“The fire took a room. The smoke took the house.
Fire and smoke damage claims for Florida homeowners. What burned is the easy part. Soot, heat, the smell in every closet and the water from the hoses are the parts the first estimate leaves out.
What the insurer misses
A fire estimate written from the burn line stops where the char stops. The loss does not.
- Smoke and soot in rooms that never burnedSoot settles in every room, inside cabinets and closets, on every surface. Cleaning is not one room. It is the house.
- The air handler and ductworkThe AC pulled smoke through the whole system. If the ducts are not 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 outHoses soak floors, walls and the rooms below. That is 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 the insurer's software can read
What we document
Before the restoration crew starts, the whole house is on record.
Fire claim results
We have not published a fire claim result yet. Eight hurricane and water results are on the results page.
Case coming soon
Fire and smokeFire claim questions
Short answers here, the statutes on the FAQ page.
The fire was small. Is a claim worth it?
A small fire is rarely a small claim. Smoke and soot travel through the whole house and into the air handler, and the water used to put the fire out soaks floors and walls. Call us and we walk through what the policy covers before you decide. The call is free and there is no fee unless the claim pays.
Does the policy pay for somewhere to live while the house is repaired?
Many Florida homeowner policies include loss of use or additional living expense coverage for the time the home cannot be lived in. 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 insurer's restoration company?
Read anything you are 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 read it with you.
Can I cancel your contract if I change my mind?
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)
Free assessment
Tell us what you found. We look at it, tell you what it means, and you decide. No cost, no obligation.