OK so I have never posted anything here before but I think there are going to be a lot of you who at sometime experienced what I just went through.
This past Saturday morning my detached garage burnt to the ground. Total loss. Tools of all kinds I have acquired over the last 20+ years.
Welders, plasma cutter, generators, tool boxes, ATV/Motorcycle lift table, 4 wheeler, Polaris razor, Lawn mower etc... EVERYTHING !!!
Except for my bike it was in the garage attached to the house, thank god. But I lost a lot of my bike accessories, tools and parts.
So my Question is this.
How were you treated by your insurance company?
How did you re-coop all the money you spent over the years obtaining your tools?
How was the over all rebuilding process?
Did you stick it to the ins. company or did they stick it too you?

 

Depends on the kind of policy you were carrying and the state you live in.
Hopefully, you have some pics and an agreed value?
Sorry man

 

That sucks. Having receipts or pictures of everything in the garage can go a long way.

 

Not a fire, but 4 feet of cold salt water in my garage during Superstorm Sandy. Two Harleys, medical electronics and lasers worth $50-100K, compressor, air tools, tool cabinets table and compound miter saws,, furnace, A/C, etc, etc. Did I mention my F150 was totaled, too? Flood insurance covered the furnace and A/C, vehicle insurance covered the vehicles, but flood insurance doesn't cover contents except in living spaces, so I was well and truly forked other wise.

Might not have been so bad, but I was stuck in New Orleans, of all places, on business, and watched it all unfold on TV.

 

All that stuff should still be there shouldn't it? I mean sure it was in a fire, but none of what you listed just turns to dust, does it? Anything plastic would have melted, but steel doesn't melt until it reaches 2,500°F, so the remnants of most everything you mentioned with a monetary value should be identifiable for insurance purposes...hopefully. I've never experienced a fire, but my garage and house were flooded during Hurricane Harvey. The insurance company was very accommodating and charitable when it came to my claim. I'm sure yours will be, too. Of course, there is going to be depreciation.

 

I'm in the insurance biz.. Here's my advice
A) Meet the adjuster and stick around to answer any questions but don't get in his way
B) All your lost and damaged possessions - Make a list and where you can, find a comp and print the info. Some policies are written as current value (You paid 100.00 ten years ago so a used unit is 20.00 value) or you have actual replacement. Adjusters love this stuff as it saves them work and theyre usually a little more liberal.
C) When they write your 'inventory' ask for an itemized list. Sometimes they do price a little low. A common occurance ie is when a vintage guitar gets destroyed, they value it as a reissue as they just don't know.
D) For a known insurance firm (State Farm, All State, etc.), they're objective is to put you whole.. Cut rate BS insurance they are incentivized to jam you - ever file a UPS claim? I don't know what you have. Your not gonna jam them (they can make your life miserable), theyre intention is not to jam you BUT if something is priced low, its because they don't know 99% of the time.

Glad your not hurt and that is the most important.. Drop me a line if you have any questions..

 

 

 

I lost a bike to fire so my heart breaks for you.

While I would be very sad if I lost my shop to fire as I have a lot of tools that I've had for 30+ years... that said, a lot of my stuff is old.
I hope the insurance company does you right and you're able to build [and stock] a bad-*** new shop full of bad-*** new stuff!!!

 

Jeez, that totally sucks ottred.. As others said, at least no one got hurt. May not ease the hurt but its the reality.