North Bay Fires Insurance Claims: Underinsured Homeowners

A wildfire can cause great devastation to a home. If the fire does not completely destroy the home, it can cause enough damage to make it unlivable, or to make your possessions irretrievable. In most cases, homeowners insurance will cover losses that stem from a wildfire, such as the recent North Bay Fires. If you don’t have enough insurance to cover your losses, however, you could find yourself in a challenging and complicated situation. The attorneys of the North Bay Fires Consortium want to help.

Underinsured? You Have Options

California insurance companies have been hit with thousands of home-related claims after several major fires scorched Northern California. Sadly, many claimants are underinsured. This means that their policies do not include adequate coverage to compensate the claimant for all of his or her fire-related damages. Underinsurance occurs when there is a gap between the limits of the policy and the true value of the home. Underinsurance issues are complex, and require analysis of the facts surrounding the purchase of the policy. If you find that you are underinsured for recent damage to your home, here are potential options:

1. Use resources from United Policyholders (UP). UP has worked for years to solve the problem of insurance companies routinely setting policy limits that are inadequate. The UP offers resources to fire victims dealing with underinsurance, including post-loss insurance claim tips and lawsuit information.
2. Challenge the agent in court. The insurance agent or broker who helped you purchase your policy may have given you poor advice, or failed to properly explain that your insurance would not cover the true value of your home. You may be able to go to trial against the person responsible for selling you the policy in specific cases.
3. Retain an attorney. The North Bay Fires Consortium consists of five highly capable law firms in Northern California. There are attorneys here who can help you deal with complicated insurance claims, such as those involving too little coverage or insurance bad faith dealings. Retaining a lawyer can significantly boost your chances of receiving an adequate settlement amount from an insurer.

Discovering that your homeowners insurance policy does not have adequate coverage can feel like the final blow after suffering major damage or total home loss in a California wildfire. You may feel cornered, with no options for recovery. This is not always the case. A conversation with an attorney can open your eyes to several possible solutions for receiving the benefits you need to rebuild your home or salvage lost possessions.

Get Help with Your North Bay Fire Insurance Claim

Thousands of Northern California citizens are on a long road to recovery after suffering serious losses in the recent Wine Country fires. If you’re one of the victims, one of the best ways to safeguard your rights during the recovery process is by working with a trustworthy lawyer. A lawyer can give you important resources within your community to help you and your family during this hard time. A lawyer can also handle an insurance claim on your behalf, fighting for fair compensation according to the terms of the policy. When you don’t know where to turn after a devastating fire, come to the North Bay Fires Consortium. Schedule a complimentary case evaluation with the Consortium, and an attorney will meet you at convenient location of your choosing.