Fire Damage Supplement Playbook for Contractors

• →Fire claims combine structural damage, smoke migration, soot contamination, odor treatment, HVAC redistribution, contents handling, suppression water overlap, demolition discovery, and code-driven rebuild — each category scrutinized separately by desk reviewers.
• →Initial carrier estimates commonly miss legitimate scope because adjusters snapshot the origin room, apply generic smoke wipe macros, and freeze the sketch before demolition, pack-out, and HVAC inspection complete.
• →Documentation — not negotiation alone — wins fire supplements. Indexed photos, room-labeled inventories, migration narratives, and discovery-era tear-out evidence give adjusters defensible scope they cannot extract from invoice-only submissions.
• →Contractors need a repeatable workflow that runs on every fire file: review the estimate, inspect thoroughly, build the documentation package, identify supplement opportunities, organize the estimate, submit cleanly, prepare for reinspection, respond to objections, and reconcile settlement.
• →This playbook is the central hub of the Fire Damage guide cluster — linking documentation standards, field procedures, and commercial workflows into one operational supplement process from estimate receipt through final payment.

For cross-trade supplement fundamentals, see the Insurance Supplementing Guide blog and Supplement Submission Workflow. For field documentation standards, start with the Fire Damage Documentation Guide.

• →Scope comparison — export carrier sketch room list and compare to field walk room index; flag every photographed room missing from sketch.
• →Quantity review — validate SF, LF, and EA quantities on cleaning, demo, and rebuild lines against measurements and photo evidence.
• →Pricing review — note unit price variances on specialty procedures, equipment, and overhead lines; document market or program pricing disputes separately from scope gaps.
• →Missing line items — list absent categories: migration smoke wipe, HVAC cleaning, contents manipulation, pack-out, odor treatment, demolition, debris removal, temporary protection, and code upgrades.
• →Common omissions — prioritize migration halls and closets, upper-floor bedrooms, HVAC duct scope, contents pack-out, specialty soot procedures, and pre-demo structural lines.
• →Documentation gaps — identify which missing lines lack contemporaneous evidence and assign field capture before supplement submit.
• →Assign supplement owner and schedule 48-hour estimate review per the First 48 Hours After Carrier Estimate playbook.
• →Log baseline carrier estimate version, adjuster name, and sketch date in CRM before any internal estimate comparison.

See the Carrier Estimate Review Workflow for systematic Xactimate comparison methods. Run Phase 1 within 48 hours of estimate receipt — production that commits to under-scoped work erodes supplement credibility.

• →Structural damage — photograph char depth, compromised framing, load-path concerns, and shoring before demo boundaries are negotiated.
• →Smoke migration — walk full path from origin through halls, stairwells, closets, upper floors, attic access, and adjoining units.
• →Hidden damage — open cavities, inspect attics and crawlspaces, and photograph concealed char or soot before insulation and drywall close access.
• →HVAC contamination — confirm system status, photograph registers distant from origin, inspect filter, coil, and accessible duct — keep system off until documented.
• →Contents — inventory items in place before pack-out; photograph density, soot impact, and high-value items per room.
• →Exterior damage — document roof, siding, windows, and detached structures when fire or suppression affected exterior assemblies.
• →Water mitigation overlap — separate fire residue evidence from suppression water damage; phase folders for drying versus soot scope.
• →Safety concerns — log structural red-tags, utility shutoffs, hazmat flags, and restricted zones before crew entry expands scope.
• →Update gap list with every new discovery and cross-reference to carrier sketch rooms by consistent naming convention.

See the Fire Claim Intake Checklist for first-visit capture standards. Structural discovery during tear-out requires the Structural Stabilization Documentation Procedure — discovery supplements need discovery-era photos.

• →Photos — maintain indexed folders by room and category; filename convention includes claim number, room label, and date.
• →Room organization — align photo folders, sketch room names, inventory pages, and estimate sections to one naming standard.
• →Odor documentation — log pre-treatment odor by room, equipment placement, duration, and post-treatment verification per Odor Mitigation Documentation Procedure.
• →Inspection notes — contemporaneous site notes with dated technician observations tied to rooms and line categories.
• →Narratives — write migration path narrative, demolition justification, and HVAC correlation summaries for cover letter attachment.
• →Supporting reports — index engineering, IH, HVAC specialist, and environmental report excerpts to specific estimate lines.
• →Fire Damage Documentation Guide — apply cornerstone standards for residential and commercial fire file structure.
• →Smoke & Soot Damage Documentation Guide — capture contamination types, test-clean results, and substrate evidence for cleaning versus replace decisions.
• →Contents Inventory Documentation Guide — room-located inventories with valuation support and clean-versus-replace proof.
• →Pack-Out Documentation Guide — chain of custody, transport, storage, and return documentation for off-site contents.

