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Fire and Smoke Damage Insurance Claims
Fire or smoke damage? Call us before the insurance company prices your rebuild and everything you own.
Our licensed public adjusters handle claims for homes and businesses.
Stuart Hymson
Public Adjuster
Michael Zebold
Public Adjuster
Micaela Villa
Public Adjuster
Alex Barquero
Public Adjuster
Arthur Camayd
Public Adjuster
Tony Azcue
Public Adjuster
Frank Nunez
Public Adjuster
Fire claim underpaid or stuck?
A fire claim covers the house, the smoke damage, everything you own and where you live while it’s rebuilt. Insurers pay less on the parts that are hardest to prove.
Our licensed public adjusters document the structure, the smoke damage and your belongings, room by room and item by item, and build the claim for a full rebuild. The first review is free.
Sound familiar?
- They'll clean the smoke damage, not replace it.
- Their contents list is missing half our things.
- They're paying the depreciated value.
- Our living expenses are running out.
- The rebuild estimate is far too low.
Each of these is worth a second look. Call us before you accept their number.
What the insurance company says after a fire
Insurers look for ways to pay less on each part of a fire claim. Here’s how we answer them.
“Smoke damage can be cleaned.”
Some can. But smoke and soot get into drywall, insulation, ductwork, cabinets and fabrics, and an odor that keeps coming back means the cleaning didn’t work. We document how far the smoke went and claim replacement where cleaning won’t do.
“We'll pay the depreciated value for your belongings.”
Many policies pay replacement cost for contents, holding part of it back until you replace the items. We build a full contents inventory, room by room, with values that hold up, so nothing is left off or undervalued.
“Our contractor can rebuild it for less.”
Their number often leaves out code upgrades, matching materials and the real cost of labor. We write our own estimate for the full rebuild, and our team includes a licensed general contractor who knows what one costs.
“Your living expenses are running out.”
Additional living expenses usually run while the home can’t be lived in, up to your policy’s limits. A slow claim burns through them. We keep the claim moving so the rebuild isn’t stalled.
Fighting for the policyholder
Blueprint Claims has settled over half a billion dollars in commercial and residential claims with 15 years in business. Don’t settle for less, get the money you deserve. Fight for your claim!
Private Equity Firm
Apartment complex
Soperton, GA Homeowner
Insurance offered $2,000
Residential Homeowner
Large fire loss
Haines City, FL Homeowner
Insurance offered $13,551
Does homeowners insurance cover fire damage?
Yes, fire is a covered cause of loss on almost every homeowners policy. That includes the structure, other structures like a detached garage, your belongings, smoke damage, and additional living expenses while you can’t live in the home. Damage from the water used to put the fire out is part of the same claim.
Where fire claims go wrong is the amount. Insurers undervalue the rebuild, clean what should be replaced and pay contents at depreciated values. We document every part of it.
Structure
Contents
Living expenses
Smoke damage when the fire never reached you
Smoke and soot travel. A fire in the kitchen, in the unit next door or a wildfire nearby can leave smoke in rooms the flames never touched, and in the ductwork, insulation and fabrics. That damage is usually covered, but it’s easy for an adjuster to miss or to treat as a cleaning job.
We document it with photos, a room-by-room scope and expert help when the claim needs it, so the claim covers what really has to be cleaned or replaced.
Ductwork and insulation
Odor that comes back
Room-by-room scope
The contractor's edge
Arthur Camayd, partner, is a licensed public adjuster with the SPPA designation, a licensed general contractor, and holds a degree in architecture.
We know how buildings are designed, how they are built, and how to spot the damage most people miss. On complex claims like fires with structural damage or hidden issues, that construction insight and policy knowledge lets us build a stronger claim and challenge a low offer with real authority.
Licensed general contractor
Degree in architecture
SPPA public adjuster
We don’t just estimate. We advocate.
How we handle your claim
Four steps, from the first call to the settlement check.
Free claim consultation
Tell us about your claim. We’re here to help.
Free property inspection
Leaving no stone unturned, we focus on the details.
We estimate & appraise
Don’t worry about having to gather various repair bids on your own.
We negotiate & settle
We don’t get paid unless you get paid.
What to know about a fire claim
Waiting to see what the insurance company does is how good claims run out of time.
Smoke goes deeper than it looks
The adjuster the insurance company sends works for them, and cleaning is cheaper than replacing. Have us check what the smoke really reached before you settle for it.
