Fire Damage Claims Attorneys in Chandler, Arizona

A fire in your home can be devastating. Before you realize it, the kitchen—or any other area of your home—could be ablaze, threatening your entire future. Hopefully, you contain the fire, but damage has already been done. You have homeowner’s insurance, but will the insurer cover all the damage? Will the insurer challenge you because you were largely responsible for the damage? 

So much depends on the provisions in your policy. Some policies contain “replacement” coverage for the house and its content, or you might have only “actual cash value” coverage for the personal items in your home, which means less of a payout.  

When you purchase your homeowner’s policy, you must grill your agent on exactly what it covers and to what extent. Insurance policies often have caps, or limits beyond which the insurer will not pay for loss or damage. There is also the issue of replacement coverage versus actual cash value coverage. The latter is based on returning your home to its previous market value, not necessarily to its previous state. 

If your home in Chandler or anywhere else in Arizona has sustained damage in a fire and you’re experiencing issues with your insurance company, contact us at Arnett & Arnett, PC. Our fire insurance claim attorneys can help you deal with the insurer’s questions and potential bad faith tactics. We have more than 30 years’ experience in dealing with insurance companies and their response to claims. They may try to limit any financial settlement you receive, but we are here to help you strive for what you and your family truly deserve. 
 
Set up a consultation with us today. We are proud to serve clients in Chandler, Phoenix, Tucson, Flagstaff, and throughout the state of Arizona. 

Fire Damage Claims in Arizona

Fires in homes are historically caused by cooking accidents or inattention during cooking. For example, someone may leave the kitchen and tend to something else, and a grease fire or other type of fire erupts.  

Heating is the second leading cause of home fires, followed by electrical system/lighting equipment, and then intentional fires. Smoking is the fifth leading cause, but it is the number-one cause of home fire fatalities. In Arizona, wildfires can also threaten homes. 

Regardless of the cause of the fire or the type of homeowner’s policy you have—replacement or actual cost—insurance companies are notorious for trying to find a way to wiggle out of paying a claim. They may even assert that you created the fire yourself. They may point to provisions in the policy that they say invalidate the claim. They can drag their feet and conduct repeated and unreasonable inspections. 

Process for Filing a Claim

You want to make sure you file your claim as quickly as possible, meaning right after the fire has occurred.

You may end up in a hotel or motel, and your policy should cover that—but beware. You’re entitled only to additional living expenses. For instance, if you fed your family for $300 a week at home and it costs $400 a week in a motel or hotel, the insurer may end up paying only the difference: $100. 

An important step in filing your claim is to seek the guidance and counsel of an experienced insurance claims attorney. The insurance company and its claims adjusters will likely use every tactic they’ve mastered over the years to low-ball your settlement, but you don’t need to let that happen. Don’t ever accept the first settlement offer. In fact, let your attorney answer all the claims adjuster’s questions and do the negotiating for you.