Up In Flames: What to Do When You Have a Fire

Up In Flames: What to Do When You Have a Fire

what to do after a house fire insurance

A fire can obviously cause a tragic loss of life and severe injuries, but it can be incredibly traumatic even if no one is hurt. If this ever happens to you, it’s important that you have a plan in place to deal with the aftermath. Here are some house fire prevention safety tips as well as other information that will hopefully help should you experience this type of troubling event.

Home Fire Safety Tips

One of the most significant house fire safety tips is to make sure you have smoke detectors throughout your home. Test them each month to make sure they’re working correctly, because they could very well make the difference between getting out safely and suffering a devastating tragedy.

If you smoke, it’s imperative that you take the proper precautions. For example, you should always smoke outside — never in bed. Never smoke if you’re sleepy or on medication, or if anyone in the home has to use oxygen. You should always douse your ashtray with water before emptying it and keep any matches or lighters far out of the reach of children.

You should also check your home’s electrical wiring to make sure there are no frayed wires that could spark and lead to a fire. Call a professional electrician to perform a thorough, top-to-bottom inspection of your wiring system and have him make any repairs that may be necessary. Also, do what you can to avoid overloading your extension cords and electrical outlets and check that all outlets have cover plates. If there is any exposed wiring, that could easily lead to a fire.

When cooking, you need to always be in the kitchen when you’re broiling, frying or grilling your meals. If you’re baking or roasting something, you might not need to keep a constant watch on the meal, but you still need to stay around the home. Don’t let your children or pets anywhere near the stove while it’s on and keep the area clear of any flammable items such as bags, curtains or paper towels.

Dealing With Insurance If a Fire Occurs

When it comes to what to do after a house fire, insurance will be one of your most important considerations. The process of rebuilding after a house fire will largely depend on how your carrier responds.

One of the first things you should do is ask the insurance company about obtaining an advance on your claim. The company should send a check to wherever you’re staying — whether that’s a relative’s house, a hotel or anywhere else. Keep receipts for everything you purchase.

Your policy requires that you report your losses just as fast as you reasonably can, by either sending your insurance agent an email or by calling him or her. You will then need to itemize your losses and list their value as part of your proof of loss claim. If there is any delay in notifying your carrier, that could result in it taking an extremely long time for the insurance company to send an adjuster out to your property.

Rebuilding After a New Orleans House Fire

If the fire destroyed your home, you will obviously want to rebuild as quickly as possible. But you need to take some time and do some research before choosing a builder. You’ll be busy enough trying to pick up the pieces and get your life back together — the last thing you want to do is choose a company that does a poor job of communicating with you or overseeing the project.

Please get in touch with Irpino, Avin & Hawkins if you’ve suffered a house fire in New Orleans and you’re having any issues with an insurance carrier or anyone else. If you have questions such as how to talk to an insurance company after a house fire or your fire safety insurance carrier is being difficult, we may be able to help. Please contact us online or call 800-7500-LAW to learn more.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *