Secondhand Smoke Damage

12/4/2019 (Permalink)

When wildfires cause damages to the houses on your street more likely your house will also be affected by ash and soot.

How to Get Your Insurance Company to Pay for Secondhand Smoke Damage

You know you're covered if a fire breaks out in your offices, but what if there's a fire in an adjacent building? Happily, some insurance policies will cover your losses if your, company has been impacted by a fire from a neighboring business. As you address smoke damage losses with your insurance company, make sure you complete the following steps.

Provide Thorough Documentation

There's a very good chance your insurance company will cover your losses, but for the best results, you need to keep track of what you've lost. Back up your claims with photographs of affected areas and items in your building. You should also plan to provide police and fire department reports when you file your claim. It's also a very good idea to collect and save all of the emails and documents you exchange with your insurance company. If you speak to representatives on the phone, keep a written record of those conversations.

Understand Your Policy
The more you know about your coverage, the better off you'll be when disaster strikes. As smoke moves through your building from adjacent properties, your walls, ceilings, carpeting, and equipment could be exposed to hidden soot damage. Work closely with your insurance company and restoration company to minimize your losses.
Seek Additional Help
Insurance companies operate with a focus on increasing profits while keeping costs down, as most other businesses do. However, if you believe that ambiguous wording is going to cost you thousands of dollars, you should talk to a public adjuster for help.