Residential Fire Damage Claim

Project Type: Residential Fire Damage Claim
Location: St. Petersburg, FL
Challenge: Insurance company’s offer focused only on visible fire damage, ignoring the pervasive and toxic effects of smoke and soot.

The Situation: A Devastating Kitchen Fire

It started as a small kitchen fire, but it quickly filled the Chen family’s home with thick, acrid smoke. The fire department responded quickly and saved the structure, but the aftermath was overwhelming. The kitchen was charred, and a layer of black soot coated nearly every surface in their two-story home. Their lives were turned upside down, and they looked to their insurance company for help.

The Setback: The “Wipe and Clean” Lowball Offer

The insurance adjuster’s offer of $40,000 felt like a second blow. It covered the cost of rebuilding the kitchen cabinets and offered a simple “specialty cleaning” for the rest of the house. For their personal belongings—clothes, furniture, electronics—they were offered a fraction of their value due to heavy depreciation. The insurer insisted that the smoke damage could simply be wiped away.

The Chens were devastated. They knew a simple cleaning wouldn’t remove the persistent, toxic smell, and they felt lost trying to inventory a lifetime of possessions. They contacted us, refusing to let their tragedy be minimized.

Our Solution: A Scientific Approach to a Complex Claim

A fire claim is about much more than what you can see. It’s about what you can smell and what you can’t see. Our approach was immediate and comprehensive.

Step 1: Halt All Communication and Engage an Industrial Hygienist
We immediately took over all communications with the insurer. Our first and most critical step was hiring an independent industrial hygienist to test the air quality and surfaces throughout the home.

Step 2: Proving the Pervasive Damage
The hygienist’s report became the foundation of our case. It proved with scientific data that toxic soot particles had penetrated deep inside the walls, settled in the HVAC system, and embedded into porous materials throughout the home. This proved a “wipe and clean” approach was not only inadequate but also unsafe for the family’s health.

Step 3: A Meticulous Contents Inventory
While the homeowners were emotionally overwhelmed, our dedicated contents team went room by room, creating a detailed, 80-page inventory of every single item lost—from spoons to sofas. We documented the make, model, and replacement cost for each item, leaving no room for the insurer to lowball.

Step 4: Building a Claim for a Full, Safe Recovery
Armed with the hygienist’s report and our exhaustive inventory, we submitted a new proof of loss. It demanded a settlement that would cover:

• Gutting the affected rooms down to the studs.

• A full replacement of the home’s HVAC system and insulation.

• The full replacement cost of all destroyed personal property.

• Adequate Additional Living Expenses (ALE) to keep the family in a comfortable home during the extensive rebuild.

The Result: A Safe Home and a Fair Settlement

The insurance company could not argue with scientific evidence and meticulous documentation. The initial lowball offer was completely discarded.

• Initial Insurance Offer: $40,000

• Final Settlement Secured by Our Team: $165,000

This 312% increase provided the Chens with the resources they were rightfully owed. They were able to properly rebuild their home, ensuring it was free from toxic residue, and replace the personal belongings they had lost. We took the entire burden off their shoulders, allowing them to focus on their family’s recovery.

Client Testimonial:

“After the fire, we were completely lost. The smell was everywhere, and the insurance offer felt like a total insult. Property Damage Claims Experts was a lifesaver. They brought in scientists to prove how bad the smoke damage was and documented every single item we owned. They fought for every penny and turned a $40k offer into a $165k settlement. We could have never done that. They didn’t just rebuild our house; they helped us rebuild our lives.”

– The Chen Family, St. Petersburg, FL