You probably don’t think about it until it happens, but fires can happen in your home. And when they do, you’re going to want to make sure that any damage is covered by insurance. That’s why we’ve pulled together this blog post — so you know what kind of coverage you have and how much homeowners insurance costs.
We’ll start with the basics: If there’s a fire at your house and you call the fire department and they put out the flames, then your homeowner’s policy will cover all of those damages up to its limits as long as it was an accidental fire (and not arson). In reality, is not as easy as it may seem since the insurance company will not makes the process simple.
Your insurance company may want to settle with you for an amount that is tentative while the investigation continues. Do not agree to this settlement until you have a professional adjuster and/or attorney review coverage limits and coverage options.
Your insurance company may want to settle with you for an amount that is tentative while the investigation continues. Do not agree to this settlement until you have a professional adjuster and/or attorney review coverage limits and coverage options.
In This Article We Will Cover:
Does homeowners insurance cover accidental fires?
Yes, your homeowner’s insurance typically helps cover your home repairs and personal belongings. Most policies include coverages that may help pay to repair or replace your home and its contents if they are damaged by fire. Your house is probably the most valuable asset you have, and you have homeowners insurance to help protect you and your house in case something unfortunate, such as a fire, should happen. From electrical issues to candle mishaps, the National Fire Protection Association reports an average of 355,400 residential fires each year.
You probably don’t think about it until it happens, but fires can happen in your home. And when they do, you’re going to want to make sure that any damage is covered by insurance.
Standard homeowners insurance policies always have a set amount for the coverages but it may be a good idea to increase them. And yes your premium may go up but in the event of a disaster, you will have a stronger fire damage coverage. Be sure to check if you have enough coverage for all your personal property and if you have full replacement cost for your electronics.
For those who do not own your home make sure you have a renters insurance policy. They are different from a homeowners policy but can also cover property damage, this policy is typically included when you rent from a corporate landlord. Make sure you ask if your insurance will cover fire and additional expenses such as loss of use and/or relocation expenses.
What do I do after my house burns down?
An unforeseen blaze can quickly complicate your life, throwing up roadblocks to areas like mental health and personal finance in addition to the more obvious difficulties of rebuilding your home.
These are useful steps
- Find a secure place to stay. One of the first things to do is to find temporary housing most homeowners insurance policies will refund you part or all your expenses. If your home is destroyed by fire, you might be eligible for “loss of use” funds from your insurance policy.
- Contact your insurance company immediately. You’ll need to begin a claim and address your immediate requirements. Your insurance agent should also be able to help and offer recommendations for cleaning up or restoring salvageable items.
- You will want to take the appropriate precautions to ensure that your home is safe. Even if your house is destroyed with the fire damage and you are unable to stay there, as the owner, you must safeguard it as much as possible from weather and unlawful intrusion.
- Take good care of your pets. You should always take your pet to a local vet after a house fire.
- Obtain a copy of the fire report. This is a very important document since it will be required to file a fire insurance claim and both your insurance adjuster and your insurance agent will request a copy.
- Address your financial issues. Additional living expenses will start adding up very fast, from basic necessities to medical bills
- Prepare an inventory of your items and find a place to store them securely. Insurance usually covers most of the personal property lost in a house fire. If you suffer a loss, the actual cash value of your destroyed goods could be given to you at the time of settlement, and you may recoup your replacement expenses once the items have been replaced. Keep a home inventory of your belongings to help guarantee that nothing is overlooked. The date of purchase cost at purchase, and the item’s description, if feasible, should all be included in this record.
- Take care of your family’s emotional well-being. It might be tough to cope with a calamity. Children, in particular, are more vulnerable to the effects of adversities. Be kind with yourself as you go through the stress associated with a fire. If you or your family members are having difficulties coping, seek assistance.
These are the most common causes of house fires
- Electrical fires due to faulty wiring
- Grease fires due to unattended cooking
- Smoking in the house
- Candles
- Barbeque fire
How Fire Insurance Works
Homeowners insurance protects policyholders’ homes and belongings against loss or damage, also known as insured property. This is a blanket policy that refers to both the interior and outside of your house, as well as any valuables, kept on the premises.
Fire insurance covers a policyholder against fire loss or damage from a number of sources. These include fires brought about by electricity, such as faulty wiring and gas explosions, as well as those caused by lightning and natural disasters.
Homeowners insurance provides coverage for all these items which are on the property itself rather than inside your home.
The majority of insurance plans cover a property, regardless of whether the fire starts within or outside of it. The degree of coverage is determined by the origin of the fire.
Do insurance companies deny fire damage claims?
Insurance companies will deny coverage for fire damage under certain conditions. For example, if the blaze began due to an act of vandalism or arson on your part, you may not be entitled to coverage. Fires caused by smoking materials are also considered non-covered damages since they were carelessly started and within your control as a homeowner. Fire coverage can also be denied if maintenance work was being performed without proper permits and inspections were not completed.
Your insurance company may want to settle with you for an amount that is tentative while the investigation continues. Do not agree to this settlement until you have a professional adjuster and/or attorney review coverage limits and coverage options.
File Your Claim Immediately
Homeowners insurance coverage is designed to be a sort of cash benefit that pays for your losses. You’re not supposed to wait around and see if the company will pay you what you deserve before taking steps on your own behalf, such as finding temporary housing or replacing critical items like medication. In fact, waiting too long might jeopardize coverage altogether.
Immediately following a loss, file your claim with your insurance company. Your coverage will likely include replacement coverage for the items you need to replace immediately at their actual cash value (the price you paid minus depreciation for some cases). If you don’t have coverage for replacement costs, you may find yourself paying the difference.
If your policy has a specific dollar limit on coverage or excludes certain items altogether (such as jewelry and electronics), be sure to check what’s covered under your plan before making purchases to replace lost or damaged property. Discuss these issues with your agent so that you know up-front what coverage your policy provides.
Your coverage will also include personal property coverage, which pays for the loss of certain items that are not permanently affixed to your house or its land (such as clothing, appliances, and furniture). Keep in mind this coverage is subject to limits on specific types of losses (like theft), dollar caps on coverage amounts, and restrictions on what items are covered.
If you have coverage for specific perils (such as flood or wind damage), it’s important to file a separate claim for each loss.
Need Help Dealing With Your Insurance Company
Accidental fires are devastating, but they can be prevented with the right precautions. American Premier Claims is here to help you understand your homeowners’ insurance coverage and how it could affect you in case of an accidental fire or other natural catastrophes. We offer free claim analysis that will let us know if we’ll be able to cover a potential loss for you—or not.
