2024 Colorado Wildfires – Insurance Claim and Recovery Help
Through our Roadmap to Recovery® program you can access free, trustworthy help navigating the process of returning to a wildfire damaged area, repairing and replacing damaged and destroyed property, and collecting all available insurance funds.
If your property is damaged or destroyed our guidance is here to help you get started on the road to recovery, make good decisions and keep moving forward.
United Policyholders is non-profit and has expertise based on nearly three decades of assisting in communities hit by wildfires. Our staff, disaster veteran and professional volunteers and our partnerships with public, private and non-profit agencies and organizations will help lighten your load. We’re rooting for you and here to help. No strings attached.
We encourage you to take advantage of wildfire recovery help that is available through the Colorado Division of Insurance. They have issued comprehensive guidance for those impacted by the fires – click here to access those resources. You can find updates from the Colorado Division of Insurance at the bottom of this page.
The following are selected items from the extensive library of resources we offer. Through our Roadmap to Recovery® program you can access tips, tools and the straight scoop on insurance, clean up, contractors, lawyers, adjusters, avoiding rip-offs and mistakes, your legal rights and emotional support from people who genuinely care about helping you navigate successfully.
SIGN UP HERE to receive information and alerts from United Policyholders. NOTE: United Policyholders respects and protects the privacy of all who communicate with our organization. We do not share or sell our mailing lists.
Eyes tired from reading? Watch our FIRST STEPS AFTER A WILDFIRE video here.
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Taking it in and Getting Started
If you need help locating your insurance carrier’s contact information or information on how to file a claim. The Colorado Division of Insurance‘s consumer service team can be reached 1-800-930-
3745 We urge all disaster survivors to register with FEMA. If you have insurance, you will likely receive an initial denial letter. This is part of the process and you can appeal. You may need these funds if you find out you are underinsured.
FEATURED VIDEOS
Resources General- First Steps After a Wildfire
- Primeros Pasos Despues de un Incendio Forestal
- Top 10 Insurance Claim Tips
- Sample Letter Requesting Complete Copy of Homeowners Policy
- Speak UP: How to communicate with your insurance company
- Guest Blog: First Steps for Recovering
- Simplified Guide to Your Homeowners Policy
- Insurance Lingo en Español
- Register with FEMA (if/when declared)
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Arranging Temporary Housing
TIP: If you lost your home in the wildfire, when you file your insurance claim, be sure to ask for a cash advance to help you get situated. Be sure to ask for it in writing (email counts).
Resources General -
Getting Organized, Informed and Empowered
Resources General
- Insurance Consumer Rights in Colorado (2021)
- Advocacy Win! New Rights for Colorado Insurance Consumers (HB 22-1111)
- Frequently Asked Questions About Property Damage Insurance Claims in Colorado
- Organizing Carrier-Specific Disaster Survivor Groups
- Insurance Accounting Spreadsheet
- Speak UP: How to communicate with your insurance company
- Survivors Speak: Forced Choice Matrix for Decision-making
- Renters Insurance Claim Tips
- Consejos Para Reclamaciones De Arrendatarios
- Mobile/Manufactured Home Insurance Claim Tips
- Consejos para reclamos de seguros para casas móviles / fabricadas
- HOAs and Homeowners' Insurance - Policyholder Guidance
Resources Partial Loss -
Getting Debris Removed
Resources General
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Being Proactive in Documenting and Valuing Your Losses
Partial Losses/Standing Homes:
If your home was spared but was exposed to extreme heat and smoke, we offer specialized guidance on partial loss insurance claim issues related to proper cleaning, inspecting for damage, restoring healthy indoor air quality and repairing obvious as well as hidden damage.
