The last thing on the minds of most people whose homes were devastated by wildfires like those in Northern California may be keeping a journal. But, consumer advocates say, a journal can help in successfully filing an insurance claim.
After damage from a wildfire — or from a flood or any other major disaster — it’s important to take detailed notes to help the insurance claim process go as smoothly, and as swiftly, as possible.
“Document, document, document,” said Doug Heller, an insurance consultant with the Consumer Federation of America. “You need to keep a diary of this claims process.”
Damage from wildfires is covered by a standard homeowner’s policy. There’s generally no worry, as with flood damage, that coverage for fire may be excluded from a policy, said Amy Bach, executive director of United Policyholders, an advocacy group. But the sheer scope of the California disaster — coming soon after major hurricanes in Texas and Florida — will probably mean that insurers and adjusters, who visit properties to assess how much the insurer will pay, will be stretched thin.