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Helpful Information For Evacuees

A mandatory evacuation triggers the additional living expenses, which are covered under most standard homeowners policies. Evacuated residents should also hang on to their receipts because they can either file a claim later or if there is any damage to their home many of those out-of-pocket expense will also be reimbursed.

The Rocky Mountain Insurance Information Association offered some advice for homeowners impacted by forest fires:

• Residents evacuated from their homes should contact their agents or companies immediately and let them know where they can be reached. Contact your agent or company if you need additional living expenses while you are out of your home.
  
• Keep receipts. Out-of-pocket expenses during a mandatory evacuation are reimbursable under most standard homeowner policies.
  
• Take home inventories and financial documents with you when you are being evacuated. Always put safety first and leave your home immediately when asked by authorities. However, if there is sufficient time to gather items, the first thing you need to take is financial documents and your home inventory. Hopefully, you have prepared a home inventory in advance and it is kept off premises. You can also take pictures of every room in your house before you are evacuated.
  
• Be prepared to give your agent or insurance representative a description of any damage. Your agent will report the loss immediately to your insurance company or a qualified adjuster. Smoke and damage from firefighting efforts (i.e. slurry damage) is covered up to your policy limits.
  
• Take photos of the damaged areas. These will help with your claims process and will assist the adjuster in the investigation.
  
• Prepare a detailed inventory of all damaged or destroyed personal property. Be sure to make two copies -- one for yourself and one for the adjuster. Your list should be as complete as possible, including a description of the items, dates of purchase or approximate age, cost at time of purchase and estimated replacement cost.
  
• Make whatever temporary repairs you can. Cover broken windows, damaged roofs and walls to prevent further destruction. Save receipts for supplies and materials you purchase. Your company will reimburse you for reasonable expenses in making temporary repairs.
  
• Secure a detailed estimate for permanent repairs to your home from a reliable contractor and give it to the adjuster. The estimate should contain the proposed repairs, repair costs and replacement prices.

Serious losses will be given priority. If your home has been destroyed or seriously damaged, your agent will do everything possible to assure that you are given priority.

The 2002 wildfire season in Colorado was the most expensive in the state's history . The overall estimated cost of the Iron Mountain, Coal Seam, Missionary Ridge and Hayman Fires in Colorado is $70.3 million in insured losses ($78.8 million in 2006 dollars). Companies took in about 1,236 claims for the Hayman and Missionary Ridge Fires at an estimated cost of $56.4 million.

Nationally, the most costly fire in terms of insured losses was the October 1991 Oakland Hills fire which caused $1.7 billion in insured losses (about $2.4 billion in today's dollars) and 2003's wildfires in San Diego and San Bernardino Counties, California at $2.03 billion.

Catastrophic fires account for 2.3% of insurance losses. That compares to 24.5% for tornadoes, 47.5% for hurricanes and tropical storms, 7.7% for terrorism, 7.8% for winter storms, 6.7% for earthquakes and 2.8% for wind/hail damage (as reported by the Insurance Information Institute ).