Fire damages can be severe, expensive, and extremely hard to deal with for any property owner. Fires can rapidly damage building structures, ruin personal property and often destroy sentimental items. They quickly spread and can affect every piece and part of the building.
It can be devastating for you emotionally and financially if your property has been involved in a fire. Whether it was your home or business, we know you have lost items that can never be replaced and may now face daunting repair bills.
Insurance companies can have little compassion for your situation. They run a business and unfortunately will treat your claim accordingly. This mentality by the insurance company often translates into underpaid or denied claims. The simple truth is that, despite what they say, the insurance company is not looking out for your best interests.
Insurance Damage Claims
As with any property damage claim, if you make a fire claim against your North Carolina homeowners’ insurance coverage policy, you must give verifiable evidence and reasons with your claim, Insurers are working for-profit and will not hesitate to try and find reasons to deny or underpay your claim. Sometimes these tactics can lead to evidence that the insurer is acting in ‘bad-faith’ related to the adjustment of your claim. Some examples of common bad-faith behaviors from Insurance Companies include:
- Overlooking or undervaluing property damage.
- Efforts to reduce, delay, or deny payment without a reasonable or fair basis.
- Allegations of Arson.
- Threats of prosecution to lower the payment.
- Violation of the terms of the insurance policy.
- Delaying communication, valuations, and payments to frustrate you into accepting a low payment.
Insurance companies can go to extreme lengths to place the blame for the fire on the owner of the property. An experienced North Carolina fire damage insurance claim attorney will have the knowledge and resources to conduct an objective analysis of the fire damage claim to help the property owner understand all their options.
Common Fire Property Damage
- Structural damage
- Foundation damage
- Roof damage
- Destroyed furniture
- Appliances and electrical items damaged
- Discoloration of walls and belongings
- Odor from smoke
- Damaged electrical systems
- Damaged plumbing systems
These are just some of the property damages that can occur from fires. The fine details and specific languages in your policy will determine whether your damages are covered and, if so, the amount that you can be reimbursed (e.g. actual cash value v. replacement cost). A fire damage property attorney will be able to assist you in interpreting your policy and facilitate the recovery you deserve.
Representation for Fire Property Damage
If you have yet to file a claim, it is wise to get started as soon as possible with the support of a fire property damage lawyer, to make sure you are compensated correctly for the damages.
If you have any questions about this blog post or have experienced fire property damage, do not hesitate to call us. To schedule a free consultation, go to our contact page, call us at 919.526.0450 or send an email to info@maginnislaw.com.
