Michigan Insurance Claims – Public Adjusters and Loss Consultants

Over the past weeks,  Michigan’s wettest spring since the ’50s has unleashed major flooding in many areas, including Dearborn, Livonia, Southfield, Troy, Farmington, Detroit, Ann Arbor, Flint, Monroe, and Saginaw. Intense rainfall, damaging winds, large hail and powerful thunderstorms have left many without power and with severe property damages.

While we received reports of fallen trees, wind damage and roof damage, the most significant damages occurred because of flooding, especially basement flooding. Many homeowners found their sump pumps not being able to keep up or not working adequately to keep the water out.

Unfortunately, many homeowners insurance policies exclude water damages from backed up sewers or drains and sump pumps overflows. As flood cleanup and restoration costs are usually significant, paying out of pocket is not a great way to start the summer.

There are two main things all homeowners should consider to proactively minimize the devastating effects of a flood and to avoid potential financial ruin:

1. Carrying the right type of insurance

Even if your home is not situated in a flood prone area, torrential rain could easily flood your home and basement. It is therefore imperative to understand your policy and add coverage from water damage, if it’s presently excluded.  You have to understand, however, that water damage coverage is not flood insurance. If you live in areas prone to flooding from bodies of water, you may also consider purchasing flood insurance through the National Flood Insurance Program.  Contact your insurance agent for more information.

2. Having the right equipment to deal with flood waters

As basements are usually kept dry by a sump pump system, proper maintenance and regular check ups are really important (contact your plumber!).  If your sump pump is not gravity-driven, it requires electricity to run.  As power outages are common during storms, when you need your pump sump working, make sure you have back up power for it (generator, batteries) in the event of an outage.  Even if your basement is properly outfitted with the right equipment to keep storm waters out, it is still a good idea not to store any valuables where they can get damaged.

We wish everyone going through difficult times because of recent flooding the best of luck!  Also, remember, as the premier public adjuster company in Michigan, we are here to answer any questions you might have about water damage insurance claims and to provide property loss consulting for homeowners and businesses throughout Michigan.

Finally, Happy Memorial Day form everyone at Michigan Fire Claims.

Tags: Claim Help, michigan, Public adjuster, Water Claims, water damage, Water Loss

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

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

Congratulations to the Detroit Lions for an impressive win against the Saint Louis Rams in Detroit.  It has been a long time since football fans have witnessed a dominating performance such as that.  I would claim before the game that the Detroit Lions would need help to win and I was very wrong.  Help was not needed at all. I guess I will not claim they need help for the next game.

Tags: claim, Claim Help, Detroit

My daughter is very excited about going down to Detroit and watching her favorite team the Detroit Lions play the Philadelphia Eagles.  She tells me this morning that the Detroit Lions will need help with out Mathew Stafford and a lot of  help against Vick.  I am just excited to watch the Lions play.  With or without help against the Eagles, my daughter and I will have fun.

Tags: Claim Help, Detroit

Most of us remember where we were on 9-11-2001.  I was in Detroit providing help to a family after there home was burned the week before due to a candle being left too near combustibles when a fire started in the basement and nearly destroyed there home.  The neighbor next door ran out and caught our attention as she started to scream about the twin towers having planes fly into them.  It has been nine years since the towers were destroyed by fire and our world has changed alot.  Can you rememmber where you were? I was in Detroit at a fire scene providing help to a fire victim.

Tags: Claim Help, Detroit, Fire

The damage created by the tornado in Dundee this past week was unimaginable .  We spent several days consulting with city officials and tornado victims on how to file proper claims.  Several homeowners requested claim help.  Our company is doing as much as we can for all the victims involved.  I will update more on this subject on future postings.

Tags: Claim Help, dundee, victims

We have been talking to several adjusting firms to have a seminar on how to help fire and water claims for victims in Grand Rapids, Battle Creek, Kalmazoo and surrounding areas.  We are hoping to use our office in Grand Rapids for the presentation.  We should have more info by the end of May.  Please contact us with any questions.

Tags: Claim Help, Fire Claims, Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo

Fire victims with no insurance can find fire help through the Red Cross.  The Red Cross normally provides assistance with housing and vouchers to purchase food and clothing at local stores.   We have made significant contribution to the Red Cross and several shelters throughout our State.  I would encourage any company or individual to donate if they can.  The Red Cross can always use our donations to help at any catastrophy.

Tags: Claim Help, contributions, shelters