Homeowners who have lost property in Colorado’s blazing wildfires face a daunting and stress-filled process as they begin working with their insurance companies and contemplating their next moves.
But many others in the state have trod this path before.
Beginning in late 2010, The Denver Post chronicled the experiences of Fourmile Canyon homeowners as they navigated the fire’s aftermath. Monday, we asked two of them, David Barnett and Leif Steiner, to pass on tips for victims of the High Park and other wildfires.
Here’s what they had to say.
• The insurance company is not necessarily the enemy.
“If you treat them with respect, you’re going to get a little bit better reception,” Steiner said. “Insurance companies are businesses, and their objective is to make the best business decision they can for the insurance company. You can never forget that. But at the same time, you don’t have to fight the insurance company right off the bat.”
He said victims will likely be bombarded with requests from independent insurance adjusters and others offering to negotiate a settlement with the insurance company, taking a portion of any deal. Steiner, who is a State Farm customer, said to avoid independent adjusters unless the insurance company plays hardball.
“They shouldn’t just assume that the insurance companies are out to nickel-and-dime them or out to save as much money as possible on each case. That’s just not true,” said Barnett, an Allstate customer. “My insurance company — and I heard of several others — they were really genuinely interested in giving the max settlement as soon as possible.”
• Hire an independent contractor to assess your home’s value.
• Settle contents claim quickly if underinsured. The contents claim is the most time-consuming in the recovery process because it requires documenting every item of value. Barnett spent months on end working on this claim. “If it’s clear that your contents are worth more than you were insured for, then try as quickly as possible to come to an agreement with the insurance compa ny to max that policy out without listing every single item,” Barnett said.
• Focus on the positives.
“Be prepared for a lot of unexpected positive changes,” said Barnett, a professor at The University of Colorado at Boulder.
Living rent-free for a year in temporary housing gave him the financial flexibility to launch a cellphone-case business.
Steiner met his girlfriend as a result of the fire. “At some point, you have to realize there’s nothing you can do; life can only be moved forward. There is no undo function like on a computer,” Steiner said. Andy Vuong, The Denver Post
