House and apartment fires are devastating events, and unfortunately, they’ve become more common in Toronto as fire numbers have been above-average the past couple of years. Devastating fires in the neighbourhood can cause tragedy from one moment of carelessness in the kitchen or the laundry room.
Even in households with the best intentions to prevent fires, they can happen. If they do, it helps to know what you can do to get started with recovering and rebuilding.
What Causes Fire Loss?
According to the Office of the Fire Marshal, the most common source of fires in Toronto is the kitchen, and unattended cooking is one of the leading causes. It doesn’t take long for oils heating up in a pan to catch on fire and spread to other parts of the kitchen. It can happen as quickly as getting distracted by the T.V., and kitchen fires can rapidly move to the rest of your home.
Other common causes of fire include:
• Furnaces, heating systems, and space heaters,
• Candles that have been forgotten or knocked over by a pet,
• Careless placement of smoking materials.
What Can You Do After a Fire Loss?
The next step after you find shelter for you and your family is contacting your insurance company. Your fire insurance claim is the key to getting back on your feet, repairing property damage, and replacing the belongings you lost in the fire.
Once you’ve initiated your claim, it may be time to consider getting help with it, especially if it’s a major claim. The greater the extent of the property damage, the more important it is that you have someone who can guide you through the claims process and negotiate with the insurer if you feel they have not made a fair offer.
You can get help from a public adjuster in Toronto or from an insurance lawyer. Neither of these is the same as the insurance adjuster who will come to inspect your home and review your losses. This adjuster is hired by the insurance company and may have an interest in limiting the size of their estimate.
Your next step should be to document property damage and losses yourself. Once the fire department has declared the property safe for you to return, you should take photos or videos of property damage yourself. You will also want to start compiling a Schedule of Loss, a list of all the personal belongings lost in or damaged by the fire. The more receipts you can include to prove ownership of those belongings, the easier your claim should be.
If you’re worried about a fire in your home, be sure to review your fire safety plan, including your escape route, smoke alarms, and other preventative steps like keeping combustible materials away from heat vents and other sources of heat in the kitchen. But it can also help to review your fire insurance policy to make sure you’ll be covered if the unthinkable happens.