If you live in a state that is prone to wildfires, it’s important to know your town and home are properly protected. Sometimes this means taking steps yourself — such as installing smoke detectors and fire extinguishers. For others, it might mean getting your property inspected for possible hazards and working with local authorities to make changes before disaster strikes.
However, if your house, unfortunately, gets caught in a wildfire, the law may be the only thing protecting your property and many people wonder what their rights are if their home gets caught in a wildfire. The following article will give you information about the rights you have if you find yourself in this situation.
Protect Your House To The Best Of Your Ability
Many people think that an insurance company will cover anything that happens to their homes. This is not always the case, especially when it comes to the FAIR plan, and therefore you need to take steps to protect your home as much as possible. This means having fire alarms installed, knowing where the water main shutoff valve for your home is located, checking if flammable vegetation is near structures or vents for gas lines are stored correctly. You should also consider all options for protecting your house from wildfires. If something does happen, make sure you report it immediately so officials can come by and see what needs to be taken care of for your protection.
You Should Get Legal Advice
If you find yourself in this situation, you must find a legal professional as soon as possible because you need to know what your rights are. Your attorney should contact the insurance company and let them know that they will be representing you. They can then send an appraiser to see how much it would cost for repairs and ask the insurance company to take care of it. If this is not done right away, your property could end up falling into disrepair, which means more money out of pocket for you when you need it during a difficult time. Therefore, as soon as you realize your house has been damaged by fire, contact a legal professional immediately.
Know The Difference Between Actual Cash Value and Replacement Cost
Knowing the difference between “actual cash value” and “replacement cost” will help you understand the law better. Actual cash value is what your property was worth when it was destroyed by fire. Replacement cost, on the other hand, is how much it would take to replace your belongings right now if something were to happen to them. If an insurance company uses replacement costs for paying damages, they are required to compensate your home for everything that was lost. However, if they use the actual cash value, this means you are only getting what it would cost to replace it right now, even if that is less than what you owned before the fire happened. If this happens, you should work with an attorney because there are clauses that have been added to policies that allow for certain damages being covered without having to resort to court proceedings if necessary.
You can (And Should) File A Claim For Damages Caused By Fire
If your house has been damaged by fire, you may be wondering what the best way to file a claim is. First of all, keep in mind that if it’s still burning, you need to call the police before doing anything else so they can remove structures that are unstable and potentially hazardous. Afterward, contact your insurance company as soon as possible. Make sure you have proof of purchase for any items that might be covered under their policy. Be sure to document everything carefully – including taking photos or making videos where the damage occurred. If this is not done, it will be hard to prove how extensive things are when it comes to making an insurance claim after your property caught fire.
You Have The Right To Appeal A Decision
If you’ve been turned away by the insurance company after your house was damaged in a wildfire, you have the right to appeal their decision. The laws that have been put into place do not require you to pay any legal fees upfront and this means that if an attorney is unable to help you with your case, they will return all of your money. However, make sure there isn’t a retainer fee before using this service because it can be expensive. In reality, though, many attorneys will provide a free consultation for potential clients who are going through similar things.
Be Prepared For Additional Fees And Legal Action
Finally, if your home is damaged by fire and an insurance company does not properly compensate you for the damages, make sure to keep track of all additional fees and legal action taken against you. This means filing estimates for repairs and recording the names of people involved in conversations with local authorities or insurance companies after a wildfire damages your home. You should also have any receipts from work done on your property at the time documented so that there is evidence that it was being repaired. Later on down the road, if more damage occurs because of neglect from an individual or entity responsible for taking care of your property after a disaster, you will be able to file more claims if necessary.
Even though wildfires can cause severe damage to homes and property, but it doesn’t have to leave you with anything if you know what your rights are. Instead of accepting the first thing an insurance company offers after your house gets caught in a wildfire, work with legal professionals who specialize in this area. They will make sure that every aspect of the case is covered, which means you get paid what you deserve for any damages caused by fire on your physical property.