What Happens If You Have A House Fire With Home Insurance?
One of the reasons to purchase home insurance is to protect your home from disasters, such as a house fire. This can make you wonder how exactly home insurance will protect you if your home catches on fire and creates a lot of damage. Here is an overview of what will happen.
You'll Need Temporary Housing
You won't be able to live in your home while the house is being repaired, and your home insurance should give you the coverage that you need for temporary housing. If you have a small fire that can be repaired fairly quickly, you'll likely stay in a hotel and be given money for additional meals due to not having a kitchen.
If there is enough damage that it will take a long time to repair, your insurance company may prefer to rent a home in the area for you. You'll have a kitchen, so it is to be expected that you won't be spending additional money on going out to eat as a result.
You Can Purchase Emergency Items
Chances are that many of the things that you need will be in your home and damaged by the fire. You'll be allowed to purchase emergency items with the insurance company paying for them, such as clothing, personal care items, toiletries, and anything else that was damaged that needs immediate replacement.
Your Personal Property Will Be Cleaned Or Replaced
In an ideal situation, you will be able to clean the items that were damaged by the fire. Not only does this ensure that you get back exactly what you had in your home, but it is cheaper in the long run for most items. However, many items will likely need to be replaced. If an item is made out of plastic, it's likely that the soot from a house fire discolored the item in a way that cannot be repaired.
For items that need replacement, it is common to be given two options for what to do about them. You can take a depreciated cash value for the item and not replace it, or get the money to replace the damaged item with an identical or similar item.
Your Home Will Be Repaired Or Rebuilt
An assessment is made of your home to determine how to proceed with fixing it. The goal will be to save the home if possible, but sometimes repair costs can be too high. It may be more affordable to tear down the house and build it from the ground up, especially if repair costs are very close to the cost of rebuilding.
For more information on home fire insurance coverage, contact a professional near you.
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