Is Smoke or Ash Considered Direct Physical Damage for Coverage Purposes Under California Property Insurance Policy?

Michele L. Levinson | Frost Brown Todd In past years, carriers in states most affected by wildfires, notably California, have seen a significant increase in claims where the property sustains no significant “direct physical damage.” Meaning, the property itself was not directly impacted by the fire, yet the owner presented a claim for fire-related damages… Continue reading Is Smoke or Ash Considered Direct Physical Damage for Coverage Purposes Under California Property Insurance Policy?

Homes With Toxic Smoke Damage Deepen Insurance Nightmare in LA

Michelle Ma | Claims Journal Months after fire tore through Los Angeles’ Pacific Palisades neighborhood, homeowners are struggling to get reimbursed — not for houses reduced to rubble, but for the damage of smoke and toxins in the properties that remain. For residents such as Keri Homolka, fighting for a payout has become a full-time… Continue reading Homes With Toxic Smoke Damage Deepen Insurance Nightmare in LA

Smoke Damage a Source of Friction for ‘Standing Home Survivors’

Jim Sams | Claims Journal The lingering impact of smoke and soot is complicating insurers’ efforts to resolve homeowners claims from the Marshall Fire, which destroyed 1,084 homes in Boulder County, Colorado last December. An in-depth report posted online this week by the nonprofit Boulder Reporting Lab told the story of “standing home survivors,” homeowners who did… Continue reading Smoke Damage a Source of Friction for ‘Standing Home Survivors’