What to do after a house fire: insurance claim checklist

General information, not legal or insurance advice.

First 48 hours

• Don't re-enter until the fire department declares the structure safe — hidden hotspots and weakened floors are real.
• Call your insurer's claims line (it's on your policy) and get a claim number.
• Get the fire report or incident number from the fire department — insurers ask for it.
• Ask about ALE (additional living expenses) the same day: hotels and meals are usually covered while your home is unlivable.
• Photograph everything before touching anything — wide shots first, then close-ups.
• Keep receipts for board-up, tarping and any emergency repairs — they're typically reimbursable.

Don't forget smoke and soot

Rooms that didn't burn still suffered. Smoke and soot damage to clothing, electronics and furniture is claimable — photograph those rooms too, and don't throw anything away until the adjuster has seen it or approved disposal in writing.

The list that decides your payout

Insurers pay for the belongings you can name and support. After a total-loss fire, memory fails: families with $100,000 of contents coverage routinely recover half or less simply because they can't reconstruct what they owned. A photo inventory made before the fire — with serial numbers and receipts for expensive items — closes that gap.

Glossary quickies

• RCV — replacement cost: what buying the item new costs today; often paid after you actually replace it.
• ACV — replacement cost minus depreciation; usually your first check.
• Proof of Loss — the sworn form your insurer sends; your inventory is its supporting evidence.

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