Holiday Burglary Prevention Tips & What to Do if You Become a Victim

The holiday season is a festive time for family and friends to celebrate together.  It is also one of the busiest travel times of the year. Unfortunately, burglars are all too aware of this fact which makes the holiday season a peak time of year for break-ins and thefts.

To keep a home safe from burglars there are simple steps people can take. They start with making sure an empty home, even if the family is just going away for the day, is securely locked. If there is an alarm, be sure to activate it.  During the night hours, turn on exterior lights and place some interior lights on timers.  Motion sensing lights are also recommended.  Keep valuables out of sight and keep trees and shrubs near doors and windows trimmed to preventing them from becoming a hiding place for burglars.

If traveling for more than a day, have the mail and newspaper stopped or have them picked up by neighbors. It is also a good idea to inform neighbors that the home will be empty so they can keep an eye on it. Some police departments will even offer to periodically check on a home if requested to do so.

Even with the best plans, burglaries still can happen. Victims are advised to immediately call the police if they have been burglarized or suffer any type of theft. 

“Having a police report is essential for starting the insurance claims process when a theft or burglary occurs,” said Douglas Waldie, President of Hudson Douglas Public Adjusters, LLC. “Many victims are overwhelmed when they have been targeted and are unfamiliar with the claims process and what they need to do to make sure they are treated fairly by their insurance company.  Our public adjusters help policyholders by creating a detailed inventory of stolen or damaged items and understanding what is covered under the insurance policy.  For example, will personal property be covered based on replacement cost or actual cash value. Actual cash value takes into account depreciation which means less money for the policyholder. These are just a few of the reasons a licensed public adjuster who works solely for the benefit of the policyholder can mean the difference between being potentially victimized twice or being treated fairly and getting the most out of an insurance claim.”

Policyholders with a burglary or other type of insurance claim in Arizona, Utah, Nevada, Colorado, New Mexico, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New Jersey are just a phone call away from the experts at Hudson Douglas Public Adjusters. 

Preventing Holiday Home Fires & Tips for How to Respond if One Occurs

During the holiday season, people gather with family and friends to celebrate.  These gathering often include feasts and the ambience from holiday decorations along with burning candles and glowing fireplaces.

Unfortunately, the holiday season is also a busy time for home fires.  In fact, according to the U.S. Fire Administration, nearly 47,000 fires occur during the holiday season.  These fires claim more than 500 lives and result in over $550 million in property damage. They also report that December is the peak time for home fires caused by candles and that 1 in every 3 Christmas tree fires is caused by electrical issues.

“Chimney fires, cooking fires and even children playing with matches are also significant causes of home fires this time of year,” said Tom Allen of Hudson Douglas Public Adjusters, LLC. “In addition to making sure that a home has properly operating smoke detectors and a fire extinguisher, people need to be vigilant of fire hazards in their home.  Don’t overload circuits or use holiday lights that are frayed.  Keep heat sources away from Christmas trees and keep real trees moist with plenty of water at their base. Also turn off the holiday lights and extinguish fires and candles when people are going to bed or leaving the property.”

It’s always important that people have adequate insurance to cover any loses due to a home fire and now is a good time to review existing policies.  At a minimum, the insurance policy should be able to cover any damages to the home, furnishings and personal belongings. 

For anyone faced with the aftermath of a home fire, the insurance experts at Hudson Douglas Public Adjusters are just a phone call away.  They offer their services in Arizona, Utah, Nevada, Colorado, New Mexico, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New Jersey to property owners of both residential and commercial properties.  Hudson Douglas Public Adjusters only represents policyholders during the entire claims process and their experts help to ensure that no damages are overlooked.  The end result provides the policyholder with the peace of mind that they will receive the most accurate insurance settlement possible so they can rebuild their home or business.   

Cold Weather & Chimney Fires – What You Need to Know

With cold weather impacting much of the United States, the risk of home heating fires increases dramatically this time of year.  In fact, according to the U.S. Fire Administration, home heating fires peak in January and decline to their lowest point during the summer months.

From 2008-2010, an average of over 50,000 home heating fires occurred in the United States each year. They resulted in an annual average of approximately 150 deaths, 575 injuries and $326 million in property losses.  The U.S. Fire Administration reports that confined fires, meaning fires confined to chimneys, flues or fuel burners, accounted for 87% of all home heating fires.

