Smoke migration
Soot and odor can travel through wall cavities, HVAC systems, insulation, textiles, and electronics far beyond the burn area.
Damage claim support
Fire, Smoke & Heat Damage Claims
Document the full path of a fire loss, including smoke, soot, suppression water, contents, and displacement costs.
Fire, smoke, heat, puffback
Documenting fire, smoke, and related damage
A fire claim can involve direct burn damage, smoke migration, corrosive soot, suppression water, heat distortion, damaged contents, and temporary living or operating costs. Hillis builds the claim around the complete path of the loss.
Where the loss can travel
Damage to look for beyond the obvious
Suppression water
Firefighting can leave wet framing, flooring, ceilings, and contents that require drying, testing, and separate documentation.
Heat & electrical
High heat can deform finishes, compromise wiring, damage equipment, and affect materials that appear intact at first glance.
Contents & displacement
Personal property, inventory, cleaning needs, and additional living or business expenses can become major parts of the claim.
First moves
What to do after property damage
- 1
Protect people first and wait for fire officials to clear the property.
- 2
Avoid cleaning soot or discarding contents before they are photographed and inventoried.
- 3
Keep every receipt for lodging, meals, board-up, security, and emergency work.
- 4
Request a complete policy and document every carrier conversation.
What Hillis documents
- Room-by-room photo and video record
- Structure, contents, and specialty-item estimates
- Smoke, soot, odor, HVAC, and moisture impact
- Emergency services and temporary expense records
- Carrier scope gaps and code-related repair requirements
Common claim pressure points
Common issues when documenting a claim
Surface-only scopes
Cleaning visible surfaces may not address smoke, soot, or odor inside assemblies and mechanical systems.
Discarded evidence
Removing contents too quickly can make quantity, condition, and replacement-cost proof harder.
Interrupted expense records
Untracked lodging, meals, security, and business costs can leave reimbursable dollars unsupported.
Talk with Hillis