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Property Claims BLOG

The Hidden Damages of a Fire Loss

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.

How to Deal with Debris Removal After a House Fire

As the homeowner, you’re responsible for clearing debris from your property after a fire. The good news is coverage for debris removal is included in most homeowners insurance policies. It’s a necessary expense to bring your property back to its pre-loss condition, but how much is available for the site cleanup and what debris is covered?

What is Additional Living Expense/Loss of Use and What Does it Pay For?

When a fire or other covered peril renders your home not fit to live in, your homeowners insurance policy likely provides Additional Living Expense/Loss of Use coverage that pays for temporary housing and other extra expenses you incur to maintain your standard of living. ALE also reimburses you for other expenses that rise above and beyond what you would normally spend.

How To Complete a Total Loss Inventory List After a House Fire

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.

Vacant or Unoccupied? For Insurance Coverage, the Difference is Important

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.

What to do When Your Home or Business Suffers From Hail Damage

When a hailstorm strikes, it can batter roofs, shred screens and siding, and smash windows. Getting fully compensated for even glaring hail damage from your commercial, BOP or homeowners insurance policy is a challenge. Achieving a fair settlement for anything less than glaring damages can be a nightmare.

Water Damage Insurance Claims: Covered or Excluded?

Major rain events — like the ones that have been plaguing Wisconsin this summer — get insurance companies busy denying homeowners insurance claims based on water-related policy exclusions.

How Does the Anti-concurrent Cause Clause Apply When Property Damage Occurs

Continuing the discussion about water damage insurance claims, Attorney Edward Beckmann, of Helmuth and Johnson, contributed the following guest posting about his favorite insurance law tongue twister: the anti-concurrent cause clause.

What Your Insurance Won't Tell You About Additional Living Expenses

It is expensive to relocate your family while you're rebuilding your damaged home. You’ll incur hotel expenses, meals out and more. Fortunately, your Homeowners policy covers those extra expenses under "Coverage D - Loss of Use - Additional Living Expenses.” Your property insurance adjuster should explain this coverage, but he’s not likely to go into detail about some of the benefits to which you are entitled.

5 Unusual Items You Didn't Know Your Home Insurance Policy Covered

Your home insurance policy is written using simplified language, but policies still seem downright tricky at times. Unless you’ve spent a sizeable chunk of your leisure time sifting through your policy's agreements, definitions, and exclusions, you might not realize that these five items are actually covered.

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    The Hidden Damages of a Fire Loss

    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 Code Compliance Adds Substantial Cost When Rebuilding After a House Fire: Who Pays the Bill?

    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?

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