One of the primary culprits is due to chimney fires which occur when residue deposits of soot or creosote on the inner surface of the chimney begin to combust.  A chimney fire can also occur if material has been introduced into the chimney, such as a bird nest, that ignites when hot embers reach it.

“Chimney fires can not only damage the chimney itself, but they can in many circumstances spread throughout the building leading to extensive damages or even the complete destruction of a property,” said Douglas Waldie, President of Hudson Douglas Public Adjusters, LLC. “People with homes with fireplaces should take steps to prevent chimney fires from ever occurring.  A properly constructed and clean chimney won’t catch on fire so the number one priority is to prevent the buildup of deposits. To achieve this, the chimney should be regularly inspected and cleaned when a qualified professional indicates it is time to do so.”

If even a small chimney fire occurs that remains isolated from the majority of the home, it can still lead to hidden damages not visible to the homeowner.  Policyholders faced with a chimney fire of any magnitude should consider hiring a qualified and experienced public adjuster. The chimney fire experts from Hudson Douglas Public Adjusters offer their services in Arizona, Utah, Nevada, Colorado, New Mexico, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New Jersey.  They are experienced in identifying hidden damages from small fires and working with policyholders who have suffered a significant or total loss of their home or business.

Southwest Property Owners Urged to Take Steps Now to Prevent Water Damage from Developing El Niño

Every two to seven years, a particularly warm area of water develops in the central and east-central equatorial region of the Pacific Ocean.  The condition is known as El Niño and it not only impacts the ocean, but also changes weather patterns on land across the globe.

In the United States, El Niño is typically associated with warm conditions in the northern states and cooler weather in the much of the southern region of the country during the winter months. Precipitation patterns are also impacted with drier than average winter conditions often forming over the northern tier of the country while the Southwest can usually expect much wetter than average conditions. 

“This year’s El Niño is already developing to be one of the strongest ever recorded,” said Tom Allen of Hudson Douglas Public Adjusters, LLC. “Weather forecasters believe it will result in heavy precipitation this winter that will likely cause widespread property damage to parts of the Southwest.”

To prevent property damage due to El Niño, now is the time for property managers and owners to inspect the condition of their home or commercial property and make preparations for what is forecast to be an exceptionally wet winter.  The insurance claims and building science professionals at Hudson Douglas Public Adjusters suggest the following actions to minimize or prevent water damage.  They include the following:

·       Make sure the building’s exterior, siding, doors and windows are weather tight.

·       Check roofing materials, shingles or roof tiles to make sure they are in good condition to handle the extra rain or snow.

·       Remove leaves and obstructions from gutters and downspouts and ensure that water is draining away from the building.

·       Inspect sump pumps to ensure they are working properly.

·       Check chimneys, sky lights and roof exhaust pipes to ensure they are properly sealed.

Properties that are impacted by floodwaters are often contaminated with chemicals and harmful microorganisms.  Even those impacted by relatively clean rainwater or melting snow can not only suffer damaged or destroyed building materials and personal belongings, but the moisture can allow for the growth of mold in less than 48 hours in many circumstances.

For people in Arizona, Utah, Nevada, Colorado and New Mexico that do experience property damage to their homes or businesses from this year’s El Niño, the professionals at Hudson Douglas Public Adjusters are here to help.  Their team of insurance claims experts will comprehensively document any damages and then negotiate and handle any issues that arise with the claim. This provides the policyholder with the peace of mind that no damages were overlooked and that they will receive the most accurate insurance settlement possible.  They also recently sponsored an educational video about preventing water damage and mold growth due to El Niño that can be seen at: https://youtu.be/o1_NhaXam94

Homeowners Sue Insurance Company and Remediation Contractors over Water Damage

Many property owners who are confronted with damage to their home or business trust their insurance company to have their best interests at heart when they have to file an insurance claim.  One couple in Mission Viejo found out the hard way that this is not always the case.

According to a report from KABC, the couple’s two-story home suffered damage when water from an upstairs bathroom flooded the main floor.  Although they had just recently moved into the home, they had been using the same well-known insurance provider for 20 years.

The couple contacted their insurance company who recommended they use one of several water damage remediation companies that are on the insurance company’s premier program for water loss.  They picked one of the recommended companies to perform the work, but within two weeks could smell what they thought was mold. The insurance company informed them that mold tests were not covered under their policy so the couple paid for it out of their own pockets. The test results revealed mold contamination so the couple and their children moved out of the house.  Another large remediation company on the insurance provider’s premier program was then sent to take care of the problem that was not resolved the first time. However, the homeowners claim they did not remove the mold and simply covered it up.

