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Fire & Smoke Damage

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Fire Damage

  • In 2019, property damage caused by residential fires was estimated at $14.8 billion
  • An average of 358,500 homes experience a structural fire each year (NFPA).
  • The top three causes of residential fires are cooking (50% of all fires), heating equipment (12.5%), and electrical malfunction (6.3%).

What Happens During a House Fire?

Experiencing a fire can be devastating for both residential and commercial property owners, causing varying degrees of damage. From complete property destruction to minor smoke damage, a fire can affect structures and personal property in many different ways. Flames can cause direct burning, while smoke damage and corrosive substances emitted by the fire can also leave lasting impacts. Additionally, efforts to extinguish the fire can result in water damage and structural harm, which may be equally severe or even more destructive. These damages can significantly disrupt business operations or make it impossible to continue living in your home.

 

Being Prepared for a House Fire

As a property owner, it’s crucial to take precautions to be prepared for a fire. Start by documenting your property and assets through photos and videos, and store backups in multiple locations such as the cloud, a flash drive in a safe place off-site, and your hard drive. Having a fire evacuation plan for yourself and employees, obtaining commercial fire and wildfire insurance, and understanding how a public adjuster can help are all essential for fire preparedness.

It’s important to note that insurance companies categorize fires as either “accidental” or “incendiary.” Accidental fires can range from a cigarette in bed to the misuse of a space heater, while incendiary fires are intentionally set, either by the insured or someone else. Additionally, there are “Hostile” fires that escape their intended location and purpose, such as a fireplace or BBQ grill that causes property damage. Make sure you have adequate insurance coverage for all types of fire damage.

Don't battle your insurance company without consulting a public adjuster.
You could be leaving a significant amount of compensative reward money on the table.