Michigan Fire Insurance Claim Attorneys

When your insurance company denies, delays, or underpays your High-Value Home Fire Damage Claims or Large Commercial Building Structure Fire Damage Claim, our attorneys have the experience to hold them accountable.

Whether it is a house fire, a commercial building fire, or an explosion that causes widespread damage, the aftermath leaves property owners dealing with destruction, displacement, and the urgent need to rebuild. When you file a claim with your insurance company, you expect them to honor the policy you have been paying for — but too often, insurers deny valid fire claims, delay the process for months, or offer far less than what it costs to repair or replace your property.

At Liss + Earls, fire insurance claims are at the core of what we do. For nearly 40 years, our attorneys have represented Michigan homeowners and businesses whose fire damage claims have been wrongfully denied or underpaid. Our managing shareholder, Jason J. Liss, has spent over 30 years focused exclusively on property insurance litigation and is licensed in both Michigan and Ohio. We have recovered an estimated $500 million in verdicts, settlements, and insurance claim payments for our clients since 1986.

Why You Need a Fire Insurance Claim Attorney

Fire damage claims are among the most complex property insurance disputes. The damage is often extensive — involving not just the structure itself, but smoke infiltration, water damage from firefighting efforts, contents loss, and additional living expenses while the property is uninhabitable. Insurance companies know this, and they send adjusters to the scene quickly — not to help you, but to control the narrative and limit their exposure.

By involving experienced fire insurance claim attorneys early in the process, you ensure that:

Critical evidence is preserved. Fire scenes change rapidly. Origin-and-cause evidence can be lost, altered, or destroyed if not properly documented. Our attorneys work with independent fire investigators to preserve the evidence that supports your claim.
Your claim is properly documented. Fire losses involve multiple categories of damage — structural, smoke, soot, water, contents, and additional living expenses. Insurance companies benefit when any of these categories are overlooked or undervalued. We make sure every aspect of your loss is accounted for.
Lowball offers are challenged. Insurers frequently offer initial settlements that cover only a fraction of the actual cost to repair or rebuild. Our attorneys retain independent experts to establish the true value of your loss and challenge inadequate offers.
Your rights under Michigan law are protected. Michigan has specific statutes that protect policyholders in property insurance disputes, including penalty interest for late payment and attorney fee recovery. Our attorneys know these laws and use them in every case where they apply.

Types of Fire Insurance Claims We Handle

Residential Fire Insurance Claims

House fires affect everything — the structure, your personal belongings, and your ability to live in your home while repairs are made. We represent Michigan homeowners with fire damage claims involving structural repairs, contents replacement, smoke and soot remediation, and additional living expense (ALE) coverage. When insurers dispute the scope of damage, challenge replacement cost valuations, or deny coverage altogether, our attorneys step in and fight for the full value of your claim.

Commercial Fire Insurance Claims

When a fire damages a commercial property, the losses go far beyond the building itself. Inventory, equipment, fixtures, tenant improvements, and business income are all at stake. We represent commercial property owners, manufacturers, warehouse operators, retail businesses, restaurants, apartment complex owners, and other business owners whose fire claims have been denied or underpaid. Our attorneys have extensive experience with the unique challenges of commercial fire claims, including business interruption calculations and extra expense coverage.

Explosion and Blast Claims

Smoke and Soot Damage

Arson Accusations and Coverage Denials

When an insurer suspects arson, they may deny a fire claim based on the intentional act exclusion in the policy. This is one of the most serious situations a policyholder can face — the insurance company is essentially accusing you of burning your own property. Our attorneys have decades of experience defending policyholders against arson accusations, challenging insurer-hired origin-and-cause experts, and proving that fire losses are covered under the policy.

Common Issues in Michigan Fire Insurance Claims

Replacement Costs vs Actual Cash Value Disputes

Most Michigan homeowners policies provide replacement cost coverage, which means the insurer should pay what it actually costs to repair or rebuild your property. But insurers frequently try to limit payments to “actual cash value” — a depreciated amount that may be far less than what repairs actually cost. Understanding the difference between these two valuations, and knowing when and how to recover replacement cost benefits, is critical to getting a fair outcome on a fire claim.

Scope of Damage Disputes

After a fire, insurers often dispute how much of the property was damaged. They may acknowledge the fire damage itself but refuse to cover smoke damage to other areas of the structure, water damage caused by firefighting efforts, or code upgrade costs required by local building ordinances. Our attorneys retain independent experts to document the full scope of loss and challenge the insurer’s limited view of the damage.

Delays in Claim Processing

Michigan law requires insurers to process claims promptly. When an insurance company takes months to assign an adjuster, repeatedly requests the same documentation, or simply fails to respond, they may be violating Michigan’s Uniform Trade Practices Act. These delays are not just frustrating — they have real consequences. You may be paying for temporary housing, losing rental income, or watching your property deteriorate while the insurer stalls.