The couple has now hired an attorney who has filed a lawsuit against the insurance company and the two remediation firms.  The article states the lawsuit claims breach of contract, breach of the duty of good faith, fraud, false promise, intentional misrepresentation and negligence.

“Unfortunately, as a public adjuster whose entire mission is to work on the behalf of policyholders, we see cases like this all the time,” said Douglas Waldie, President of Hudson Douglas Public Adjusters, LLC. “Insurance companies luring customers to use preferred contractors that do not work in their interest, failing to investigate damages properly and thoroughly, and even sometimes providing false information to policy holders about their benefits happens all too frequently. Insurance companies and their preferred contractors are known to try and cut corners to save money.” 

A public adjuster, working exclusively for the policyholder, represents their interests to prevent situations like this from occurring.  The experts at Hudson Douglas Public Adjusters know what to look for, which includes both visible and out-of-sight damages that would likely otherwise go unaddressed.  They comprehensively detail all damages and negotiate for the policyholder to ensure damages covered by the insurance policy are properly handled.  The end result is a happy policyholder with the resources and expertise to repair their home or business.

Residential Garage Fires Frequently Result in Extensive Property Damage

Last month, a homeowner in north Phoenix was hospitalized for burns after he tried to put out a fire that had started in his garage.  Fires start all too frequently in garages, in fact, U.S. fire departments reported approximately 6,600 residential building fires that originated in garages from 2009 through 2011.  These fires resulted in deaths, injuries and hundreds of millions of dollars in property damage.

In many parts of the country there are no building codes that require smoke detectors in residential garages.  Since garages are used to store motor vehicles and often flammable liquids, they are the source, or contributing factors, for many of these fires. 

With so few smoke detectors found in garages, a fire will often go unnoticed until enough smoke has infiltrated the main residence and set off alarms or is noticed by building occupants. By this time it has often grown in size and severity resulting in extensive property damage even if firefighters are able to quickly extinguish the flames.

“Property damage due to a garage fire includes obvious damage caused by flames and thick smoke, but even a small fire in an attached garage can lead to widespread smoke damage throughout the entire home,” said Tom Allen from Hudson Douglas Public Adjusters, LLC. “Representatives from the homeowner’s insurance company will often focus their attention on the directly impacted areas, but people need to be aware of less visible and hidden signs of damage.  At Hudson Douglas Public Adjusters, our insurance claims and fire damage experts provide comprehensive investigations into these types of property damage cases.  By documenting all damages throughout the entire property, the insured get their claim settled for the full amount detailed under the insurance policy.  Our team has handled countless cases involving garage fires so clients not only have the entire process handled for them by experienced professionals, they also end up with the resources needed to repair the damages caused by flames, heat and smoke residues throughout the home.”    

Condominium Property Damage Claims Can Create Challenges Best Handled by an Experienced Public Adjuster

From coast to coast, millions of Americans live in condominiums.  Condos provide their owners with a number of benefits, including in most circumstances no outdoor maintenance, lower costs than buying a comparable house, and the sense of community that living in close proximity to neighbors provides.

Along with the many benefits of condo living, there can also be challenges in the event that property damage occurs to the building.  This damage could be the result of events associated with flooding and water damage, wind damage, fires or smoke damage.  If one of these events occurs, there is a good chance that multiple insurance companies are going to be involved.

“When property damage occurs at a condominium complex and multiple units are involved, it can make navigating several insurance policies and determining who is responsible a real challenging undertaking,” said Douglas Waldie, President of Hudson Douglas Public Adjusters, LLC. “Engaging a public adjuster to represent the interests of the various policy holders is highly recommended in these types of situations. An experienced public adjuster is an expert at navigating these types of complex claims to ensure the best possible outcome for all of the policy holders involved.”  

Condominium owners with insurance claims in Arizona, Utah, Nevada, Colorado, New Mexico, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New Jersey can depend on the professionals at Hudson Douglas Public Adjusters to represent their interests exclusively. Their public adjusters are also construction experts so hidden damages don’t go unnoticed. This means that all of the property damage will be extensively documented to make sure the insurance company provides all of the necessary resources, as defined by the policy, to make repairs and replace property.