Sources that can overlap
Homeowner's and renter's insurance usually comes first, covering the structure, contents, and additional living expenses within policy limits. When a utility, company, or other party is responsible for starting or spreading a fire, a claim against it can reach losses insurance did not cover, such as underinsurance, uninsured property, and other damages the law allows. After a federally declared disaster, FEMA assistance and SBA disaster loans may be available, but FEMA generally cannot pay for losses that insurance covers, and later recoveries can affect how loan proceeds are treated. Some states and utilities set up funds or claims programs after major fires, each with its own rules.
Records every source asks for
Each program and claim calls for proof of what was lost, so building one complete record helps with all of them. A room-by-room inventory of contents, supported by photographs, videos, receipts, or bank and card statements, is the backbone of most claims. Keep records of evacuation and living expenses, lost income, and the costs of cleanup and debris removal. Save all correspondence and every payment from insurers and agencies, since others may ask what you have already received. Rebuilding estimates and evidence of the property's condition before the fire help when values are disputed.
Sorting out the order
Signing a release with one party, or accepting a program payment, can affect claims against others, so read each document closely before signing it. Your insurer may seek reimbursement from a responsible party after paying you, and that needs to be coordinated with your own claim. Deadlines vary widely: insurance policies set their own, claims against public agencies can come due quickly, and disaster aid applications close on set dates. We help you map the sources available to you, the order in which to pursue them, and what each requires. If the fire happened outside New York, we explain where counsel licensed in that state is needed.
