Recovery & Resources / AN ORANGE COUNTY GUIDE TO COPING WITH FIRE : Q & A : Get the Claims Process Rolling Quickly

With hundreds of Southland homes destroyed, damaged or endangered by fire, here are some questions and answers about fire insurance coverage. For more information, the state Insurance Department maintains a toll-free consumer hot line at (800) 927-HELP. State Farm Insurance, the largest insurer in the United States and in California, has set up a number for claims: (800) SF CLAIM (732-5246). And Western Insurance Information Service, an insurance industry-sponsored educational organization, also supplies brochures about coverage and can be reached at (800) 391-1679.

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Q: What do I need to know about filing a claim?

A: State insurance regulations require your insurer to provide you with claims forms, instructions and assistance, if needed, within 15 days of your notifying them of a claim.

The state Insurance Department advises keeping a log of all phone calls or meetings with claims adjusters or other insurance representatives and maintaining an organized file of letters, receipts and other documents related to your claim. This may head off disputes down the road.

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Q: What do I do about living arrangements if my house is destroyed?

A: Contact your insurance agent immediately. Most insurers will provide you with a living allowance to cover temporary shelter and to replace clothing. You generally do not have to complete a claim to get these emergency payments.

It is to your benefit, however, to get the claims process started as quickly as possible, particularly in fires of this magnitude. Although insurers are assembling catastrophe teams of claims adjusters, there is likely to be a backlog of applicants.

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Q: What if my home is livable but needs repairs?

A: In a disaster, insurers will make total losses their first priority, and there could be a delay in getting to your claim. Make the repairs necessary for your comfort and safety, and make sure to keep receipts to ensure reimbursement later.

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Q: I’m a renter. Does my landlord’s insurance cover me?

A: No. The landlord’s policy covers only the building. Protecting your belongings is up to you. It can be done with renter’s insurance.

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Q: Will everything in my house be covered by insurance?

A: Probably not. Although most standard items are covered up to policy limits, there are a number of things that are usually not insured unless you’ve purchased a special rider or endorsement to specifically cover them. Examples include jewelry, furs, high-value camera and gun collections, coin or stamp collections, and personal computers used in a home office.

Smoke, water and wind damage related to a fire will be covered in most cases.

Landscaping and cars are usually not covered under homeowners’ policies.

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Q: The fires didn’t touch my neighborhood this time, but what if I’d like to improve my protection for the future?

A: Make sure that you understand what your policy does and doesn’t cover. Cash value policies pay only the current fair market value for your possessions, so a 10-year-old suit might be worth only a fraction of what you’d have to pay to replace it today. On the other hand, guaranteed replacement cost coverage for the contents of your home would get you a new suit.

State law requires insurers to explain these differences, but it’s worth taking another look at your policy.