Contents Claims

After a fire, you may lose furniture, clothing, electronics, appliances, and irreplaceable personal items. Insurers frequently challenge contents claims by disputing the value of individual items, requiring excessive documentation for belongings that no longer exist, or applying aggressive depreciation schedules. Our attorneys know how to present contents claims effectively and challenge insurer tactics that reduce your recovery.

How Michigan Law Protects Policyholders

Michigan provides strong statutory protections for policyholders in property insurance disputes. Our attorneys use these protections aggressively in every fire insurance case where they apply.

12% Penalty Interest

When an insurer fails to pay a property insurance claim within 60 days after a satisfactory proof of loss is filed, the insurer must pay 12% annual interest on the unpaid amount. This penalty interest is one of the most powerful tools available to Michigan policyholders. On a fire claim involving significant damage, the penalty interest alone can amount to tens of thousands of dollars per year — creating substantial financial pressure on insurers to resolve claims promptly rather than dragging out the process.

Breach of Contract

Every insurance policy is a contract. When an insurer fails to pay covered fire losses — by denying the claim, underpaying, or refusing to honor replacement cost provisions — the policyholder can bring a breach of contract action to recover the full benefits owed, plus penalty interest and, in many cases, attorney fees.

Attorney Fee Recovery

In many Michigan property insurance disputes, policyholders can recover their attorney fees from the insurer. This means that the cost of hiring experienced legal counsel does not come out of your recovery — the insurer pays for it.

What You Can Recover In a Michigan Fire Insurance Claim

When your insurance company wrongfully denies, delays, or underpays a fire damage claim, you may be entitled to recover:

Full policy benefits — the complete cost to repair or replace your fire-damaged property as provided under your policy
Contents replacement — the value of personal property, inventory, equipment, and other items destroyed or damaged by fire, smoke, or soot
Additional living expenses (ALE) — temporary housing, meals, and other costs incurred while your home is uninhabitable
Business interruption losses — lost income and extra expenses for commercial property owners forced to close during repairs
12% penalty interest — under MCL 500.2006, accruing from 60 days after your proof of loss was filed
Attorney fees and litigation costs — recoverable in many Michigan property insurance disputes

The specific damages available depend on your policy terms and the facts of your case. Our attorneys will review your situation and explain what recovery may be possible.

Why Choose Liss + Earls for Your Michigan FIre Insurance Claim?

Nearly 40 years of experience — Our firm has been fighting for Michigan policyholders since 1986, formerly as Fabian, Sklar, King & Liss
Property insurance is all we do — We do not handle car accidents, divorce, criminal defense, or any other area of law. Every case we take involves a property owner fighting an insurance company
An estimated $500 million recovered for our clients — We have handled fire insurance disputes involving millions of dollars in insured losses
We know how insurers operate — Decades of experience means we understand the adjusters, the experts, the delay tactics, and the pressure points that insurance companies use to minimize payouts
Deep knowledge of Michigan insurance law — We know MCL 500.2006, the Uniform Trade Practices Act, and the case law that protects Michigan policyholders
Licensed in Michigan and Ohio — We also represent select clients nationwide in large commercial property damage litigation through pro hac vice admission
No fee unless we recover — We handle fire insurance cases on a contingency basis, so you pay nothing unless we win

Michigan Cities and Regions

Nearly 40 years of experience — Our firm has been fighting for Michigan policyholders since 1986, formerly as Fabian, Sklar, King & Liss
Property insurance is all we do — We do not handle car accidents, divorce, criminal defense, or any other area of law. Every case we take involves a property owner fighting an insurance company
An estimated $500 million recovered for our clients — We have handled fire insurance disputes involving millions of dollars in insured losses
We know how insurers operate — Decades of experience means we understand the adjusters, the experts, the delay tactics, and the pressure points that insurance companies use to minimize payouts
Deep knowledge of Michigan insurance law — We know MCL 500.2006, the Uniform Trade Practices Act, and the case law that protects Michigan policyholders
Licensed in Michigan and Ohio — We also represent select clients nationwide in large commercial property damage litigation through pro hac vice admission
No fee unless we recover — We handle fire insurance cases on a contingency basis, so you pay nothing unless we win

Public Adjusters—We are your litigation partner for fire insurance claims.

If you are a public adjuster working a fire loss in Michigan and the insurer has denied the claim, forced an examination under oath, or refused to pay fair value — we are here to help. Our attorneys work alongside public adjusters every day. We handle the litigation while you continue managing the adjustment. Learn how we work with public adjusters →

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Get Help With Your Michigan Fire Insurance Claim

Don’t accept the insurance company’s response as final if they have denied, delayed, or underpaid your commercial & large-loss property fire insurance claim. Contact Liss + Earls for a free consultation. We will review your claim, your policy, and the insurer’s response — and give you an honest assessment of your options.