We had a fire last Friday in our fuel oil furnace. Fire department came and luckily the fire was contained and we file with State Farm within 2 hours. It is cold where we are and the agent sent us a low ball offer. #tiredofbs Suggestions? I have an Attorney looking at it. I helped the firefighters put out the fire. State Farm is so snaky and slimy. How do these sacks of *hit live with themselves?
2 Likes
Your insurance company lowballed you after a fire? Here’s how people flip that.
Two hires that cost you $0 upfront and change everything:
→ A bad faith insurance attorney (not a regular lawyer — one who ONLY sues insurance companies). They work on contingency = free until you win. Find one at United Policyholders
→ A public adjuster — think of them as YOUR damage inspector who fights State Farm’s inspector. One family went from a $15K offer to $120K just by proving hidden smoke damage State Farm “missed.” Average claim increase: 170-747%. Find one at NAPIA
Money hiding in your policy right now that State Farm will never mention:
→ ALE (Additional Living Expenses) — hotel, meals, gas, pet boarding, storage while you can’t live at home. Could be $30K-$90K. Save every receipt starting TODAY
→ Ordinance & Law coverage — your older home needs code upgrades during repair. That’s a separate bucket worth thousands. Check your declarations page for it
→ Contents claim — every item inside your home gets replaced at TODAY’s price, not the old depreciated value. Most people never collect the full amount because they don’t know to ask
One trick you can do right now in 60 seconds:
Grab a clean white cloth → wipe it across walls and surfaces in rooms that LOOK fine → photograph the black/gray residue. That’s toxic soot that traveled through your HVAC system into every room. State Farm’s adjuster skipped it. That photo alone can add tens of thousands to your claim.
Until your attorney is on board: don’t sign ANYTHING, don’t give a recorded statement, don’t use State Farm’s contractor, don’t throw damaged stuff away, and don’t run your HVAC system (it spreads toxic soot into every room).
2 Likes
Thank-you just saw this. I filed a complaint with our state’s insurance commission and contacted corporate. I received 3 estimates as well as got the firereport from the city. You are exactly right, they offered lodging and seem more open to negotiating. Awesome response. I appreciate your post.
1 Like
!