Concerns About Damage to Flooring from Fire
I have a question regarding damage to my laminate flooring due to a fire accident. Unfortunately, some parts of the flooring in one bedroom were harmed, and smoke and soot spread to two additional bedrooms on the same floor. My flooring is currently continuous with no transitions at the doorways.
During my discussion with the adjuster, he mentioned that while the damaged laminate would be replaced, a transition strip would be installed at the door to avoid replacing the entire floor. This change would compromise the original continuous flooring and introduce an alteration that wasn’t there before. Isn’t it the insurance company’s responsibility to restore the property to its original condition? Am I misunderstanding something here?
You raise a valid concern regarding the restoration of your flooring to its original condition. Typically, insurance policies aim to return property to its pre-loss state, which in your case includes having continuous laminate flooring without transitions.
It’s important to communicate your desire for the flooring to be restored without a transition strip to the adjuster. You could remind them that adding a transition strip would indeed alter the original design and structure of your flooring, which might not align with the intent of your homeowners’ policy.
You may want to provide visual documentation or references to the original layout to support your case. If needed, consider discussing this further with your insurance company to ensure they understand your perspective, or even consult with a contractor who can assess the situation and provide input on the necessity of replacing the entire floor for a seamless finish.
In some cases, if you feel you’re not getting the resolution you deserve, you might consider reaching out to a public adjuster or a legal professional who specializes in insurance claims.