Michigan Insurance Claims – Public Adjusters and Loss Consultants

While usually harmless, household mold can also be very toxic and has been associated with a wide range of health conditions, from asthmatic symptoms and allergies to fibromyalgia, cancer and even death.

Mold toxicity, expensive mold remediation, and also the fact that most insurance companies usually don’t cover for it, make mold one of the most feared household hazards.  Some homeowners choose to pay extra for mold insurance “riders” that provide additional coverage. Should you???

Most likely not, as additional coverage is not just expensive, but also has low ceilings on the claim amount.  It’s better to be constantly vigilant in detecting sources of moisture in your home and take preventive measures to avoid indoor humidity, like fixing leaky pipes promptly, maintaining the integrity of your roof, keeping humidity levels below 60%, making sure roof water drains away from your home, cleaning any mold immediately with a solution of bleach and soap, and in rooms prone to condensation, painting with mold inhibiting paint.

At the same time, homeowners should be aware that even though their insurance policies don’t cover mold, depending on its source, mold damage may still be covered. For example, if the mold is the result of an accidentally burst pipe, or of flood waters entering your basement, mold remediation can be covered by regular homeowners insurance or flood insurance. However, if the mold is the result of neglecting to maintain ones home, the chances for a successful claim are considerable reduced.

Before filing a claim for mold damage, it’s important to review the language of the insurance policy for mold exclusions and also file the claim accurately.  When in doubt, ask for professional help.  It always pays!

Any questions???  We’re glad to hear form you!
Michigan Fire Claims

Tags: basement water damage, mold claims, Public adjuster, water damage

For the past few months, we received a large number of inquires for advice about claims related to flood damage. This year was particularly eventful for Michigan, as we had to endure not just frigid temperatures but also a lot of snow. That meant flooded homes and basements, both from ruptured pipes, and from the melting waters.

While they result in the same kind of damage – destroyed floors, moldy walls and furniture, toxic mildew – most homeowners will often, mistakenly, call them both flood damage. It may not be a problem if they actually carry flood insurance. But usually, especially if the property is not situated in a flood area, they do not. So when they contacted their respective insurance companies to report the damages, the person at the other end, informed them that, since their policy does not include flood coverage, the insurance company will not pay for water damages.

That shouldn’t be the end of it. It wasn’t for the homeowners our public adjusters worked with. In over a dozen such cases, we properly documented the water damage, submitted them as water overflow claims, and were able to get settlements to cover the cost of repairs and lost possessions.

At Michigan Fire Claims, happy endings is what we strive for everyday!

Tags: flood insurance, michigan, Public adjuster, Water Claims, water damage, Water Loss

A devastating earthquake, a powerful tsunami, nuclear meltdown. An apocalyptic scenario, and one can’t not feel the pain and fear of the japanese people as they deal with it all. However prepared this nation was for such disasters, that tiny chance of everything going wrong at the same time, materialized. The human and economic losses are of such magnitude that even one of the most advanced countries in the world has a hard time mitigating the disaster. We all remember too well – 9/11, Katrina- when we were scared, mournful, and lost. We bounced back, and so will they.

However, right now, they need our help. I’ve seen devastating fires and floods, but always the community jumps in to help those in need. Even across the ocean, let us be their community. Here, at Michigan Fire Claims, we made it our priority to HELP. On that note, please encourage everyone you know to also do the best they can to help. IT MATTERS.

Tags: fire loss, natural disaster loss, Water Loss

More cold days ahead for Michigan, with temperatures dipping into the low teens. For many home or business owners, with water pipes in unheated areas, like crawl spaces, attics or garages, chances are they will have to deal with some frozen pipes. As things start to thaw (soon, I hope!), that spells trouble. Flooding from broken pipes could cause a great deal of damage to residential or commercial properties.

Water damage, especially if not promptly attended to, is very costly to repair. So here are some things to be aware of, to avoid flooding from broken pipes:
- if water doesn’t turn on, your pipes could be frozen; turn off the main valve and call your plumber immediately.
- if you have outdoor pipes, cover them with insulation; inside, make sure all areas of your home are kept warm; open cabinet doors to let warm air in.
- if you suspect a frozen pipe, until things start to thaw, it may be difficult to determine exactly where the blockage is. As they start to thaw, they may rupture – make sure you know how to turn off the water to avoid potential catastrophe.
- as leaks can turn into rivers in a heartbeat, make sure you do not leave your property unattended if you suspect a frozen pipe
- re-check your property insurance policy. While most cover water damage from broken pipes, you will need to prove that you properly drained exterior plumbing lines, and maintained adequate temperature inside.

Have questions? Need help? We’d love to hear from you!

