What To Do if Your Home Burns Down

The Los Angeles Fire Department estimates that about 10,000 structures have been burned down or damaged in the city's fires, including houses, sheds, garages and cars.

Los Angeles lawyer Neama Rahmani has spoken to Newsweek to offer advice on what to do if your home burns down.

The Context

Forecaster AccuWeather expects losses of between $135 billion and $150 billion to result from the LA fires, with some of the most expensive neighborhoods in the U.S. badly affected. Several celebrities were among those who lost their homes in the fire, including singer, model and actress Paris Hilton, actor Billy Crystal and actor Miles Teller.

What To Know

Rahmani, who's home in Westwood, Los Angeles could be under threat if the winds pick up and the fires spread, said that people whose homes are threatened should take a number of measures.

Document Your Possessions

"Take pictures and videos of your home before you leave. It's important to also carefully document your personal property," Rahmani told Newsweek.

Keep Receipts After You Leave

Keep receipts of hotel bills and any other out of pocket expenses. If you talk to your insurance company, keep notes of who you talk to and what was said, and send emails, confirming everything in writing.

Make Sure Your Insurance Company Pays the Rent

"The California Department of Insurance has protections for fire victims," Rahmani said. "Your insurance company has to make you an immediate payment to cover at least four months of rent, as well as one third of your estimated property damage without conducting an inspection."

It's Your Choice Whether To Buy or Rebuild

"You may be able to combine your insurance cover to rebuild if you want to, or use your full coverage, including extended replacement coverage and code upgrade coverage, to buy a new home if you don't want to rebuild," Rahmani said.

According to the website of the Progressive insurance company, "building code upgrade coverage, also referred to as 'Ordinance or Law Coverage,' may pay for the additional costs you incur during the construction, demolition, or repair of a damaged covered structure due to changes in laws and regulations."

Consider Bringing In Professionals

"Depending on the value of your claim, you may be better off hiring a public adjuster or a lawyer that will take a percentage of your settlement," Rahmani said.

What People Are Saying

Reinsurance News said: "While the full extent of the damages may take weeks or months to quantify, these wildfires are anticipated to be among the most costly in California's history."

According to Reinsurance News, Moody's rating agency is expecting insured losses "to run into the billions of dollars due to the high property values in the impacted areas."

What Happens Next

No insurance claim total can be calculated until the fires are extinguished. Firefighters are bracing themselves for an increase in the Santa Ana winds that have fueled the fires.

The winds, which pull high pressure air down from the Nevada and Utah mountains to the California hills, are expected to increase on Monday after a lull over the weekend.

The Palisades fire, the largest of four currently active in the city, remains a threat.

New evacuation orders have been issued for parts of the affluent neighborhoods of Brentwood and Encino.