Smoke is a common problem for those who have had a fire in their home or business. Smoke covers every surface and seeps into furniture, soaking through carpets and walls. Here is all you need to know about damage from smoke.

 

Types of Fire Damage

Three types of damages can occur.

 

1. Direct Smoke Damage

This occurs when the fire is burning in your home, and the smoke and soot damage it causes are obvious. If you have fire damage, like charred walls or a burned-out kitchen, you may be able to claim for this damage.

 

2. Indirect Fume Damage

This is less clear-cut because the lingering odor of smoke in your home after extinguishing a fire causes it. You might also see discoloration on walls or ceiling tiles from water used to put out the fire. This damage is harder to prove, but if you can show that you suffered more than $1,000 worth of indirect damage, you can get compensation from their insurance company.

 

3. Cleanup Costs

If your insurance company refuses to pay for cleanup costs related to damages in your home, they may offer a settlement instead. This could include things like hiring an exterminator or cleaning crew to remove traces of smoke odors from carpets or upholstery.

 

 Steps to Take if You Experience Fire or Smoke

Once you experience any of these damages, you can take these steps:

 

1. Contact a Public Insurance Adjuster

It can be difficult to determine your damage and whether you’re eligible for insurance coverage. If your home has sustained fire damage, you should contact a public insurance adjuster as soon as possible. This is because they will be able to help you figure out what type of claim you should file with your insurer and how much coverage you have.

 

A public insurance adjuster is an independent agent who works for an insurance company but does not sell their policies. Instead, they work with policyholders to evaluate their claims and advise them on how to proceed with their claims process.

 

2. Start the Fire insurance Claim

Smoke can cause unseen damage to your home’s structure and contents that are expensive to repair. In addition, the process of recovering from smoke damage can be overwhelming. Therefore, one of the most important things to do is start the insurance claim process immediately after a fire has occurred. The longer you wait, the more difficult it will be to get your home repaired and back to normal. Here are some the steps to get started on your fire damage claim.

 

Contact your insurance company and give them as much information about the fire as possible. Also, if you have kept any receipts for cleaning supplies or repairs that you have made, ensure you mention those too.

 

Take pictures of everything that you need to repair for your home to be livable again. This will help expedite the claims process when dealing with an insurance company because they need evidence of what happened for their adjusters to determine what repairs should be made based on those damages and whether your current policy covers them.

 

Document any losses related to the fire by taking detailed notes on what items the flames damaged.

 

We understand that dealing with fire damage can be overwhelming. That’s why New Jersey Fire Claims is here to help. We will do our best to help you through your claim, ensuring you get the help you need when you need it.