As the old saying goes, “Home is where the heart is.” With that being said, it is safe to assume losing a home where you’ve created so many memories, and not to mention where you keep all your stuff, is a devastating event many would dread to experience. Any fire in the home is a scary thought. No one wants to think about losing their belongings, or worst, a loved one. After everything is said and done, dealing with the aftermath of a fire is something that cannot be ignored. Here are some tips to help anyone dealing with getting their home back after a fire.
1. Contact your local disaster relief service
First and foremost, it is of the utmost importance to contact a local disaster relief service. Getting in touch with an organization like the Salvation Army will do just fine to help you get back on your feet temporarily. From housing to food, these relief services can help aid you in your time of need.
2. Contact your insurance agent and landlord
After you get the initially urging issues temporarily out the way, the next actions to take would be contacting your insurance agent and landlord. Your insurance agent will basically help you compile a list of tasks to complete on the road to getting your home back to normal. Contacting your landlord will inform them of the disaster, which is pertinent information for them to know.
3. Compile a list of damaged or destroyed belongings
Putting together a list of damaged items will help when it comes to making claims with your insurance company about which of your belongings you have loss. In addition, creating a list will help to confirm what you actually still have left.
4. Gather the important documents you do have
Even if they’re damaged, collecting your personal documents that hold important information (i.e. social security cards, deeds, birth certificates, receipts) can end up being helpful in the long run. For damaged items, look to see if there’s any information left to aid you in obtaining a new copy. For insurance purposes, collecting such documents will help you with determining your actuals losses as you have proof of them.
5. Check with the IRS about special benefits
The IRS can inform you of special benefits that are offered to those dealing with fire loss. On top of contacting the IRS, get in touch with a local accountant to see if there are any other resources that you can utilize in your time of need to help ease the process.
