Wildfire Insurance Claim Checklist After the Aspen Acres Fire

After the Aspen Acres Fire, many insurance claim discussions start the same way: the first estimate comes in, and the numbers don’t match what people expected.

Homeowners often feel the claim is underpaid compared to the damage they see. Contractors often find their scope or estimate is not being fully approved. This checklist is designed to help you document damage clearly so valuation discussions, the actual dollar amounts and scopes, have solid support.

Every property and policy is different, and this article is not legal advice or policy interpretation. We focus on what you can see, measure, and record. The better your documentation, the easier it is for everyone to understand the scope of damage, compare repair estimates, and evaluate the amount of loss versus coverage.

Safety Before Any Wildfire Inspection

Before you step onto the property, make sure it is safe. Local authorities, the fire department, and utility companies should confirm that access is allowed and that gas, electric, and propane systems are safe to approach.

Common hazards after a wildfire can include:

Weakened framing, floors, stairs, and decks
Compromised roofs, chimneys, and overhangs
Exposed wiring and damaged electrical panels
Fallen trees, hanging limbs, and loosened rock or soil
Debris with sharp metal, nails, and broken glass

Smoke, soot, and ash can also affect air quality. Many owners choose to wear basic protection like gloves, sturdy shoes, and a simple mask when first entering.

From a valuation perspective, you need to be able to walk the property slowly and carefully. Rushing through unsafe conditions increases the chance that damage will be missed or poorly documented, which can affect the eventual amount-of-loss calculation.

Documenting Wildfire Damage with Photos and Video

Once you can safely access the site, visual documentation is the foundation of any wildfire property damage checklist. Take more photos and videos than you think you need, and do it at multiple stages.

Outside, try to capture:

All exterior elevations of the main structure
Roof surfaces, gutters, downspouts, and skylights
Windows, doors, trim, and siding
Decks, railings, fences, patios, and driveways
Detached garages, sheds, barns, and outbuildings

Inside, move room by room. Get wide shots that show the overall layout, then close-ups of specific conditions:

Ceilings, walls, baseboards, and flooring
Cabinets, countertops, and fixtures
HVAC registers, returns, and visible ductwork
Appliances, electrical panels, and light fixtures
Visible smoke residue, staining, or soot patterns

Do not forget systems and surroundings. Photograph HVAC condensers, water heaters, crawl spaces, attics if safe, mechanical rooms, vehicles, equipment, landscaping, and any evidence of heat or smoke impact.

When possible, use date-stamped photos or keep images in folders labeled by date. That record of “before cleanup,” “after temporary repairs,” and “during mitigation” can be valuable when questions arise later about what was damaged and when. These visuals often become a key reference point when different parties are comparing the amount of loss versus the available coverage.

Building a Detailed Property Loss Inventory

Wildfire damage is not just about walls and roofs. Contents and equipment can represent a large share of the loss, especially for businesses, farms, and workshops. A structured contents inventory helps keep important items from being overlooked and supports the values assigned to them.

A practical way to build your inventory is to go area by area:

Living areas: furniture, rugs, electronics, artwork
Kitchen and laundry: appliances, cookware, small devices
Bedrooms and closets: clothing, shoes, linens, personal items
Office or shop: computers, printers, tools, business equipment
Garage, barn, or storage: power tools, ladders, agricultural equipment, outdoor gear

For each item, note where it was located, its general description, approximate age, brand and model when known, and its condition before the fire. Serial numbers, receipts, prior photos, and existing spreadsheets or invoices can all support your amount-of-loss documentation. Contractors and business owners may already have equipment lists or project records that can be updated with fire-related damage.

This level of detail can reduce confusion later when values are being assigned to contents. It helps everyone understand what was there, what was affected, and how those items relate to the overall claim.

Organizing Claim Documents and Inspections

Visual records and inventories are only part of a strong wildfire claim file. Written documents tell the story of how the claim and the valuation develop over time.

Keep a dedicated place for:

Insurance policies and endorsements
Claim numbers, adjuster contact information, and key letters
Insurance estimates and any revised versions
Contractor, roofer, and restoration estimates
Engineering or specialty inspection reports
Mitigation and cleaning invoices
Temporary housing, storage, and relocation receipts
Final repair invoices and change orders

Save email threads, text messages, letters, and notes from phone calls. A simple system can work well: one physical binder for hard copies and a set of digital folders on your computer labeled by category and date. When questions come up about what was discussed, agreed upon, or requested, this record helps keep everyone on the same page.

