In 2020, wildfires spread through multiple western states, including California, Oregon, and Idaho, along with many others. In Idaho, the wildfires burned close to 12,000 acres, exacerbated by the high temperatures and low humidity during the summer months throughout the state. Though not as widespread as the wildfires across the states along the west coast, Idaho was impacted by the severity of these wildfires. Over time, they resulted in multiple damaged and destroyed properties, including homes and businesses that needed to completely rebuild after the fires had passed.

Rebuilding After Wildfires

In the state of Idaho, there are some protocols in place to rebuild structures affected by wildfires after the damage has been done. There is a state disaster fund that provides financial support to the state itself, giving funds to public assistance. The Disaster Fund does not cover individuals or businesses, but instead funds public actions including firefighters, or government entities affected by the fire.

For individuals and businesses, most people that have homeowner’s insurance have coverage surrounding damage done by wildfires. This includes any interior or exterior damage done to these structures that require money and time to rebuild. If you live in a place that tends to have more wildfires during the summer and early fall months, you will want to check that your insurance covers wildfire damage and will be able to help you should you file a claim.

Filing an Insurance Claim Following a Wildfire

As soon as possible, you will want to document the damage done to your home after a wildfire to send with your insurance claim immediately. This will help your insurance provider be able to handle your claim quicker and process it so you get coverage sooner rather than later.

Sometimes, though, some insurance providers may not process your claim lawfully. These are considered bad faith insurance claims, which encompass many actions that are unlawful and unfair when it comes to processing insurance claims. This can include failure to acknowledge claims or provide proper communication regarding a claims denial, settling a claim based on fraudulent information, refusing to payout claims, and much more.

These actions are serious and against the laws insurance providers are meant to follow. If you are experiencing this difficulty with your provider, be sure to contact an insurance lawyer immediately. Insurance lawyers have the expertise and experience to represent you through any legal proceedings following an unlawful claims procedure. The law offices of Michael M. Raheb, P.A., have Idaho insurance lawyers available to help you through these difficult times and advocate on your behalf. Their insurance attorneys will support you to help you get the money you need following a natural disaster that has affected your home.