Build the documentation package during the job — not at invoice. Phased supplements with contemporaneous evidence outperform end-of-job narrative assembled after production closes access.

• →Structural repairs — charred framing, sheathing, trusses, and connections discovered during demo beyond origin-area macros.
• →Smoke cleaning — migration rooms, halls, closets, and upper floors omitted from carrier sketch.
• →Soot removal — specialty procedures for dry, oily, or protein soot with test-clean documentation on disputable substrates.
• →Contents — manipulation, cleaning, storage, and replacement lines tied to room-located inventory pages.
• →Pack-outs — inventory, packing labor, transport, and storage with chain-of-custody logs referenced in cover letter.
• →Temporary protection — board-up extensions, shrink wrap, floor protection, and fencing through cleaning and rebuild phases.
• →Demolition — selective tear-out with pre-demo framing photos and boundary justification narrative.
• →Debris removal — charred material, insulation, and hazmat disposal with manifest or ticket documentation.
• →Equipment — hydroxyl, ozone, air scrubbers, HEPA vacuums, and negative air with placement and duration logs.
• →HVAC cleaning — duct cleaning, coil service, filter replacement, and component replacement after documented inspection.
• →Mechanical systems — water heater, boiler, or process equipment with soot load documented before assuming clean-only scope.
• →Hidden damage — cavity char, attic smoke, and compromised connections photographed during tear-out.
• →Code-required upgrades — permit-driven assembly changes on rebuild — see Fire Code Upgrade Documentation Guide.
• →Commercial considerations — building-indexed scope, tenant boundaries, and phased supplements on multi-unit losses — see Commercial Fire Claims Guide.

Prioritize high-value gaps with strong contemporaneous evidence before fighting low-dollar consumables. Migration folders and HVAC component photos approve more often than unexplained quantity increases on generic smoke wipe lines.

• →Xactimate organization — separate folders or clearly indexed sections for emergency, cleaning, contents, HVAC, demolition, and rebuild phases.
• →Scope grouping — group lines by room and trade; avoid unlabeled blocks that desk reviewers cannot map to photo exhibits.
• →Estimate narratives — write line-level notes explaining cleaning versus replace, demo boundaries, and specialty procedure justification.
• →Supporting documentation — reference exhibit numbers in estimate notes matching cover letter attachment index.
• →Attachments — prepare photo index PDF, report excerpts, and inventory pages as named exhibits — not unlabeled camera rolls.
• →Line-item organization — align smoke cleaning, HVAC, contents, structural, and code lines in separate estimate sections with distinct photo cross-references.
• →Calculate total supplement delta and confirm dollar summary matches cover letter table before submission.
• →Run claim file audit checklist — every requested line must map to at least one indexed exhibit.

Desk adjusters approve supplements they can navigate in one review session. Lead with a summary table; group exhibits by issue with clear labels.

• →Cover letter — one paragraph per issue: carrier omission, evidence exhibit reference, and exact line item or quantity requested.
• →Estimate — submit revised Xactimate export or marked-up carrier PDF in carrier-preferred format.
• →Photos — attach indexed photo exhibits grouped by room and issue; index maps exhibit number to line items.
• →Reports — attach only reports referenced in cover letter — engineering, IH, HVAC inspection, environmental.
• →Narratives — include migration path, demo justification, and HVAC correlation summaries as named attachments.
• →Supporting documentation — inventories, pack-out logs, code permit applications, and specialist conclusions indexed by line.
• →File organization — name files consistently: ClaimNumber_Supplement_v1_Date.pdf; single merged PDF when carrier requires one upload.
• →Route through correct carrier channel — email, portal, or XactAnalysis — log submission date, method, and recipient in CRM.
• →Set follow-up reminders at 3, 7, and 14 business days per Supplement Submission Workflow.