FEATURED VIDEOS:
Resources General- Insurance Recovery Tips for the Dwelling Part of Your Claim
- The Scoop on “Scope” (of loss)
- Guidelines For Reviewing Adjusters’ And Contractors’ Estimates
- Xactimate Demystified
- Survivors Speak: Getting an Insurer to Pay Penalty Interest (Colorado)
- Survivors Speak: Estimating Your Loss
- Sample Letters and Claim Documents
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Creating Your Home Inventory and Navigating Your Contents Claim
FEATURED VIDEOS:
- Strategies for Completing Your Home Inventory – Contents Intensive (recorded for 2020 wildfire survivors)
Resources GeneralResources Partial Loss -
Making Housing and Financial Decisions
FEATURED VIDEOS (RECORDED FOR 2020 WILDFIRE SURVIVORS):
Resources General- Underinsurance 101
- Survivors Speak: Coping With Underinsurance
- Tax Information for Disaster Survivors
- Updating your home insurance after a loss...Staying protected without wasting money
- Buy or Rebuild? FAQs on replacing a dwelling after a total loss
- What to Do With Checks from Your Insurance Company
- Fannie Mae disaster recovery help for homeowners and renters impacted by Colorado fires
- Determining Property Values after the Marshall Fire
- https://rebuildingbetter.org/
Resources Total Loss - Choosing a Contractor
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Working with Your Mortgage Company
Your mortgage company cannot require you pay off your loan with your insurance proceeds, but they will typically be listed on the insurance payments along with you. Fannie Mae’s Disaster Response Network™ can help eligible homeowners navigate the broader financial impacts of disaster and the challenging recovery process with a team of HUD-approved housing counselors offering:
- A needs assessment and personalized recovery plan
- Help requesting financial relief from FEMA, insurance, mortgage servicers, and other sources
- Web resources and ongoing guidance from experienced disaster relief advisors
Homeowners can call 877-833-1746 to access the Disaster Response Network or other available resources.
Visit Fannie Mae’s KnowYourOptions.com consumer website for housing resources, including details on disaster relief. Homeowners can visit www.knowyouroptions.com/relief to learn more and find out if they have a Fannie Mae-owned mortgage and access to the full benefits of their Disaster Response Network.
Resources General -
Getting help if/when you need it
Note: In the event of a catastrophic disaster, like the one declared in the Boulder County fires, public adjusters cannot charge any payment, commission, or fee more than 10% of the insurance proceeds or settlement. Public adjusters cannot require, demand, or accept any fee, retainer, compensation, deposit, or other thing of value prior to the settlement of the claim. (Colorado Revised Statutes Title 10. Insurance § 10-2-417)
Resources General -
Taking Care of Yourself Along the Way
Resources General
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Government Bulletins & Announcements
DORA – Division of Insurance Bulletins and Publications
Bulletins are updated frequently. For the most current version, visit the Colorado DOI Insurance Statutes, Regulations, and Bulletins page.
- Concerning the Communication of Certain Coverage Limits by Homeowners’ Insurance Companies to Policyholders that Experienced a Loss Resulting from the Boulder County Fires (B-5.44)
- Division Position Concerning Policyholder Relief in the Immediate Aftermath of the Marshall and Middle Fork Fires (Bulletin No. B- 5.43) 1/3/22
- Tolling certain coverages in a catastrophe (22-E-09 )
- Concerning Prior Authorizations for Durable Medical Equipment and Prescription Refill (22-E-02)
- Equitable Payment of Claims Resulting from Natural Disasters
- Homeowners’ Right to Obtain Additional or Enhanced Coverages
- Notice of the Provisions Pertaining to the Payment of Claims for the Repair of Damaged Property
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Penalties for Failure to Promptly Address Property and Casualty First Party Claims (60-day requirement to pay or deny claim)
- Requirement to Issue Copy of Policy – CRS 10-4-110.8 (10)
- Bulletin B-5.42 Concerning Extension of Policyholder Benefits in the Event of a Catastrophic Disaster
- Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies – FAQ about ALE
- Rental Property Information
- Homeowner Association (HOA) and Homeowners’ Insurance
- Consumer Advisory Boulder County Fires Improving Policyholders Experiences
Contact the Colorado DORA Division of Insurance with concerns and questions about insurance and the claims process. Call the Division at 800-930-3745 or email them at DORA_Insurance@state.co.us.
- The deadline to submit your Right of Entry forms and participate in the county debris removal program has now passed. For more information about the debris removal program, please visit the Marshall Fire Debris Removal Program page.
- Boulder County, City of Louisville, and the Town of Superior will include foundation removal for participating residents at zero cost in the Private Property Debris Removal program.
Town and County-Specific Resources
Boulder County
Boulder County: After a Disaster Guidebook
Land Use Code – Boulder County
Boulder County Debris Removal Program Update
Boulder County Disaster Assistance Resources (organizations that were present at the Disaster Assistance Center)
Boulder County Fires Advisory – Price GougingTown of Louisville
Town of Superior
Marshall Fire Information and Resources
SBA Bulletins
Resources General