Alongside paperwork, it is important to plan and document post-wildfire inspections. Depending on your property, these may include:

Roof inspections for covering, flashing, and sheathing
Structural evaluations of framing, decks, porches, and foundations in high-heat areas
Electrical inspections of panels, wiring, and devices
HVAC inspections, including condensers, furnaces, ducts, and filters
Plumbing and mechanical checks, where applicable
Smoke and soot assessments in attics, crawl spaces, wall cavities, and mechanical rooms

Qualified professionals, such as roofing contractors, HVAC specialists, licensed electricians, structural engineers, and restoration firms familiar with wildfire and smoke behavior, can help identify damage that is not obvious at first glance. Their written findings often drive the scope of repairs and form the backbone of amount-of-loss documentation.

Hidden Damage, Repair Scopes, and the Claim Timeline

Some wildfire effects appear slowly. Smoke odors can come back after the first cleaning. Metal surfaces can show early corrosion. Framing or finishes may warp, crack, or separate over time. Areas that often hide these problems include attics, crawl spaces, insulation, concealed framing, roof sheathing, soffits, and spaces behind exterior cladding.

Because of this, periodic re-inspections can be useful, especially when:

You notice new odors or staining
HVAC or electrical components begin to fail early
Repairs expose previously hidden cavities or materials

Each new finding should be photographed, described in writing, and tied to a specific date. This helps support supplements or additional evaluations within the same insurance claim.

As estimates are prepared, the concept of a “scope of repairs” becomes central. A scope is simply a detailed breakdown of what is damaged and how it should be addressed. When reviewing different scopes, it can help to ask:

Are all affected building components listed, including roofing, exterior walls, windows, insulation, and interior finishes?
Are mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems evaluated where heat or smoke may have reached?
Are detached structures, fencing, paving, and site improvements included when they were impacted?
Are cleaning versus replacement decisions explained, especially for smoke-affected materials and mechanical systems?

Homeowners often feel a claim is underpaid when they see items missing from an estimate or when recommended methods differ from what a contractor believes is necessary. Contractors may feel their scopes are not being fully considered. Having organized, comparable scopes helps clarify where those differences are actually occurring and why the numbers do not match.

To tie all of this together, maintain a simple claim timeline. A notebook or spreadsheet that records:

Dates of inspections, site visits, and meetings
When estimates, revisions, and reports were received
When mitigation and repair work started and finished
When additional damage was discovered

This timeline links your photos, documents, and invoices to specific events, making it easier to explain how the amount-of-loss evaluation has evolved.

Loss Amount vs. Coverage: When Appraisal Fits In

Many Aspen Acres wildfire insurance claim questions come down to two separate issues that often get blended together: coverage and amount of loss.

Coverage addresses whether a particular type of damage or cost falls within the terms of the policy.
Amount of loss focuses on what was damaged, what repairs are reasonably required, and what those repairs cost.

In many Colorado wildfire insurance claims, the most difficult discussions are usually about amount of loss, not coverage. Coverage may have been accepted, but the insurance estimate, the contractor estimate, and the owner’s expectations do not match.

Insurance appraisal is a neutral, alternative dispute resolution process designed specifically for disagreements about the amount of loss, after coverage questions have been handled. In appraisal, each side typically selects an appraiser, and those appraisers work together, often with an umpire, to arrive at an independent value for the loss.

Colorado Claim Appraisers focus on this valuation role as an independent, unbiased party. Our work centers on scope, pricing, and the amount of loss, rather than on interpreting policy language or representing one side over the other. We provide an alternative dispute resolution process that both owners and insurers can use to resolve valuation differences.

When you have followed a wildfire claim checklist that includes thorough documentation, inspections, and organized records, you are better prepared if appraisal becomes an option. Clear photos, inventories, scopes, and timelines give all participants in the appraisal process a solid factual foundation to evaluate the property’s condition and amount of loss in a structured, supportable way.

Next Step: Request a Valuation Review or Discuss Appraisal

If your Aspen Acres wildfire claim feels underpaid, or if your scope or estimate is not being approved, and the dispute is about the amount of loss rather than coverage, appraisal may be an option in your policy.

To discuss whether an amount-of-loss appraisal makes sense in your situation, or to request a review of the valuation differences in your claim, call Colorado Claim Appraisers at 800-233-5517. We can walk through the numbers, explain how the appraisal process works as an unbiased alternative dispute resolution method, and help you understand possible next steps.

If your Aspen Acres wildfire claim has reached a point where the insurance estimate and documented repair scope remain significantly different, Colorado Claim Appraisers provides independent appraiser and umpire services focused on the amount of loss. Our role is to objectively evaluate scope, quantities, pricing, and supporting documentation through the appraisal process. By providing an independent, evidence-based valuation, we help property owners, insurers, contractors, and legal professionals resolve valuation disputes with a clear and supportable amount of loss. Contact us today to discuss whether appraisal is an appropriate next step for your claim.