What to Do After a House Fire in Arizona - Bedrock Society Adjusters

By Mykel Wooten, Senior Public Adjuster, AZ License #8635411

The hours and days after a house fire are a blur of firefighters, family, and questions. What you do in this window shapes your entire insurance claim. This checklist is in priority order. Work it top to bottom.

Step 1: Make sure everyone is safe and accounted for

Nothing else matters until this is done. Do not re-enter the home until fire officials say it is safe. Fires compromise structures, leave toxic residues, and can rekindle. If anyone needs medical attention for smoke inhalation, get it now, even for symptoms that feel minor.

Step 2: Secure the property

Once released by the fire department, protect the home from further damage: emergency board-up for broken windows and doors, tarping for roof openings, and shutting off water if pipes are compromised. Your policy requires you to mitigate further damage, and reasonable emergency costs are reimbursable. In Arizona’s heat, a breached home also invites sun and dust damage on top of the fire loss, so do not leave it open.

Call your insurance company’s emergency line and ask specifically about emergency mitigation services. Document who you spoke with and when.

Step 3: Document everything before anything moves

This is the single highest-value action you will take in the entire claim. Before cleanup, before the contractor arrives, before anything is thrown away:

Walk every room on video, narrating as you go. Open every closet, cabinet, and drawer.
Photograph damage from multiple angles, including wide shots for context and close-ups for detail.
Photograph the exterior, the roof, and any detached structures.
Capture smoke and soot patterns on walls and ceilings. They tell the story of how far contamination traveled.
Save any pre-fire photos and video on your phone. They are proof of what your home and belongings looked like before.

Do this even if the carrier says they will send someone to document. Their documentation serves their file. Yours serves yours.

Step 4: File the claim

Report the loss to your carrier promptly. Have your policy number ready if you can find it, but do not delay filing if you cannot. Note the claim number, the adjuster’s name, and every deadline they mention.

You will likely be asked for a recorded statement. Keep it factual and brief. Do not speculate about the fire’s cause, do not guess at values or timelines, and do not agree to anything about the scope of damage. If you are uncomfortable, it is reasonable to seek guidance before proceeding.

Step 5: Start your inventory immediately

The contents inventory is the longest task in a fire claim and the one most often left incomplete. Start now, while memory is fresh:

Go room by room and list everything damaged or destroyed.
For each item, note the description, approximate age, condition before the fire, and what it would cost to replace today.
Ask every household member to contribute. Kids remember their things better than you do.
Pull purchase records: email receipts, credit card statements, and retailer order histories.

A professional public adjuster can help build this inventory completely, which is worth considering because forgotten items are simply never paid for.

Step 6: Track every expense from day one

Open a dedicated folder, physical or digital, for claim expenses. Save receipts for hotels, rentals, restaurant meals, laundry, pet boarding, fuel for extra driving, and any emergency purchases like clothing and toiletries. Additional living expense coverage reimburses the increase in your cost of living, so the receipts are the claim.

Step 7: Be present for the carrier’s inspection

When the insurance company’s adjuster comes, be there. Walk with them. Photograph everything they photograph. Write down what they look at and what they say. If they bring an engineer, investigator, or contractor, note names and roles. Do not sign anything during the inspection.

Step 8: Do not sign contractor paperwork yet

Contractors, and sometimes restoration companies, may arrive quickly after a fire. Some are excellent. Some want your signature on documents that assign your insurance benefits or direct the carrier to pay them directly, before you know what your claim is worth. Get the claim value established first. Choose the contractor second, on quality, licensing, and fit. Verify any Arizona contractor’s license through the Arizona Registrar of Contractors before signing anything.

Step 9: Get a professional read on your claim

Once the carrier’s estimate arrives, have it reviewed before you accept it. The free Bedrock Claim Score is a fast diagnostic that flags gaps in documentation, scope, and estimate pricing. For significant damage, a licensed public adjuster can review the full file and tell you plainly whether the offer reflects what your policy supports.

Arizona-specific notes for the first week

Heat accelerates secondary damage. Firefighting water sitting in a closed Arizona home in summer grows mold fast. Push for water extraction and dehumidification immediately, not when the estimate is done.

Monsoon season complicates open structures. If your loss happens during monsoon season, temporary roof protection is urgent. Another storm through an open roof multiplies the claim and the misery.

Displacement logistics. With extreme heat, temporary housing is not just comfort, it is health. Document the necessity. If family members have medical needs affected by heat or smoke, note that in your ALE records.

How soon do I have to file the claim?

As soon as reasonably possible. Your policy requires prompt notice. In practice, that means days, not weeks. Filing early also starts the clock on the carrier’s obligations to you.

Can I start cleaning up before the adjuster visits?

Do emergency mitigation to prevent further damage, and document everything first. Avoid deep cleaning or discarding items before the carrier has had a reasonable chance to inspect. When in doubt, photograph it, leave it, and ask.

What should I not say to the insurance adjuster?

Do not speculate about the cause of the fire, do not minimize damage (“it’s not that bad”), do not guess at values, and do not agree that any part of the loss is not covered. Stick to observable facts.

Where will my family stay?

Hotels, short-term rentals, or with family. Your ALE coverage pays the extra cost. Keep every receipt from the first night, and confirm your ALE limit and any time cap with your adjuster early so you can plan.

Should I hire a public adjuster right away?

For major fires, early involvement protects the claim from the start: documentation, statements, and scope are all handled correctly the first time. For smaller losses, at minimum get a professional review of the carrier’s estimate before accepting it.

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Bedrock Society Adjusters, 10201 S 51st St Ste A110, Phoenix, AZ 85044. (844) 660-2652. connect@bedrocksocietyadjusters.com.