Residential Insurance Claims
A hurricane took the roof. A kitchen fire filled the house with smoke. A pipe failed while you were away and the floor has been wet for three days.
You're dealing with somewhere to sleep, contractors who won't call back, and a claim form asking questions you have no way to answer — while the insurance company's estimate arrives lower than the first quote you got.
We're Insurance Claims Consultants. We handle the claim so you can handle everything else.
My name's on this business. After 45 years I still take these calls myself. Ring (864) 497-2151 and we'll tell you straight whether you need us.
Start With What Happened
Every peril has its own arguments, its own exclusions, and its own ways of being underpaid. These guides cover each in detail.
Hurricane and storm damage
Wind versus flood, wind-driven rain, hurricane deductibles, filing deadlines, and what happens when a claim is denied.
Fire damage
The four kinds of damage a fire causes, the contamination nobody photographs, and what genuinely has to be replaced rather than cleaned.
Smoke damage
Protein, synthetic and fuel oil residues, the HVAC argument, and when the fire was in someone else's unit.
Water damage
Sudden discharge versus gradual leakage — the distinction that decides the claim — plus mould coverage and the damage you can't see on the day.
Flood damage
NFIP rules, the 60-day proof of loss deadline, and the basement coverage limits that surprise almost everyone.
Why Claims Get Underpaid
Insurance companies aren't acting against you out of malice. They're organisations designed to control costs, and a claim that isn't documented thoroughly costs them less.
The patterns are consistent:
- Policy language nobody reads. Coverage exists that homeowners never claim because they don't know it's there — ordinance or law, debris removal, additional living expenses, recoverable depreciation.
- Incomplete documentation. Most people don't photograph or catalogue damage thoroughly enough, and the burden of proof sits with you.
- Underestimated repair costs. Estimating software prices a generic building at regional averages. It doesn't know your materials are discontinued or your access is difficult.
- Rushed assessment. An adjuster spends perhaps an hour at the property without opening walls or lifting flooring. Damage inside the structure isn't in the estimate because nobody looked.
- The first offer accepted. An initial estimate is an opening position, not a final figure.
How We Handle a Claim
1. We read the policy. Line by line, including the endorsements and exclusions most people never look at. What you're owed is determined by that document, and a surprising number of claims are settled without anyone on your side having read it properly.
2. We assess the damage ourselves. Not a review of the carrier's report — our own inspection, looking specifically for what a first pass misses: moisture inside cavities, smoke in ductwork, movement in structure, contents affected but not obviously ruined.
3. We inventory the contents. Item by item, with age, condition and replacement cost. On a household this is genuinely laborious, and it's where the largest sums are recovered or lost. Our room-by-room checklist is here if you want to start yourself.
4. We bring in specialists where needed. Structural engineers, HVAC specialists, industrial hygienists, restoration contractors — whatever the loss requires to establish what the repair actually costs.
5. We prepare the claim. A full scope and estimate, itemised by trade, with the documentation behind every line. Including the coverages people routinely leave off.
6. We negotiate. Line by line, with evidence attached to each disputed point. And we handle the deadlines and paperwork so you aren't managing them while managing a damaged house.
What a Homeowners Claim Should Pay For
More than the repair bill, and this is where money gets left behind.
- Dwelling — the cost to repair or rebuild the structure
- Other structures — detached garages, sheds, fences, frequently forgotten entirely
- Personal property — everything in the house, usually under its own separate limit
- Additional living expenses — the extra cost of living elsewhere, not just the rent
- Debris removal, which often has its own coverage
- Ordinance or law — the cost of meeting current building codes when repairing an older home
- Emergency mitigation — tarping, board-up, water extraction, security
- Recoverable depreciation — the held-back portion released once work is completed
Things You Can Use Right Now
Whether or not you ever call us.
Contents list checklist — room by room, what to record for every item, and how to value things without receipts.
Proof of loss worksheet — work out your figures before you sign a sworn statement.
Recoverable depreciation — the money most people never claim, because nobody told them it was theirs.
Dealing with the adjuster — what the inspection involves and what to be careful saying.
Do You Actually Need a Public Adjuster?
Not always, and we'll say so.
On a small, straightforward loss the carrier's process usually works fine and the fee wouldn't be worth it. Where it's worth calling us is when the damage is substantial, the estimate looks low, the claim has been denied, or you simply don't have the time to fight it while running a household.
The first conversation is free and carries no obligation. If we don't think we can improve your position, you'll have lost twenty minutes.
Talk to Us
If your home has been damaged and you're not sure the offer is right — or you haven't had one yet — call.
No hourly billing. No upfront cost.
Our fee is a percentage of what you recover.
We work for you, not for the insurance company.
Serving homeowners throughout North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia.
