Who Does What After a Fire? A Guide to Every Role in Your Recovery
After a fire, your home suddenly fills with people you've never met — adjusters, contractors, mitigation crews, contents specialists, and more. They all have different jobs, different bosses, and different motivations. Some work for your insurance company. Some work for you. And some work for themselves. Understanding who's who isn't just helpful — it's essential. The decisions you make in the first few days can affect your claim for months, and knowing who is actually on your side helps you make better ones.
This guide breaks down every role you'll encounter during your fire recovery, explains who they work for, and gives you practical tips for working with each one. If you haven't already, start with our step-by-step fire damage insurance claim guide for the full process overview.
Every Role in Your Fire Recovery
Roles marked Works for: YOU are on your side. The rest work for someone else — which doesn't make them bad, but you should know the difference.
Insurance Adjuster
Works for: Insurance Co.Hired by: Your Insurance Company
The adjuster is assigned by your insurance company to evaluate your claim. They inspect the damage, determine what's covered under your policy, and calculate the payout. They're professional and usually fair, but remember — they work for the insurance company, not for you.
Tips:
- Be present during their inspection if possible
- Document everything independently — don't rely solely on their assessment
- Ask for a copy of their full report and line-item estimate
- You can dispute their assessment if you disagree
Public Adjuster
Works for: YOUHired by: YOU (the homeowner)
A public adjuster is a licensed professional you can hire to represent YOUR interests in the claim. They negotiate with the insurance company on your behalf and typically find money the insurance adjuster missed. They charge a percentage of your settlement (usually 10-15%).
Tips:
- Consider hiring one if your claim is large or complex
- They often pay for themselves by finding additional coverage
- Make sure they're licensed in Arizona
- Get a written contract with a clear fee structure
Insurance Agent
Works for: Insurance Co.Hired by: Your Insurance Company (sales side)
Your insurance agent is the person who sold you your policy. They can help you understand your coverage and file the initial claim, but they don't handle the actual claims process. Think of them as your first phone call, not your ongoing contact.
Tips:
- Call them first to file the claim
- Ask them to explain your coverage limits, deductible, and ALE benefits
- They can escalate issues with the claims department
- They're different from the claims adjuster
Mitigation Company
Works for: Insurance Co.Hired by: Varies (often assigned by insurance)
The mitigation company arrives first to prevent further damage. They board up openings, extract standing water, set up drying equipment, and secure the property. They focus on the STRUCTURE — walls, floors, roof — not your personal belongings.
Tips:
- They typically arrive within hours of the fire
- Their job is to stop the damage from getting worse
- They don't pack or clean your contents — that's a different company
- Your insurance usually assigns them, but you can choose your own
Contents Company (Pack-Out)
Works for: YOUHired by: YOU — and paid by your insurance
That's us. A contents company specializes in your personal belongings — everything inside your home. We inventory, photograph, carefully pack, transport, clean, store, and eventually return your items when your home is ready. This is a specific insurance line item, and you have the right to choose your own company.
Tips:
- You do NOT have to use whoever the insurance company suggests
- Your insurance covers contents restoration as part of your claim
- A good contents company will photograph and inventory everything
- Ask about their cleaning methods for different materials
Know Your Rights
Insurance pays doesn't mean insurance chooses. You have the right to choose your own contents company, contractor, and other vendors. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.
Textile Specialist
Works for: YOUHired by: Usually subcontracted by the contents company
Textile specialists handle soft goods — clothing, linens, drapes, stuffed animals, and other fabric items. Smoke damage penetrates fabrics deeply, and specialized cleaning methods (ozone treatment, ultrasonic cleaning) are needed to remove soot and odor.
Tips:
- Don't try to wash smoke-damaged clothes yourself — you can set the odor
- Professional textile cleaning is covered by insurance
- Specialty items (wedding dresses, leather, fur) need extra care
- A good contents company will coordinate this for you
Electronics Specialist
Works for: YOUHired by: Usually subcontracted by the contents company
Electronics can be damaged by smoke, soot, heat, and water. Specialists can often restore TVs, computers, gaming systems, and appliances that look beyond repair. Corrosive soot can destroy circuit boards if not cleaned quickly.
Tips:
- Don't plug in or turn on electronics after a fire
- Soot is corrosive — the sooner electronics are cleaned, the better
- Professional restoration is often cheaper than replacement
- Keep all electronics for assessment, even if they look damaged
General Contractor (Reconstruction)
Works for: YOUHired by: YOU — and paid by your insurance
The general contractor handles rebuilding the structure of your home — framing, drywall, electrical, plumbing, painting, flooring. They work from the insurance estimate and rebuild your home to its pre-loss condition (or better, if you choose to upgrade with out-of-pocket funds).
Tips:
- You have the right to choose your own contractor
- Get multiple bids — don't just use the insurance company's suggestion
- Make sure they're licensed, bonded, and insured in Arizona (ROC license)
- The reconstruction doesn't start until the contents are packed out
Mortgage Company
Works for: Insurance Co.Hired by: Themselves (they protect their investment)
If you have a mortgage, your lender has a financial interest in your property. Insurance checks over a certain amount are often made payable to both you AND the mortgage company. They'll hold the funds in escrow and release them in stages as repairs are completed.
Tips:
- Contact your mortgage company early — don't wait for the check to arrive
- Ask about their claims process and what documentation they need
- They typically release funds in draws as work is completed
- This can slow things down — factor it into your timeline
What to Do Next
Now that you know who's who, put that knowledge to work. These resources will help you stay organized and make confident decisions throughout your recovery:
- Fire Damage Insurance Claim Guide — The full step-by-step process from start to finish
- Fire Recovery Checklist — Track your progress with a printable action list
- Free Recovery Tools — Templates, calculators, and resources to help you through the process
Not sure who to call first? We've helped hundreds of Arizona families navigate fire recovery — and we're happy to point you in the right direction, even if you don't need our services.
Call 623-400-6771Available 24/7 · Insurance-covered services