If LA Wildfires Damaged Your Home, Here’s Everything You Should Know—From Dealing With Insurance to Avoiding Scams

LA wildfires raging through Southern California have already killed at least 10 people and damaged or destroyed over 12,000 structures. The Palisades fire alone is among the worst fires in LA history and egged on by 80-mile-per-hour winds. Sweeping through thousands of acres—including some of the city’s wealthiest neighborhoods and engulfing homes worth several millions—it’s likely the damage will be upwards of $135 billion once tallied.

If you’re a homeowner whose house was damaged or destroyed in the wildfires, your first priority is to make it to safety. But once you and family are out of harm’s way, it’s time to think about next steps. We spoke to disaster-relief experts on what you need to do next.

The next few days—the next few years, even—will be trying for you in every possible way, but you’ll be less useful to yourself if you’re not level-headed enough to take in a lot of new information and make crucial decisions.

“Losing a home, whether you’ve been renting it or you invested your life savings into it, it’s traumatic,” says Bob Roper, the retired fire chief of Ventura County, California, who now serves as CEO of the nonprofit Western Fire Chiefs Association.

So get enough rest, food, and water, take your medications (making sure to call your doctor for extended prescriptions if necessary), and try to avoid triggering situations, such as watching news footage of burning neighborhoods for hours on end. “Socialize,” Roper advises. “You don’t want to just sit in front of the TV—that’s not healthy.”

It’s also important to understand the timeline that you’ll be working with. “If you look at one of the last major fires, which was in 2017 in Ventura County, people are still rebuilding,” Roper says. “In 2018, up in Paradise, we had the Camp fire, and people there are still rebuilding.” Though certain processes can play out within a matter of months—such as debris cleanup or insurance settlements—it can be years before the disaster is truly behind you.

“It’s going to take a long time, involve a lot of paperwork, move in fits and starts and be exhausting,” says Jeff Schlegelmilch, director of the National Center for Disaster Preparedness at Columbia Climate School at Columbia University. “It’s important for people not to expect a quick fix and realize you’ll have good days and bad days, successes and setbacks.”

Government emergency management groups are quick to set up shelters and makeshift centers for both evacuees and those looking for the latest official information about what’s going on with the wildfires.

“The idea is to get a lot of these things [that you need to do and be aware of] in one place where competent people sit down with you and walk you through that,” explains Schlegelmilch.

This is also where to find out who to contact to learn whether your house was damaged or destroyed in the fire. Keep in mind that this sort of information may not be immediately available, as fire crews are still focusing on containing the fires.

“This fire started on Tuesday,” Roper says. “Firefighters have been busy, the smoke is just now clearing, and they’re just now starting to do damage assessments of neighborhoods. It takes 48 to 72 hours before some of this confirmed data actually comes in.”’

Online, you can find the disaster recovery center that the Federal Emergency Management Agency has set up for you and your neighbors through the Disaster Recovery Center Locator or by texting “DRC” and your ZIP code to 43362 (4FEMA).

Many official evacuation shelters will also have disaster centers set up inside. The California Department of Fire and Forestry Protection has set up information pages with evacuation shelter locations for the Palisades fire, Eaton fire, Hurst fire, Kenneth fire, and Lidia fire.

Some shelters or centers may be set up or affiliated with recognized nonprofits and support groups, such as the American Red Cross or Catholic Charities, which may hand out debit cards with funds you can use to buy necessities you couldn’t take from home when you evacuated. Make sure you keep notes about who you talked to and when.

Public officials will schedule meetings in which they’ll give out the latest information about the wildfires and the rebuilding process, address questions and concerns from residents, and talk about the roadmap for the aftermath of the disaster. Don’t skip these meetings, and if you can’t make them yourself, see if a relative or trusted friend or neighbor can go and keep you abreast of important developments.

In the case of the LA wildfires, President Joe Biden has already declared them a major disaster, so that means there will be additional federal assistance for homeowners and residents. These meetings are where officials will tell you about these potentially critical sources of funds to help you live outside your home and possibly rebuild. They’re also where you may get information about or hear from state and local governmental organizations and nonprofits like the American Red Cross.

Again, do not forget to keep meticulous notes on what’s discussed in these meetings, along with the dates.

