Recovering from your loss after a fire

If you’ve ever had the unfortunate task of dealing with a building or household fire and your insurance company, you know what a fight it becomes to get fully compensated for your loss.

What most people may not know is that there’s an ideal option to help you navigate the difficult process of recovering from your insurance carrier after a fire causes damage to your property in 2020.

Property Loss Consultants

At Clarke and Cohen, we are Property Loss Consultants/Public Adjusters who assist property owners when your home or business is damaged by a fire and you need to make an insurance claim.

The services we provide include:

• A detailed review of your insurance policy, identifying your coverages, including discussing any and all endorsements in the policy that may affect your recovery.
• Assist in locating a remediation company to clean up the damage and protect the property from further damage. That protection is the responsibility of the insured.
• As required, review all financial documents for any loss of income or business income claims.
• Secure advanced payments after an initial meeting with your insurance company. This speeds up the payment process and enables you to start clean up and repair work without spending out of pocket.
• Recommend the appropriate experts needed for proper presentation of your claim.
• Provide contactors and estimators to prepare all dwelling/building claims and estimates for remediation and/or repair.
• Identify personal property experts to itemize your personal belongings and business personal property in order to present a comprehensive content list and personal property claim.
• Guide you through the process of preparing Loss of Use and Additional Living Expense claims.
• Meet with you, once all claim preparation is completed, to review the claim documents before submitting all of the paperwork, content lists, building and dwelling claims and financial losses to the insurance company.
• Consistently keep you aware of what is going on in the process of the claim.
• Review with you any/all settlement offers on the claims presented so you can make an informed decision on settlement.
• If a lender is named on the policy, we assist you through the process of dealing with your mortgage company which can be taxing and complex.

What’s your next move?

Contact us at (610) 668-0144 to talk to us about a claim when you are recovering from your loss after a fire.

It’s already here but is your home or business ready for the extreme cold?

Winter is Coming.

With the impending deep freeze on the way, home and business owners should prepare prior to the extreme cold. Cold weather emergencies and severe damage can happen and may put a damper on your dreams of warming up by the fireplace with a cup of hot chocolate in hand.

You may not be able to take every step listed below preventatively, however, by being aware of the havoc that extreme temperatures may cause, you will be an educated property owner with the gift of knowledge on your side.

Here are crucial steps you can take to minimize a potential disaster:

• Repair roof leaks and clear rain gutters to prevent ice dams which can form and cause your gutters to clog.
• Remove tree branches that could fall on your house or other structures during a storm. If you have older trees, it’s a wise idea to have an arborist inspect any suspicious trees.
• Have heating equipment and chimneys cleaned and inspected every year. The chimney is the highest point of the house so it is likely to have the most damage with high winds or heavy rain during a storm.
• Hire a contractor or engineer to check the structural ability of your roof to withstand heavy weight from the accumulation of snow, ice or water.
• Clear drains both on the ground and on upper level decks of debris and leaves.
• Make sure to insulate pipes. Pipes that are exposed to exterior walls and areas that are not heated could freeze.
• Insulate walls and attics, caulk and weather-strip doors and windows, and install storm windows or cover windows with plastic from the inside.
• Allow faucets to drip a little during cold weather to avoid freezing pipes.
• Fuel-burning equipment should be vented to the outside and make sure to keep the area around the vent clear.
• and furniture. Some space heaters, especially taller ones, may tip over, potentially causing a fire hazard.
• Keep fire extinguishers on hand and make sure everyone in your house knows how to use them. Your fire extinguisher doesn’t last forever so replace an older model. Manufacturers suggest replacing them after 5-15 years.
• Learn how to shut off water in your home in the event a pipe burst. Teach your family how to shut off your water in case you are away during a storm.
• If you have a vacation home or will be away from your home for an extended period, be sure to drain the pipes and winterize the plumbing. Maintain the heat at 60 degrees.
• Open cabinet doors under sinks to allow warmer air to circulate around the pipes.
• Run paddle ceiling fans on low in reverse to circulate warm air.

If you experience structural damage of water damage resulting from a storm or extreme cold, call Clarke & Cohen at 610-668-0144 to help you navigate your insurance claim. Our team of experts will respond immediately and provide personalized service 24 hours a day/7 days a week to resolve your residential or business insurance claim.