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Fire Damage

Fires are among the most catastrophic causes of property damage. In an average year, there are 353,100 residential fires that typically cost more than $7 billion in total property damage.

Rebuilding and recovering after a fire can be incredibly difficult, especially if an insurance company disputes your claim. If your fire damage claim has been wrongly denied or undervalued, contact RaiseMyClaim. We have a team of insurance dispute experts who can review the details of your policy and help you recover what you may be owed.

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Common Causes of Fires

Structural fires can be caused by natural disasters, human error, or defective appliances or wiring.

They include:

  • Wildfires: The 2020 wildfire season destroyed more than 17,000 homes and businesses
  • Electrical fires: Bad wiring, defective outlets, or faulty appliances may spark fires
  • Heating devices: Portable heaters cause more than 1,100 residential fires every year. Dryers, heat lamps, and water heaters may also cause fires
  • Cooking: Cooking is the leading cause of residential fires. Cooking-related fires cost more than $1 billion in property damage every year and are often caused by unattended food, unintentionally turned-on devices, or combustible items that are too close to heating sources.
  • Candles: Candles can easily spark a fire if they are left unattended or too close to combustible items.
  • Smoking: If cigarettes are improperly discarded or not fully extinguished, they can easily start a fire.
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Types of Fire Damage

In the long term, fire damage can cause the following losses:

  • Loss of an entire home
  • Considerable, costly home renovations
  • Destroyed personal possessions
  • Decreased property value
  • Additional living costs (for example, if you are forced to reside in a hotel while your home is being renovated)

Insurance companies typically distinguish between primary and secondary fire damage.

Primary Fire Damage

Any type of damage caused by a direct result of the flames, such as charred and destroyed walls, ceilings, floors, cabinets, personal possessions, and more. Fires often leave entire homes completely uninhabitable.

Secondary Fire Damage

In addition to damage caused directly by flames, you may also suffer secondary types of fire damage.

Secondary fire damage can be caused by:

  • Smoke residue
  • Water damage
  • Ash

What Types of Fire Damage Are Covered By Insurance?

Most fire damage is covered by home insurance. The one exception are fires that are started intentionally by a property owner in hopes of an insurance payout.

When filing a fire damage claim, your losses may fall under multiple types of coverage. These are broken down as follows:

Coverage A (Dwelling): Covers all of the costs to repair or rebuild your home after a fire.

Coverage B (Other structures): This covers damage to structures outside your home that you own, such as a shed.

Coverage C (Personal property): Coverage C compensates you for the costs needed to replace any personal belongings that were destroyed in a fire.

Coverage D (Additional living expenses): If you are displaced following a fire and forced to live in a hotel or rental, you may be able to recover these additional living expenses.

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RaiseMyClaim Can Help You Recover Compensation to Rebuild

Fires can upend your entire life and destroy every last possession you own. These experiences are already incredibly traumatic. When insurance companies wrongly refuse to compensate you for your losses, they are simply adding insult to injury.

If you need help with an insurance dispute, contact RaiseMyClaim. We can take over all of the details of your fire damage claim and go toe-to-toe with the insurance company while you focus on putting the pieces of your life back together again.

Our team can review the details of your case for free to see if you may be eligible for additional compensation under the terms of your policy. Contact us for a free legal consultation to get started.

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