You’ll also get the latest information on when you’ll be allowed to go back to your home at these public meetings. Even if your home wasn’t destroyed or severely damaged, officials may restrict access to the area to all but the people who really need to be there (usually emergency crews and officials).

When you’re allowed to go back, be aware that it could take a while for essential services like electricity and water to be restored. Wear protective gear such as Tyvek disposable suits, masks, eye covers, and gloves as you go through your property to assess the damage—but don’t go alone. You never know if an unstable floorboard could send you flying or if something could fall and trap you, so you need at least one other person nearby.

Also keep in mind that it’ll likely take months for the debris to be cleared. Most people will sign up for the county to do this (you’ll be told about how this will work at a public meeting), but you can also hire a private contractor to clear your debris so you can get started on rebuilding more quickly. Keep in mind that it will cost a lot more money and may not be reimbursable by an insurance company.

Lastly, remember to keep your mental and emotional health at top of mind. If seeing your home burned down is going to be traumatic for you and you’re not ready for it, send someone you trust to go assess the site for you instead.

Many homeowners in the affected areas in Los Angeles were reportedly dropped by their insurers earlier this year, leading to what is sure to be a major crisis affecting the insurance industry in California.

If you were able to retain your policy, call the company insuring your home and get a claim number as soon as you can. Do not lose this claim number. If you were under a mandatory evacuation, let the insurance company know as they may send you funds to cover your temporary living expenses.

Next, the insurance company will assign you one of their adjusters to assess the damage. In the aftermath of a disaster of this scope, the adjusters will prioritize the destroyed and more severely damaged homes over those with minor damage. If you haven’t heard from the adjuster or your insurance company in a week, though, contact them and make sure everything’s still processing as expected. Also be sure to reach out if you’ve been evacuated and are running low on money for living expenses.

Janet Ruiz, director of strategic communication for the Southern California–based Insurance Information Institute, stresses that you’ll be working closely with your adjuster and insurance company, so it’s helpful to develop a mutually beneficial and respectful, communicative working relationship.

“Think of it as a negotiation process and don’t be on the defensive,” she says. “It’s a very upsetting situation, and people often mention that they’re ‘fighting’ with their insurance company, but I urge them to negotiate instead.”

You may choose to work with a public adjuster instead of with the insurance company’s adjuster. If you take this route, you’d no longer be communicating directly with the insurance company (the public adjuster would take on that role). For some, this may relieve some stress, however you have to pay them out of your claim settlement. You can look up public adjuster licenses through the California Department of Insurance.

At some point, you’ll be asked to provide an inventory of the possessions in your home. If you maintained one before you were forced to leave your home, this is the time to pull it up. If you didn’t keep an up-to-date inventory of everything in your home, don’t fret. Sit down with your family and write down everything you can remember.

Ruiz reminds people that in the era of the smartphone most residents have more documentation than they even realize.

“You probably have an inventory, even if it’s not an intentional one, right on your phone,” she says. “You’ve probably taken pictures of videos of events or gatherings you’ve had in your home.”

And, as you clean up and rebuild, always make sure you take pictures of everything the way it was before you move or replace it.

When you start receiving insurance settlement checks, you may see that the check’s made out not just to you but to your bank or mortgage company. Reach out to the bank or mortgage company to work out how to access your funds.

Make sure to take detailed notes and document your conversations with your insurer—and everyone else throughout the whole process.

Across California, thousands of homeowners were dropped from their fire insurance months before the devastating LA fires. Others have struggled to find coverage, as more and more insurance companies have stopped underwriting policies in the state. If your property wasn’t insured, you will have fewer options, but there are still steps you can take.

Experts recommend exploring disaster relief funding from the federal (and possibly state) government. “If you didn’t have insurance, you’re going to be reliant on whatever the presidential declaration allows, which still [is] to be determined,” Roper says.

For these homeowners, it’s even more imperative to find a disaster assistance center, have thorough and honest conversations with the officials there, and learn about every possible source of help you can get. Attending public meetings is critical for this same reason. Take notes, ask questions, and stay until the end to ensure you don’t miss anything.

Keeping paperwork and assistance opportunities organized is among the biggest challenges Schlegelmilch sees families face after a disaster.