Never submit the same supplement through multiple channels simultaneously. Copy homeowner on confirmation unless carrier policy restricts it.

• →Walkthrough strategy — pre-walk disputed areas with field lead; confirm evidence still visible and accessible before adjuster arrival.
• →Demonstrating hidden damage — stage photo stations at cavity openings, attic hatches, and demo boundaries where concealed damage is disputed.
• →Presenting documentation — prepare one-page briefing summary and scope comparison table with estimate line references for adjuster handoff.
• →Organizing evidence — assign field escort with indexed photo packet; separate binders or tablet folders by issue — migration, HVAC, contents, structural.
• →Answering carrier questions — respond with exhibit references, not opinions; offer to pull additional photos by room name on site.
• →Document reinspection outcomes in correspondence log — agreements, denials, and requests for additional information indexed by line.
• →Update revised estimate within one week of visit so lines discussed on site appear in submitted scope.

Reinspections fail when adjusters cannot locate evidence quickly. Pre-stage stations at each disputed area with printed or tablet-indexed exhibits tied to line numbers.

• →No documentation — respond with targeted exhibit resubmission mapping photos, inventories, or reports to denied line numbers; never resubmit entire unindexed package.
• →Not fire related — tie migration narrative and path photos to fire origin; correlate HVAC register staining and contents soot to loss event timeline.
• →Cleaning is sufficient — submit test-clean failure photos, substrate close-ups, and supervisor replace recommendations on porous materials.
• →Pricing excessive — separate scope disputes from unit price disputes; provide program pricing references or comparable line documentation without adversarial tone.
• →Scope unsupported — add room index, sketch alignment proof, and quantity calculations reconciled to photo narrative for each disputed line.
• →Code not applicable — attach permit requirements, AHJ citations, and triggered-work photos showing non-compliant existing conditions — see Fire Code Upgrade Documentation Guide.
• →Replacement unnecessary — document non-salvageable proof with failed cleaning tests, char depth measurements, and engineering conclusions before disposal.
• →Process partial approvals surgically — resubmit denied lines individually with additional evidence rather than resubmitting entire approved package.

Write factually — issue, evidence, requested remedy. See Fire Damage Supplement Denial Recovery blog for denial pattern strategies. Save disputes for documented escalation — not cover letter ultimatums.

• →Multi-unit buildings — index documentation by building, floor, and suite; separate photo folders and estimate sections per occupancy zone.
• →Tenant improvements — label shell versus tenant improvement versus contents on every inventory entry and estimate line.
• →Business interruption coordination — document mitigation timelines, access restrictions, and zone release schedules without preparing BI valuations.
• →Large-loss organization — publish documentation plan within 24 hours with folder index, naming convention, and role assignments.
• →Multiple trades — separate structural, MEP, fire suppression, contents, and general conditions with trade-specific photo indexes.
• →Complex scheduling — log phased production, tenant escort requirements, and partial approvals by building or zone.
• →Apply Commercial Fire Claims Guide for full large-loss workflow — this playbook's phases run within that commercial framework.
• →Submit phased supplements as discovery completes per zone — do not wait for entire campus documentation before first migration or HVAC supplement.

Commercial fire supplements require building-indexed evidence residential templates cannot organize. See Commercial Fire Claims Guide for tenant coordination, engineering involvement, and BI documentation support.

• →Comparing approved scope — reconcile every approved line against production scope and job budget; flag lines approved below documented quantities.
• →Identifying remaining omissions — run final gap list against approved estimate; queue supplemental revisions for demo discovery or late specialist reports.
• →Supplemental revisions — submit surgical amendments for remaining gaps with targeted evidence — not full package resubmission.
• →Final documentation review — confirm indexed closeout packet includes all approved supplements, correspondence, and payment records.
• →Claim closeout — archive room index, photo folders, inventories, and estimate versions; document any open disputed lines with status before production closeout.
• →Notify PM and policyholder of settlement outcome within one business day of carrier final response.
• →Do not close production on lines with open supplement status undocumented in CRM.

Settlement review catches remaining omissions before warranty and closeout eliminate reinspection access. Compare approved scope to field reality one final time — late discovery supplements still require contemporaneous tear-out photos.