2. Make a list of everything you've lost and don't throw anything away
This is arguably the most critical step to get right in order to maximize the amount of your house fire insurance claim.
Review any proof of loss form sent to you by your insurance agent, but don’t sign anything that suggests whatever you initially submitted indicates the
full
amount of your claim. It will take a while — potentially months — to inventory every item lost or damaged, so you should attempt to submit an initial proof of loss with an “undetermined” amount listed.
It is important that you do not throw anything that is damaged away, even if you forgot to include it on your initial inventory list of lost property. When working with an attorney, it is far easier to prove that there is something you missed in your initial inventory when you still have the object itself in your possession. Keeping damaged objects also works as physical evidence of the item’s existence, as well as the exact damage it received during your house fire.
Get this part done before finding ou...