From FEMA funds to community development block grants to low-interest Small Business Association loans, it can be overwhelming and confusing. Further, coverage may overlap, and accepting one kind of assistance could lead to you being ineligible for another. So make sure you read everything thoroughly before you sign up for something. However, if you do unintentionally received duplicative benefits, you’re unlikely to face criminal charges—but you do have to pay that money back

If you don’t get the assistance you believe you’re due, don’t give up right away.

“We see people denied benefits because they misunderstood something on the forms and then just give up when they could appeal,” Schlegelmilch says.

Rely on all those detailed notes you’ve been taking in your meetings with your insurer, at public meetings and with disaster relief officials to keep yourself clear about whatever you’re signing up for and what it entails.

Unfortunately, disasters can bring out the vultures. If you’re a homeowner in an affected area, don’t be surprised if you start hearing from contractors and other people offering you their services. Not all of these people will be bad actors, of course, but you should always be on your guard for con artists trying to take advantage of your circumstances.

“It can be anything from someone saying they’ll represent you to someone who says they’ll get you the best deal, clear your site, rebuild your home, and so forth,” Roper says.

Schlegelmilch says to be cautious using people who seem to come out of nowhere offering help in disaster situations, rather than those you found through official sources.

“Was this someone you found out about from a flyer you saw stapled to a telephone pole, or did you go to the Red Cross or a disaster assistance center?” he says. “If you see a resource that’s too good to be true, then go back to the established nonprofit or government and ask about them, and if they’ve never heard of these folks, then it’s something to be wary of.”

One common scam to be aware of is where someone offers rebuilding or disaster-relief help, but demands a large cash or similar advance. Chances are that once they get that hefty advance, you’ll never see them again.

Also be aware that, with so many homes that’ll need to be repaired or rebuilt following a disaster like this, skilled contractors like electricians and plumbers will be spread thin and in high demand. Unscrupulous and unqualified workers may try to fill the vacuum and perform shoddy and possibly dangerous work. Always ask for a license number, which you can look up on the California Department of Consumer Affairs. In general, you can be confident that your insurance company will help provide you with properly licensed contractors and disaster relief workers.

Beware of looting

If your home survived mostly or fully intact, Roper reminds homeowners to be aware of the possibility of looters. Though law enforcement is strict about closing off disaster areas, the LA wildfires are massive, and officials may not be able to regularly patrol every street as the fires die down. Plus it could take weeks or months for utilities to be restored in some areas, possibly outlasting your home security system’s backup batteries.

When you’re permitted to return to your home, be sure to bring a form of ID with your address on it so police let you past the checkpoint. Then, sweep the house to make sure everything’s where it’s supposed to be, and let insurance know as soon as possible if you think you’ve been robbed. Keep coming back when you can to check up on the house until you’re able to move back in.

“The best thing you can do is go by your house on a regular basis and make sure it’s secured,” Roper says. “Take out your valuables. Check in with your neighbors.”

If you fled your home ahead of the fires and left your ID behind, you can go to the California DMV with a piece of mail with your name and address on it and ask them to provide you with an ID that will get you through the police checkpoints.

Not everybody will want to rebuild their home, as it requires a lot of work including debris clearing, environmental cleanup, red tape and legal issues, and working with your insurance company to get a settlement that can cover the costs of creating a new home.

“Some people just take the insurance settlement, sell their lot, and go away,” Roper says.

If you do decide to build again, consider the likelihood of another wildfire and design choices that could mitigate risks.

“With wildfires in particular, there’s actually a lot you can do,” Schlegelmilch says. “You can rebuild with more flame retardant material. You can also keep the foliage in mind, for example, some trees will burn more easily than other kinds. Also, trees near the house might provide nice shade for the patio, but they’re also a fire hazard.”

The threat of wildfires in California will not disappear, and creating more resilient infrastructure is a community-wide effort.

“In LA, I was touring burned areas after the Getty fires, and we could barely make it up the mountain in an SUV because of all the people parked on the roads,” Schlegelmilch says. “Now imagine being in a fire truck with thousands of gallons of water trying to get to a fire at the top. You need wider roads—that’s why civic engagement is important.”

Engage in politics at the municipal, county, and state levels and make sure that governments prioritize making sure the next LA wildfire is a lot less devastating.