Every year wildfires cause major fire damage in Southern California. When this happens, insurance companies help victims of wildfires rebuild their homes. Even if a fire victim does not have all the required paperwork or information, they should still file a claim with their insurance. It’s important they start the insurance claim process as soon as possible.
When a home burns down, will the homeowner’s insurance company pay the cost of rebuilding it? A standard homeowners insurance policy in California will cover damage to a home caused by wind, lightning, water and fire. When a homeowner’s residence is completely destroyed by fire or if parts of the residence is damaged by fire, the insurance company should pay the cost for rebuilding the home or repairing any part of the home as a result of the fire damage.
Contents
The insurance company should also pay for the damage and any loss of clothing, furniture, appliances, tools, decorations and more. A homeowner can also be paid for the loss of certain structures on their property such as a tool shed or garage. The amount paid to the homeowner for such items will be determined by the limits of their insurance policy.
Claim Information
There are some standard information required by an insurance company to process a claim. Insurance companies will need to know the date of loss as well as the type of damage or loss, area of damage and more. A homeowner will have to provide an estimate for the damages to the home, list for the damaged contents and documentation for additional living expenses. A police report should also be provided.
Damage to the Landscape
The standard homeowner’s insurance policy does cover damage to plants, trees, shrubs and lawn on a homeowner’s property. Most insurers will pay 5% or less of the policy liability limits.
Temporary Housing
It is likely for a homeowner’s insurance policy to cover temporary housing expenses. This type of coverage will pay for the use of housing similar to the home that was damaged or destroyed. It will cover the time a house is being repaired or rebuilt. It may also cover for permanent relocation. These payments are not designed to cover for the homeowner’s lost earnings or wages.
Repair Documentation
A homeowner should maintain an accurate record of any expenses for repairs done to the home, this can include an estimate prepared by the contractor hired by the homeowner. Before starting the repairs, the insurance adjuster should inspect the damaged home.
Determining the Extent of the Loss
After a fire, a homeowner needs to make a list of what was damaged or destroyed. There are two types of lists a homeowner must provide. First is the contents list. This includes all the contents of the homeowner that was damaged from the fire. Second is an estimate of the dwelling prepared by the homeowner’s contractor which lists all the repairs needed to bring the house in a condition it was in before the fire. The estimate should be divided into categories such as entertainment room, kitchen, bedroom living room and more.
Legal Help
After filing a claim for fire damage with the insurance company, the insurance company may not pay the amount a homeowner is entitled to based on their insurance policy. When this happens, it is recommended to get the help of a legal professional. At Grun & Associates we have the knowledge and experience to help you recover the maximum coverage from your policy.