Fire & Smoke Damage claims · № 07 of 10
After a fire, the claim is a second full-time job
At a glance
- Licensed Illinois public adjusters
- $0 upfront — fee from the recovery only
- Residential & commercial
- Denied & underpaid claims re-opened
A fire claim is really four claims running at once: the structure, the smoke contamination that traveled far beyond the burn, a complete inventory of everything you owned, and the cost of living elsewhere while your home is rebuilt. Each has its own coverage line, its own valuation rules and its own deadlines — and the carrier works all four simultaneously, starting day one.
This is exactly the situation public adjusting exists for. We take over the entire process: securing and documenting the site, building the room-by-room contents inventory, scoping smoke and soot remediation to industry standards rather than a quick wipe-down, pricing the rebuild at real construction cost, and keeping your additional living expenses flowing until you’re actually home.
What the damage looks like
- Structural damage from flame, heat and firefighting water
- Soot and smoke residue rooms away from the fire — on contents, in ducts, inside cabinets
- Persistent smoke odor in materials the carrier calls "cleanable"
- Melted wiring, warped windows and heat-damaged roofing
- Water and chemical damage from suppression efforts
What carriers routinely leave out
- Smoke contamination in HVAC systems, wall cavities and attics
- Full replacement-cost contents valuation instead of quick depreciated offers
- Additional living expenses for the entire realistic rebuild timeline
- Code upgrades required when rebuilding — electrical, egress, fire protection
Every item on this list is money. Our job is making sure each one is documented, valued and in the claim.
From start to finish, their team was professional, efficient, and effective. When I first contacted them, I was immediately impressed by their responsiveness and willingness to answer all of my questions. Throughout the adjustment process, they kept me updated every step of the way. But most importantly, the results they delivered were outstanding — they negotiated a settlement that exceeded my expectations and covered all of my damages. If you need help with an insurance claim, this is the team to call!
Fire & Smoke Damage questions, answered
The insurance company offered a settlement two weeks after the fire. Should I take it?
A fast offer is almost never a complete offer. Contents inventories alone take weeks to build properly, and the rebuild scope isn’t knowable that fast. Politely decline, and let the claim be valued before it’s settled.
How do I document everything I lost in the fire?
Room by room, systematically — photos, receipts, bank statements, and memory-jogging walkthroughs. It is the most tedious part of any fire claim and one of the most valuable: unlisted items are unpaid items. We build the inventory with you.
Who pays for our hotel and meals while the house is rebuilt?
Your policy’s additional living expense (ALE) coverage — hotel or rental, extra food costs, mileage, even pet boarding. Carriers try to cut ALE off early; we tie it to the real rebuild timeline, not an optimistic one.
Related claim types
Free claim review · No obligation
Find out what your claim is actually worth.
One conversation. We read the policy, look at the damage and give you a straight answer — even if that answer is "you don’t need us."