Following a severe storm, fire, or other disaster, Wisconsin property owners are exposed to an influx of people from out of state selling services on behalf of roofers, building contractors, public adjusters, and insurance-related businesses. Concealed among the many skilled actors coming to assist our friends and neighbors are a few bad actors intent on taking advantage of people facing complicated property insurance claims.
There are many reasons insurance companies justifiably deny fire insurance claims. But that doesn’t mean all fire claim denials are justified.
One of the most daunting tasks required in the claim process after losing your home to a fire is properly documenting your personal property to ensure you’re compensated fully for what you’ve lost. Completing a total loss inventory list is a high-stress task, and it must be done correctly so as not to leave settlement dollars on the table. Know going in that it will be messy, time-consuming, and require a lot of patience as you meticulously document the many possessions you’ve accumulated over a lifetime.
It’s a challenge to do everything you need to do on your own when dealing with the aftermath of a fire. Not only do you have to deal with the complexity of the fire insurance claim process, you also have to make sure your property gets inspected, cleaned, repaired and rebuilt.
Invoking an Appraisal Clause
An insurance company will never voluntarily pay more than an amount claimed by a policyholder. So if you suffer a loss, the scope of damages needs to account for everything needed to restore the property to “uniform and consistent” appearance. That’s where licensed public adjusters can really prove their worth—using their extensive knowledge and experience to include claim elements that may not appear obvious to the untrained eye.
Hurricane Matthew has finally dissipated and, assuming your family is safe to re-enter your property, the process of cleaning up the damage has begun. If you're among the one million plus population that moved to Florida within the last 10 years and never experienced a hurricane, you may be lost on how to move forward with the process of filing an insurance claim after Hurricane Matthew.
When your home is seriously damaged, it's difficult to navigate the claim process alone. Insurance claims adjusters don't tell you everything you need to know. They push you to settle quickly. When they should be making certain you have the funds to properly restore your home, an insurance adjuster often focuses on keeping the claim payout low. These small complications can become big disputes. Hiring a public adjuster is a prudent way keep the claim disputes process flowing smoothly before it spins out of control.
As with most self-sufficient adults, you might not consider hiring a public adjuster to manage your property damage claim. You might not even know what a public adjuster does. But when you are trying to recover from a catastrophic loss, it’s a good time to find out. PAs handle complex claim and coverage details. They work hard to maximize your settlement. Most importantly, a PA works for you to make your life easier.
When is The Right Time for the Appraisal Clause?
There’s more to fire damage than meets the eye. Fire can also cause hidden damages that can be hard to detect. The two main culprits: smoke/soot damage, and water damage. Knowing about these additional impacts on your property, and how to take care of them, helps ensure you’re reimbursed appropriately for your claim.
Building codes are in a constant state of evolution. Advancements in engineering, technology, safety, building materials and methods, and changes in the physical environment all drive changes in building codes. If your fire-damaged home is 10 or more years old, complying with the current building codes may add substantial cost to your reconstruction. Will you be stuck with the bill?
Use our Experts Guide to help you manage your insurance claim like a pro.
This expert’s guide will take you through the steps to manage your insurance claim from start to finish and help you maximize the settlement.
Let us prove it: your first sheet is free.
This expert’s guide will take you through the steps to manage your insurance claim from start to finish and help you maximize the settlement.
If I could provide one crucial piece of advice to anyone dealing with a major loss due to fire, water damage, etc. – it would be to contact Miller Public Adjusters!
“Excellent experience. I had a major fire which destroyed my business. My Insurance company was hostile and adversarial at best. I hired Miller Public Adjusters. They did everything. I never had to have another conversation with a elusive and hostile insurance company. If I hadn’t hired Miller Public Adjusters to represent me, I would’ve lost everything.”
“Dave is super knowledgable on the process as he’s not only been in the industry for years but he has also had personal experience with his own fire-damaged home. No matter how trivial you may think your question is Dave and his staff will take the time to make sure your questions get answered and you understand the ramifications. His expertise on the matter quickly turned what seemed to be a hopeless uphill battle into a more manageable playing field.
“Top-notch service would recommend Miller Public Adjusters service to anyone. Dave thank you much. The process was great.”
“David and his staff are outstanding and worth their weight in gold. If you need help with any insurance claim, hire them; you’ll be glad you did! If I could rate them 100 stars, I would!”
"Champions. Warriors. Heroes. Lifesavers! That’s exactly what David Miller and his fantastic team at Miller Public Adjusters are! There really are no words to describe what his team has done for me and my family. We are extremely grateful, and they are WORTH EVERY SINGLE PENNY you pay them for their services and then some!"
“Thankfully, the restoration company referred us here. From that point on, David at Miller Public Adjusters reassured us that he would do everything in his power and knowledge to prove that our homeowners insurance should cover the damages. In the end, we won the case and the claim was paid. I can’t thank David at Miller Public Adjusters enough!”
We never would have been able to navigate the confusing world of a total loss claim without their help, guidance and expertise,” Todd stressed. “I would recommend Miller Public Adjusters to anyone who is faced with a traumatic claim that involves dealing with ‘Big Insurance.’ They will absolutely help to alleviate much of the pain.
They were successful at getting the maximum settlement from the insurance company. My family and I are always praising Miller Public Adjusters to people who ask us about the fire. We can’t thank them enough.
“Miller Public Adjusters knows what they are doing and stood firm against the insurance company. Miller Public Adjusters got us everything we were entitled to, and even more than we thought, in a matter of months. We did not have to deal with our insurance company and also did not have to purchase anything and turn in receipts for reimbursement. What a time-saving relief. Miller Public Adjusters are knowledgeable, understanding professionals, and we highly recommend them to all our friends and family.”
At just a month into Fall, some Wisconsinites already shoveled snow, many are past the first frost,
At just a month into Fall, some Wisconsinites already shoveled snow, many are past the first frost,
At just a month into Fall, some Wisconsinites already shoveled snow, many are past the first frost,
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