Fire Insurance Lawyers in Hamilton and Toronto ON
A fire at your home or business can be devastating. Within minutes, the building, all of your personal records, and treasured possessions can be gone. Once the shock wears off you may feel fortunate to know that you had fire insurance coverage to help you rebuild and get back on your feet.
But what happens if your Ontario fire insurance company wrongfully refuses to pay your valid claim or refuses to pay for the full amount of the damage? In the most egregious cases, the insurer may even treat its policyholders as criminals, accusing them of deliberately starting the fire, requiring them to submit form after form, and even dragging them into a lawyer or adjuster’s office to take their testimony under oath.
If you feel victimized or bullied by your fire insurance provider it is time to get the help of a professional insurance lawyer. For over ten years, Ontario lawyer Michael Lesage has represented victims of fire loss and helped earn the rightful compensation they deserve. After all, you have paid the premiums for all those years – it’s only fair that your insurance company pays out on your valid claim.
Call Michael’s Law Firm at 647-495-8995 or
Contact Our Hamilton and Toronto Fire Insurance Lawyers Online
Typical Fire Insurance Coverage
Each fire insurance policy is unique but there are usually three main areas to make claims and receive reimbursement:
- Dwelling or Buildings – Costs to repair or rebuild your home and attached structures – typically based on the square footage, quality of finishings, quality of construction, and other factors you reported to your insurer when purchasing the policy.
- Detached Structures – Coverage is also provided for separate structures on the property, such as sheds or garages.
- Contents coverage – Coverage is provided for loss or damage to your personal property, including in some cases, when that loss happens away from the insured residence. You will need to create a Schedule of Loss listing each and every item in your home you wish to make a claim against.
- Additional living expenses – most insurance policies provide coverage up to 20% of the insured value of your house for additional living expenses incurred, such as the cost of staying at a hotel or renting another property while your home is uninhabitable. Keep in mind that if your house is a total write off and needs to be rebuilt your living expenses can add up quickly. If you incur additional living expenses, be sure to keep detailed records and receipts (an easy way to keep track is to charge them all to credit card).
Tips for What to Do Following a Fire Insurance Claim
Our Toronto and Hamilton fire insurance lawyers suggest you take very careful steps to meticulously document every part of the insurance claims process. This means you need to:
- Report your fire insurance claim to your insurance company (and not your insurance broker) right away.
- Make a preliminary inventory of the items that were damaged or destroyed.
- Take pictures of the damage.
- Contact a qualified insurance claims lawyer to help interpret the fine print if needed.
Timing is Critical – Call Michael’s Law Firm Today
At the same time you are trying to get back on your feet and return to normal you will also have to deal with your insurance company and the adjuster (who is appointed by the insurance company). There are certain deadlines you are obligated to meet and some policies have time periods within replacement of contents must be effected.
If you feel pressured to meet deadlines or victimized and bullied by your insurance company, or have even been wrongfully denied your claim, call our Toronto and Hamilton insurance lawyers to fight for you. Principal owner Michael Lesage has over ten years’ experience litigating insurance claims cases and brings an pugnacious approach to getting his clients what they deserve.
Call 647-495-8995 or contact our law offices in Toronto and Hamilton for your confidential case assessment. There are no fees unless we win or settle your case.