The fire took a room. The smoke took the house.
Fire and smoke claims for Florida homeowners. What burned is the easy part. The soot, the heat, the smell in every closet and the water from the hoses are what a first estimate can leave out.
Illustrative photo
What a first estimate can leave out
An estimate written from the burn line stops where the char stops. The loss often doesn't.
- Smoke and soot in rooms that never burnedSoot settles in every room, inside cabinets and closets, on every surface. Cleaning isn't one room. It's the house.
- The air handler and ductworkThe AC can pull smoke through the ducts. If they aren't cleaned or replaced, the smell comes back every time it runs.
- Heat damage without charWarped doors, crazed glass, melted wiring insulation and blistered paint next to the fire are damage, even with no burn mark.
- The water that put it outThe hoses soak everything, down to the room below. That's a water loss inside a fire loss, and it needs the same moisture documentation. Water claims.
- Contents and living expensesClothes, furniture, electronics, and the cost of living elsewhere while the home is repaired. Each has its own coverage part and its own limit in the policy.
- Every room photographed, burned or not, before cleaning starts
- Soot and smoke residue documented on surfaces, in cabinets and closets
- Heat affected materials near the fire, listed even without char
- Ductwork and air handler inspected and included
- Thermal camera and moisture readings where the water went
- A contents inventory, item by item, with values
- Loss of use and living expenses tracked from day one
- The fire report and any cause and origin findings on file
- A line item estimate in the format insurance companies use
What's on record before cleanup
Before the cleanup crew starts, we put every room we can safely reach on record.
Fire claim results
No fire claim result published yet. Eight hurricane and water results are on the results page.
Case coming soon
Fire and smokeFire questions, straight answers
Short answers here. The statutes are on the FAQ page.
Is a small fire worth an insurance claim?
Even a small fire can leave hidden smoke and water damage. Smoke and soot can travel through the house and into the air handler, and the water that put the fire out can soak floors and walls. Call us and we'll walk through what the policy covers before you decide. The call is free, and you don't have to hire us. No recovery, no fee.
Does homeowners insurance pay for a place to live after a fire?
Many Florida homeowner policies include loss of use or additional living expense coverage for the time you can't live in the home. Whether yours does, and up to what limit, is written in your policy. We read it and tell you. Keep every receipt from the first night.
Do I have to use the restoration company my insurance sends?
Read anything you're asked to sign before you sign it. A contractor's assignment of benefits can hand control of your claim to the contractor. Call us first and we'll read it with you. You decide, and there's no obligation to hire us.
Can I cancel a public adjuster contract?
Yes, within 10 days of signing, no penalty.
“An insured or claimant may cancel a public adjuster's contract to adjust a claim without penalty or obligation within 10 days after the date on which the contract is executed.”
Florida Statute 626.854(7)
Start with a free assessment
Tell us what you found. We'll look, tell you what it means, and you decide. No cost, no obligation. Sending the form doesn't hire us.