Claim Guidance Library

Smoke and ash damage from a wildfire

If your home was exposed to wildfire smoke and ash, you want to make sure it and its contents get properly inspected, tested, cleaned/treated and restored to pre-exposure condition.  Damage to your home and possessions by smoke and ash is covered in your home policy.  Payment for smoke damage to the structure of your home (walls, studs, wall-to-wall carpeting etc.) comes out of your dwelling coverage.  Payment for smoke damage to area rugs, clothing, curtains, furniture, etc.) comes out of your contents coverage.  No special dollar limit cap (such as you may find for mold) should apply, other than your overall dwelling and contents insurance limits.

Smoke damage can be both visible and invisible to the naked eye.  So it is particularly important to have qualified experts do the inspection, testing, cleaning and restoration.  Generally someone hired by your insurance company will do an inspection and issue payment for the amounts they believe they owe to restore your home and your possessions to pre-loss condition.  That someone may be a claim adjuster, or an air quality expert, or simply a house cleaner.  The person your insurer authorizes to make the decision about whether there is damage and what needs to be done to fix it – may or may not be the qualified expert you need.  So the question often arises:  Who pays for the thorough inspection, report and fix?

Your insurer may bring in outside vendors to do testing and prepare reports on your home’s condition, or do the actual cleaning/restoration.  If you have reason to believe your insurer or a vendor has not conducted a proper inspection, or done necessary testing, we recommend that you:  Speak UP and get them to do so, find a qualified expert you trust.  If your insurer refuses to cover their fee, you have two choices:  Complain to your state insurance regulator and keep pushing until the insurer changes their mind, or pay the fee yourself.

This checklist will help you identify and document smoke damage to support your homeowners insurance claim and restore your home to pre-loss condition.

Certified Industrial Hygienists (“CIH”) test for evidence of smoke, soot, char, and contaminates left behind in the air and on surfaces.  Before hiring a specialist, ask to see what their typical report looks like.   Confirm that they have recent experience evaluating homes that have been exposed to wildfire smoke and ash.  Check references carefully.  Look for companies who are working with a certified CIH and accredited lab in good standing.

Indoor testing is performed by a Field Tester.  Swab testing of surfaces is collected to establish if there are particulates left behind such as carbon, soot, and ash.  A vacuum air canister is used to test for chemical off gassing called “aldehydes” that can be isolated for those specific to wildfire smoke.  The testing results are the documentation you need to submit to your insurer.  They are also the basis for determining the cleaning and repair methods – often described as “remediation techniques” – that will make your home clean and safe again.  The cost of properly testing a home vary.  It generally costs between $2,000-$4,000 for the collection of samples, lab work and a written report.

© 2024 United Policyholders The material on this site is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for legal advice.