If Your House Burns Down, What are Your Options?

No one should have to deal with the trauma of a house fire. But if your house burns down, expert advice can help. Here are some of the first things you should do.

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.

The two terms “vacant” and “unoccupied” might appear to be synonymous, even interchangeable in general conversation, but they are distinctly different when it comes to property insurance coverage.

Imagine the horror of suffering a major house fire and having your belongings destroyed, badly smoke- and soot-damaged or waterlogged. Your world is officially turned upside down, yet you have crucial duties to perform to make sure it gets right-side up with a properly filed insurance claim. The furthest thing from your mind is an examination under oath (EUO). What’s that, you might ask? Read on.

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

When purchasing or renewing a homeowner’s insurance policy, your credit score plays an important role in your premium costs, and even in the ability to buy an insurance policy. Most insurance carriers use a credit-based insurance score to calculate your premium payment. Here is what you should know about how insurance companies use your credit score and how you can improve it.

When you suffer minor damage to your home or business, you can probably handle the insurance claim process on your own. However, when your damage is substantial, you'll probably find it pays to have a public adjuster on your side.

At just a month into Fall, some Wisconsinites already shoveled snow, many are past the first frost, and most are firing up their heaters to offset the falling temperatures.

It’s that time of year when scores of Northerners plan to escape winter’s icy grip for a winter vacation. If that applies to you, making sure your home is properly prepared and secured before you head south could prevent a catastrophe. Follow these winter home safeguarding tips to help avoid a costly insurance claim.