What to do after a house fire?

These measures will help you and your family recover from a house fire. Since suffering a house fire, it may be hard to find out what to do next. These steps are going to help you get back on your feet:

1. Find a safe place to stay here. No matter how much harm you have, you probably can't stay in your own house. If staying with friends or family is not a choice, speak to the local disaster relief organization, such as the American Red Cross or the Salvation Army. These organizations will help you find a safe place to stay for a while.
2. Make a home insurance claim. You're going to need to launch a claim to discuss your urgent needs and may want an experienced property insurance attorney to do it for you. Some attorneys will not charge a fee until your insurance company gives its evaluation. Don't forget that insurance companies commonly underpay valid claims by tens of thousands of dollars.
3. Document your losses. Be sure to document your Loss of use, which means your insurance policy is obligated to cover living and other everyday expenses. If you collect these funds or advance payment, save all receipts and keep a clear record of all transactions. Your insurance company should also be in a position to pay for you and provide for cleaning up or repairing salvageable objects. Experienced insurance attorneys hire experts to do thorough investigations and generate reports of all the items damaged.
4. Secure your home immediately. Even if your home is destroyed and you may not reside there, you need to defend it as much as possible from both weather and illegal entry as the owner.
5. Take care of your animals. Always get your pets checked by a vet after a burn. Your pets' lungs can be harmed by smoke, and burns can be concealed under the fur.
6. Get a copy of the report of the fire. Typically you can get fire updates from the local fire department. The report can help provide information to your insurance provider.
7. Address your finances. You're still going to have to make mortgage payments—even if your house is ruined. You will still need to continue any car payments and repair any credit or debit cards that may have been lost in the house fire.
8. Get your possessions back. Objects lost by house fire are typically covered by insurance. Usually, a homeowners policy is a cost-replacement policy. If this is the case and there is a loss, you may collect the full cash value of the damaged goods at the settlement time and recover the replacement cost after the items have been replaced. To further ensure that everything is accounted for, maintain a home list of your belongings. This inventory should include, where applicable, the date of purchase, the cost of purchase, and the summary of each item. Insurance companies almost always underpay the costs of fire-damaged contents.
9. Take note of the mental health of your family. Disasters will find it challenging to deal with them. This is especially true of children. Be careful with yourself as you work through some form of fire tension. If you or those in your family have trouble coping, seek help.
10. Consider speaking with an experienced fire damage attorney. Insurance companies routinely significantly underpay valid fire insurance claims. Don't be a victim twice. Speak with a knowledgeable property insurance attorney to maximize your fire loss. Remember, the insurance company has a lawyer. You should have one too.