Fire Damage Claim Insurance Lawyer in Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Fire Damage to Apartment Complex
If your home has been damaged by fire, you may be facing a range of new challenges and concerns. You purchase insurance to protect you and help you in this situation. However, increasingly, insurance companies are using adjusters and computer programs to determine settlements, many of which may be based on statistics and not on the reality of your situation. If this describes you, you may want to speak to a fire damage insurance lawyer in Fort Lauderdale, Florida today. Leader, Leader & Zucker, PLLC Attorneys at Law are fire damage insurance attorneys who work closely with families affected by fires to help them get the recovery they may deserve.
Has Your Home Been Damaged by Fire in Fort Lauderdale, Florida?
If your home has been damaged by fire in Fort Lauderdale, Florida you may be facing a range of new challenges. You may be displaced, living elsewhere, and may wonder what steps you should be taking. Money may be tight and you may wonder how you’ll pay for living expenses. First off, it is important to contact the fire department and other authorities to prevent further damage to your home. After the fire, you may need to board up your windows to prevent further damage.
If you have had to leave your home, you can ask your homeowner’s insurance to send you an advance to cover immediate emergency expenses or make arrangements for alternate living arrangements under the Additional Living Expense (otherwise known as ALE) provision of your policy which is contained in most homeowner’s insurance policies. For instance, your policy will likely cover the replacement of clothes and basic items. Rather than paying for this out of pocket while you struggle to recover, you can ask your insurance company to send you an advance to help you purchase work clothes, school clothes, and toiletries. Keep receipts for everything you purchase and find a way to organize your expenses. For instance, keep track of meals and living expenses. You may also be entitled to the transportation costs for things you need to get that you otherwise would have had at home but for the loss you suffered. While you will only be reimbursed the difference from your normal living expenses, your insurance company may be able to reimburse you for meals you need to eat out as a result of the fire. Hotel bills or other living arrangements may also be covered. Finally, remember to be reasonable. If you didn’t buy designer clothes for the kids before, don’t do so now. You’ll owe the difference.
Make sure you make your claim as soon as possible. Your insurance company has a responsibility to respond to your claim in a reasonable time frame. If there are unreasonable delays, you may wish to speak to a fire damage insurance attorney in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
What to Include in A Fire Damage Insurance Claim
It is a good idea to keep an inventory of all items in your home and their values. If you don’t have a list, you’ll need to make one and then assess the damage. An insurance adjuster may want to see evidence of the damage to the items you claim, so it is a good idea to either keep the items or take photos of the damage. Any repair estimates should also be recorded and noted in writing. It is a good idea to make your claim in writing. Finally, if you are not comfortable with the settlement you are being offered or if you are not comfortable about the information being requested, you have a right to ask that the insurance adjuster correspond in writing. Asking for written correspondence can be useful in that it allows you to properly track your dealings with your adjuster, allows you to think before you respond, and allows your attorney to look over any correspondence and responses. You’ll need to organize quite a bit of information, so it’s a good idea to start a binder where you record expenses, losses, and correspondence. Always keep the originals of any repairs, bills, or documents and send a copy to your insurer.