
I parked on the shady street and began shooting pictures of the old Craftsman home with its typical front porch made of river rocks. The cyclone fence had obviously been put up overnight.
Within moments, the insurance adjusters and contractors approached me one by one. They'd been waiting in their cars. Was I was a family member? Could I give them the business? When I told them I was taking photos for my blog, they gave me their brochures. Legitimate businesses, every one of them. Each of those people was doing their job, just trying to make the deal.
What I learned: be ready for this before it happens. Make sure you have enough coverage. And if it does happen, you might want the help of a licensed claims adjuster. It's not necessarily in the best interest of your insurance company to pay you top dollar. At least it's worth looking into.
I'm not a news hound. It's a shock to see a burned building, especially a home.