If it's gone, it's hard to claim
Burned and smoke-damaged belongings are proof. Take photos and video of every room and keep what you can until it’s documented. Call us first, and we’ll build the inventory the right way.
The clock is already running
We hear it all the time. You know the check is too low, so you call the adjuster one more time and wait. Then months go by, and the deadlines in your policy keep running. Call now, while you still have options.
Don’t wait to see what they do. Call today and let a licensed public adjuster review your options while you still have them. Your policy review is free.
Other claims we handle
General information, not legal advice.
Why hire your own public adjuster?
Every claim already has an adjuster. The insurance company’s adjuster works for the insurance company. A public adjuster works for you.
A guide through the entire claim process.
Help you understand your rights under the policy.
Navigating through policy endorsements and exclusions.
Document your damages in detail.
Estimating & valuing the TRUE cost of your loss.
Collaboration with experts to support your claim.
Negotiating & settling your claim.
Working with contractors to get you back to pre-loss condition.
Hiring your own adjuster pays for itself.
Meet the adjusters
“Our adjusters know how buildings are built, how policies are written, and how to get a claim to the finish line.”
Michael Zebold, SPPA
Firm Partner
Michael Zebold
Senior Public Adjuster
Arthur Camayd
Senior Public Adjuster
Tony Azcue
Public Adjuster
Frank Nunez
Senior Public Adjuster
See what our clients are saying
“Blueprint Claims did an excellent job. They are the ultimate professionals. After my initial meeting with Alex, he took care of everything.”
D K
“Impeccable work and very effective, from first inspection review to the last step”
Margarita Gomez
“Frank worked for us, not the insurance company, and kept us informed along the way, which was also very helpful.”
Tom Maides
“Frank Nunez was extremely helpful in getting my claim overturned from a complete denial to a fully paid for roof.”
Ben Justice
Questions about fire and smoke damage claims
Answers to the questions families ask us most after a fire.
Does insurance pay for a hotel while my home is repaired?
Usually, yes. Additional living expenses, sometimes called loss of use, cover the extra cost of living somewhere else while your home can't be lived in, like rent or a hotel and the added cost of meals. Keep every receipt. A slow claim uses up that coverage, so call us to keep the claim moving.
The fire was electrical. Is that covered?
Usually, yes. A fire from faulty wiring, an appliance or a cooking accident is still a fire, and fire is a covered cause on most homeowners policies. If someone else caused it, the insurer may go after them later, but that shouldn't hold up your claim. Call us for a free review.
How do I make a list of everything I lost?
Room by room, using photos, receipts, bank and card statements, and old pictures of each room. It's easy to forget things on a first list. We build the inventory with you, so nothing is left off and nothing is undervalued. Call us for a free review.
Will insurance pay to rebuild to current building code?
Many policies include some coverage for code upgrades, often called ordinance or law coverage. When a rebuild has to meet today's code, those costs add up. We check your policy and put them in the estimate. Call us for a free review.
How much does a public adjuster charge?
You pay nothing upfront, and if we don't recover money, you owe us nothing. Our fee is a percentage of what we recover for you, set in writing before you sign, and never more than your state's law allows. Call, and we'll walk you through how it works on your claim.
Should I call my insurance company or a public adjuster first?
Call us before you call them. What you say on that first call can hurt your claim, and most policyholders don't know which words give the insurance company a reason to pay less or deny. We'll help you report it the right way, so call as soon as you find the damage.
My insurer already paid, but not enough. Is it too late to hire you?
You can hire us before you file, in the middle of a claim, or after the insurer pays too little. Many of the nearly 7,000 claims we've handled started just like yours. Don't sit on a low check, though: the deadlines to ask for more keep running. Call us now, while you still have time.
Are you lawyers? Do I need a lawyer or a public adjuster?
No. We're licensed public adjusters, not a law firm, and we don't give legal advice. We document the damage, write the estimate and negotiate with your insurance company. If your claim needs a lawyer, we work together with experienced property damage attorneys, and they rely on the file we've built. Call us first, so that file is built right from the start.
Call and a licensed adjuster will go over your claim with you. The review is free.
Connect with one of our licensed adjusters for a free claim consultation
What happens after you send this
A licensed adjuster contacts you We talk through your claim and answer your questions. The consultation is free.
We review your policy and inspect the damage Also free, with no obligation to hire us.
You decide whether to hire us If you do, we build the claim and negotiate with the insurer.
Let's discuss your claim!
We don’t get paid unless you get paid.
