage claims can include some common reasons such as you not having contacted the police about a fire, assuming it was arson. In addition, if you do not notify your insurer in a prompt enough manner (a specific timeframe is often outlined in your policy), then you may not be eligible for coverage.

There are tricky ways that insurers deny claims, and we don’t want to see you lose out on what you are owed (and pay for to be covered) because of a terrible situation like a house fire.

How an adjuster can help

It’s important to have your home assessed as immediately as possible after loss from fire damage, as much of the damage done can be invisible to the naked eye (or hidden beneath floorboards and behind walls, etc.).

With TSO Adjustment Service, you can be certain that everything we’ve mentioned above is covered by your insurance provider. Oftentimes, insurance providers try to get out of having to pay out full damages, but insurance adjusters like us know how to get everything out of your claim that you are entitled to.

Give us a call today at 215-886-7440 or request more information online. We’re here to help you get the most out of your claim - leave the difficult conversations with your broker to us!