Fire Survivors Share Their Advice

Four years ago this Christmas we had a small fire, started by a decorative candle. It was our fault, a dumb mistake, but that didn’t make being out of our home for three months any easier. Once we were moved back in, we actually joked about fire being one tragedy we didn’t have to worry about again in our lifetime, because we’d “had ours.”

But incredibly, lightening struck twice. Just six months after moving back into our townhouse, an electrical problem in our next door neighbor’s patio area started a fire that consumed most of our unit and two adjacent units.

The only good thing that could be said was that at least this time, we knew how to deal with the insurance company. When it was all over, I knew I had information that would help someone someday.

--If your insurance policy was destroyed in the fire, get a copy from your agent right away and read it until you know it forward and backward.

If you don’t understand it, ask questions until you do. Your policy describes what you are entitled to receive and you can’t negotiate until you understand the policy. We were surprised to discover that most policies leave room for interpretation. Don’t just accept your agent’s or adjuster’s clarification of vague points if you disagree; instead make a case for your own interpretation. If it comes down to a matter of opinion, yours is as good as theirs.

--You don’t need an independent or “public” insurance adjuster. You can get what you are entitled to from you insurance company if you are capable of being assertive.

--Lower your expectations of your insurance agent. When you place a claim, it’s the adjuster, his or her supervisor and the claims manager you’ll need to work with. In our case, our agent had never met the adjusting staff we worked with and had no pull whatever.

--Cooperate with your insurance company whenever possible, but do not compromise on things that are important to your family. Accept up front that persistence and some polite foot-stomping may be required to get what you want, even if your policy clearly states your coverage. We seldom got what we wanted the first time we asked, because a lot of people will take no for an answer.

--Don’t think that your insurance company’s adjuster is going to act as an advocate for you. Fundamentally, you have different goals. Theirs is a fast, economical settlement of your claim. Yours is a fair, reasonable living situation for your family and your house rebuilt to your satisfaction.

--Insurance adjusters may ask you confusing questions in the first days after the fire. As we were surveying the remains of our townhouse in the first visit after the fire, our adjuster casually asked me, “About how much do you spend at the grocery store each month?” In my foggy mental state I didn’t realize the importance of my answer, and I popped off a number that was much too high.

Later, she used my guesstimate to deduct a “typical month’s groceries” from our receipts for meals taken while we lived in a hotel for a month after the fire. Going through our checkbook and calculating a more accurate number got us quite a bit more money back.

--Do not settle for inadequate interim housing. Our insurance company pressured us to rent within 10 days, so we rented a small apartment. The second time around we held out until we found a place that was suitable. Despite the inconvenience, it is better to stay in a hotel for an extra month than to rent a place that won’t work for your family. Get some realtors looking for a rental home that is roughly the same as yours in square footage, numbers of bathrooms and bedrooms and amenities.

Remember, despite the insurance company and contractor’s optimistic estimates, you could be living there from one to three years. Your family’s life must go on as normally as possible in the interim house. Finding one you like in a familiar neighborhood greatly reduces the stress of being displaced.

--Use as little of your own money as possible. Getting your family’s cash flow tied up is the last thing you need right now. Our insurance company gave us a cash advance for hotel, meals, rent, deposits, etc., but not the first time we asked.

--If your insurance company wants details, provide details. Our adjuster tried to get out of paying for some items by making it difficult to file a claim. The dumbest situation was when I was asked to describe how full each spice bottle was in my spice rack, so they could prorate the payment for replacements. If you don’t know, take inventory in a friend’s kitchen or just take an honest guess. But don’t let the adjuster intimidate you out of making your claim.

Leaving small items off of your claim may seem like a time saver, but they can add up to thousands of dollars. Don’t forget the contents of your bathroom cabinets and medicine chests.

--When you are ready to start demolition and rebuilding, get very involved in the process of interviewing and selecting a contractor. Our insurance company recommended three firms; after meeting all three and checking references, we would only consider using one of them.

--Whenever possible, use only clean-up crews, movers and contractors who specialize in disaster recovery situations. They bring a special understanding to the process that is an incredible relief. An experienced contractor can explain to your adjuster, in a way that you can’t, why they should pay for doing the job right instead of skimping or reusing materials that could permanently stink of the fire if not demolished. If your house was not completely burned to the ground, you’ll swear it was by the time the demolition crew gets done with it. Very little is reusable.

--Contact the country tax assessor’s office TODAY to have your property value reduced temporarily. This will reduce your property taxes dramatically. There is a time limit on filing and the assessor’s office will not contact you to tell you this is available. Take pictures of what’s left of your house to submit with the forms.

--If your temporary residence uses electric heating and your new utility bills are significantly higher than yours have been at home, submit a claim for the difference. We collected $580 just by getting old records from the gas company for comparison.

In general, it’s a smart idea to keep good records about your claim. Over the length of time it took for our construction, we had three adjusters. We were glad our records were better than theirs.

--Keep in mind that your life will be centered on rebuilding from this fire for a couple of years. Long after your friends and relatives have tired of it, you will still be telling insurance and contractor tales. Try to keep it in perspective.

Vacations, movies, sports, whatever your normal recreational activities, should be continued or resumed as soon as possible. Try to have some days where you don’t do anything related to the fire.

Surprisingly, we found the few months after we’d move back into our newly rebuilt house one of the most stressful times, because we’d forgotten what “normal” was like for us.

Those of you who have lost all or part of your home to fire recently have our deepest sympathy. We know how you feel.

While it doesn’t hurt forever, I still feel it when I see a fire truck approaching at full speed with lights flashing and sirens wailing. We got great enjoyment out of making some improvements to the house we’d always wanted to make. And recessed lighting is a lot more affordable when you don’t have to tear out an existing ceiling!