Elkhart County, Indiana
Elkhart Fire Public Adjuster: Appraisal Raised a Fire Claim to $522,596 (+$77,467)
After a house fire in Elkhart, your insurance company already has an adjuster working for it. Claim Management Adjusters (CMA) works for you. We are a licensed Indiana public adjusting firm based in Hartford City, in northern Indiana, and fire claims are most of what we do.
Call (844) 262-9110 Get a free claim review
Why fire claims get underpaid
The first estimate on a fire claim usually covers the burned room and not much more. Smoke and soot spread through HVAC ducts, wall cavities and attics. Water from the fire hose soaks floors and drywall far from the fire. Code upgrades, demolition, debris removal, contents and additional living expenses are easy to undercount when the carrier writes the scope by itself.
Real Elkhart-area claims we have handled
These are summaries from CMA claim files. Names, addresses and claim details are left out to protect our clients. Every claim is different, and past results do not guarantee a future outcome.
January 2021 fire, large-loss claim that went to appraisal
The insurer had approved $445,129 with items still open, against a $653,000 structure limit. We demanded appraisal. When the insurer named an appraiser who had already worked the claim as its engineer, we objected that he was not impartial. When the estimates stayed apart, we declared an impasse and brought in an umpire.
Result: After appraisal, replacement cost rose from $445,129 to $522,596, an increase of $77,467.
What we do on a Elkhart fire claim
- Inspect the whole home, not just the burned area, and document smoke, soot and water damage.
- Write our own Xactimate estimate and compare it line by line with the insurer’s.
- Build the personal property (contents) inventory with you, room by room.
- Track additional living expenses, debris removal and ordinance-and-law coverage.
- Negotiate with the carrier and, when needed, invoke appraisal.
How we get paid
There is no upfront fee. We are paid a percentage of what the claim pays, under a written contract you sign before we start. If we do not think we can add value, we will tell you.
Claim Management Adjusters is a licensed public adjusting firm, not a law firm. This page is general information, not legal advice. Your policy language controls your coverage.