Fire & Disaster Claims

A house fire or a tornado is a traumatic event. In minutes, you lose your home, your possessions, and your sense of security. You paid your premiums for years, trusting that if the worst happened, your insurance company would be there to help you rebuild.

Instead, they sent an adjuster who offered you pennies on the dollar. They delayed your check. They questioned your inventory list. They accused you of not maintaining your property.

At Freeman Childers, we know the insurance playbook. We know that State Farm, Allstate, Liberty Mutual, and the others are for-profit corporations. Their goal is to pay you as little as possible. Our goal is to make them pay every dime you are owed under your policy.

"Bad Faith" Insurance: The Ultimate Weapon

In Kentucky and Tennessee, insurance companies have a legal duty to treat you fairly. If they don't, we can sue them for "Bad Faith."

• Unreasonable Delays: Taking months to approve a contractor or issue an initial check while you are living in a hotel.

• Lowball Offers: Offering to "patch" a roof that clearly needs to be replaced, or undervaluing your custom cabinets as "standard grade."

• False Denials: Claiming your wind damage was actually "pre-existing wear and tear" or asserting that a burst pipe is not covered.

Fire Claims: It's Not Just the Flames

Fire damage is complex. The adjuster often writes a check for the burnt wood but ignores the hidden damage:

• Smoke Damage: Soot can penetrate behind walls, into HVAC ducts, and into insulation. If it isn't removed, your house will smell like smoke forever. The insurance company must pay for professional remediation or replacement.

• Water Damage: The fire department dumped thousands of gallons of water on your home. This leads to mold growth behind the drywall within 48 hours.

• "Total Loss" vs. Repair: We fight to prove your home is a "Total Loss" so you get the full policy limit, rather than a cheap repair job that leaves you with a damaged structure.

ACV vs. RCV: The "Depreciation" Trap

This is the most common trick adjusters use.

• Actual Cash Value (ACV): What your 10-year-old couch is worth today (maybe $50 at a garage sale).

• Replacement Cost Value (RCV): What it costs to buy a new couch at the store ($1,000). Most policies cover RCV, but the insurance company will try to pay you ACV first. We force them to release the "recoverable depreciation" so you can actually afford to replace your stuff.

Tornado & Storm Damage (The KY/TN Reality)

Our region is prone to severe weather. From the devastating tornados in Western Kentucky to the wind storms in the Cumberland Gap.

• Roof Claims: We use independent roofers and engineers to prove that the "hail damage" the adjuster missed is actually structural.

• Eastern KY Flooding: While standard policies don't cover flood, we investigate if negligence played a role (e.g., a strip mine or logging operation changed the runoff, flooding your land).

The "Inventory" Nightmare

They will ask you to list every single item you lost—from toothbrushes to televisions. If you forget it, they don't pay for it. We help you build a comprehensive Proof of Loss. We bring in experts to value your antiques, guns, and jewelry properly so you don't leave money on the table.

Insurance Company Stalling?

You don't have to face them alone. Call 606-528-1000 to level the playing field.