Tags: flooding, protecting, public, Water Claims, water damage, Water Loss

With the coldest days still ahead of us, fire risk is also on the rise. Our private insurance adjusters at Michigan Fire Claims work on a daily basis with homeowners that had devastating fires. During this time of year, most fires involve portable or space heaters, with electrical fires a close second. Improperly maintained or operated equipment is usually the main cause.

There are few basic precautions to consider, so you and your family stay safe and warm:

- have your heating appliances inspected by a certified professional
- operate gas or kerosene space heaters with the greatest care, as they account for the highest fatality risk protect floors under wood burning stoves, and leave enough clearance, as stray embers or overheating could easily start a fire
- for electric appliances, check all cords, and make sure you don’t overload the circuits when plugging them in.
have your vents and chimneys inspected and cleaned every season
- keep all combustibles away from any heaters
- don’t leave any open fires unattended (candles, cigarettes, fireplaces, stoves, etc)
- make sure your smoke detector and carbon monoxide detector (a must if you are using any space heaters besides electrical) are working properly
- talk to you kids about fire safety. As most fires occurs at night – having a clear fire escape plan that your kids understand and have practiced dramatically increases their chance of surviving one.

We hope you stay warm and safe, as the the cold weather is here for a little while longer.

As we get ready to uncork the champagne bottles, here at Michigan Fire Claims, I realize we have a lot to celebrate! Therefore, my thoughts turn gratefully to all of those who make our success possible: our customers, our employees, our partners, and of course, our families.

We had a very strong year, handling over 200 claims for families and businesses all over Michigan. While that in itself meant a lot of hard work and long hours for our team, the success we had in recuperating property losses for our clients makes it especially rewarding. For our company, there is a direct correlation between our success and how well we do for our clients. So I know, that our success also means families being able to rebuild their lives and businesses getting a new chance to prosper.

To our customers, as they settle into their new lives, post fire or flood, we are grateful we had the chance to help you through such difficult times, and we wish you the best of luck. Also, as most of our business comes from referrals, our sincere gratitude to all customers and partners for helping us have a stellar 2010!

Michigan Fire Claims

Tags: Claim Help, Fire Claims, Insurance Claims in Michigan, Michigan Fire Claims, Public adjuster

For too many Michigan families, the holiday season brings not just the usual joys and happy family times, but also an increased risk of fires.

While no one likes to think of fires other than the one in the fireplace, believe us, it happens; we see it every day. Loosing all you’ve got in a fire is not an easy thing for anyone, but eventually life goes on and thing get better. You buy new things, re-build your house, etc. However, while material things will be replaced, a life cannot!

So, please, as you start baking, decorating, lighting the candles, etc., don’t forget to take the necessary precautions to help protect your family and property. Here’s a video from the US Fire Administration and NIST showing it takes less than a minute for the Christmas tree to catch on fire and engulf the living room. Don’t let it happen to you!

If you have small children in your family, take the time to talk to them again about fire safety and the fire evacuation plan. If the unthinkable happens, having rehearsed these, will dramatically decrease their chance of fire related injuries.

From everyone here at Michigan Fire Claims Inc., we wish everyone a safe and joyous holiday season!

Tags: Fire, Fire Claims, Fire Help, fire insurance claims, holiday, Michigan Fire Claims, smoke, smoke claims

Thanksgiving is a time for family and celebration. Unfortunatly, several families in Flint, Saginaw and Detroit had left turkeys in the oven a little too long and the results were lots of smoke damage but no homes were lost.  It is important to keep an eye on what is happening in the kitchen.  There are many outdated stoves that are not use to high heat for extended periods and if and when turkeys catch fire the results can be worse than an actual kitchen catching on fire.  Turkey and other meats and there oils burn and release proteins in the air.  Protein fires permeate everything and is difficult to treat and clean.  We at Michigan Fire Claims will donate a turkey dinner to the families we have identified with this type of fire over this holiday weekend.

Tags: Claim Help, Detroit, Fire, Flint

We at Michigan Fire Claims Inc. would like to welcome Raymond Fair, our newest public adjuster to our staff.  Ray has many years experience working on the insurance side and has recently decide to help buisness owners and homeowners as a public adjuster.  Ray is from the Detroit area and now resides in Southfield.  Ray has a strong desire to help fire victims succeed in preparing and presenting their claim.

Tags: Claim Help, Detroit, Public adjuster, Southfield

A reminder to all insureds that a Proof of Loss or Sworn Statement in Proofs of  Loss are generally filed within sixty days from date of loss or upon request from the insurance company.  These are complicated documents and insureds should look to a public adjuster or adjuster for the assured for help in understanding how to file these documents.  These are documents that need to be notorized by a notary for them to be acceptable.

Tags: Proof of Loss, Sworn Statements in Proofs of Loss