Los Angeles Office Address
3530 Wilshire Blvd. Suite 699, Los Angeles, CA 90010
Phone: (213) 817-5741
Fax: (888) 327-7089
Email: [email protected]
Santa Clara Office Address
5201 Great America Parkway Suite 320 – [#284] Santa Clara, CA 95054
For property owners in Santa Monica, the days following a fire often reveal a second layer of devastation. Smoke and soot infiltrate walls, flooring, and air systems, making your home feel unrecognizable and your next steps unclear. You shouldn’t have to navigate the complexities of an insurance claim on your own.
At Excel Adjusters, we’re dedicated to helping Santa Monica homeowners address smoke damage by pursuing fair settlements and guiding you through recovery every step of the way.
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Before & After Public Adjuster (PA)
What Qualifies as a Smoke Damage Claim?
Smoke can continue to harm your property long after the fire has been extinguished, and sometimes even when flames never touched your structure. A smoke damage claim doesn’t require visible fire damage. If your home or business shows any of the signs below, you may have grounds to file a valid smoke claim:
- Discoloration or staining on walls, ceilings, furniture, or personal belongings
- Persistent smoke odor that lingers despite surface-level cleaning
- Corrosion or breakdown of materials like metal, wood, or electronics
- Health hazards caused by smoke residue, especially for sensitive individuals
- Damage to porous items like upholstery, clothing, or documents
Recent fire events in Southern California have introduced more complex health and safety concerns, including heavy metals and chemical residues. These can be found in ash and soot and may include:
- Lead
- Arsenic
- Benzene
- Formaldehyde
- Acrolein
- Cadmium
- Chromium
- Lithium
- Chloride Anions
WHY CHOOSE US
Deep Industry Expertise
Drawing from 20-plus years in the industry, we’re equipped to navigate every stage of the claims and rebuilding process.
Higher Payouts
Every eligible cost is documented and pursued with care, so you receive the compensation your policy promises.
Client-Focused, Results-Driven
We take time to understand your specific challenges and deliver expert guidance that moves you toward resolution.
Need to File a Smoke Damage Claim? Excel Adjusters Will Help To:
- Advocate on your behalf with the insurance company for a fair and reasonable settlement
- Expedite the claims process
- Assess building damage
- Investigate and measure the extent of the loss
- Evaluate replacement cost and/or depreciation
- Prepare documentation
- Review your insurance policy coverage
- Provide damage restoration services
- Evaluate your compliance responsibilities
- Assemble business equipment claims (if applicable)
- Assemble support data for a loss of income claim (if applicable)
- Assess total loss claims and review insurance estimates
How Excel Adjusters Can Help With Your Smoke Damage Insurance Claims
In Santa Monica, when your property is affected by smoke and soot, the real damage can be hard to detect and even harder to claim. Our licensed public adjusters take action from the beginning, using their background in fire-related claims to ensure your insurance provider accounts for every detail and doesn’t undervalue what you’ve lost.
Advocating for a Fair and Reasonable Settlement
Our responsibility is to see that your insurance payout reflects the full breadth of the damage, not just what’s easy to spot. We carefully assess your property for smoke infiltration, soot accumulation, and toxic contamination, including effects that may not show up right away. We then compile a thoroughly documented claim that positions you for a fair and justified settlement from your insurance provider.
Navigating the Claims Process
For Santa Monica property owners, a smoke damage claim is rarely straightforward. It involves assessments, detailed documentation, back-and-forth communication with the insurance company, and strategic negotiation, each of which we handle entirely for you, so you’re never navigating the process alone.
If the fire caused extra damage from activated sprinklers, fire extinguishers, or critical systems within your property, we have the experience to include those losses and maximize your rightful claim.
Assist with Denied Claims
If your claim was denied or the payout was too low, we can take over and re-evaluate your case with fresh eyes. We search for areas that may have been missed, including lingering odors, air system contamination, or early signs of corrosion, and use those findings to advocate for a more accurate and fair settlement.
We also help you act quickly to resolve any developing issues such as water intrusion, microbial activity, or exposure to toxic wildfire debris before they lead to further complications during your recovery.
Helping with Every Stage of Your Smoke Damage Claim
- If your claim for Additional Living Expenses or Loss of Use is being denied by the insurance carrier, we can take action on your behalf to work toward proper reimbursement for your temporary housing costs.
- And if the restoration work doesn’t meet acceptable standards or was performed by an unqualified vendor hired by the insurer, we advocate for the “like-for-like” provision in your policy, helping ensure your home is restored with equal or better materials and craftsmanship.
Testimonials
George Z.
22:40 16 May 25
It's been a wild ride but Excel Adjustors delivered. Insurance companies truly try to underpay and Excel Adjustors called them out. After a long process and Excels tenacity insurance company paid out. The company is easy to work with, responsive to questions, and guide you every step of the way. Isaac was amazing and I thank him for not giving up. Highly recommend them.
Damian P.
17:00 07 Apr 25
Excel Adjusters really helped us to recover from a major water damage claim. I worked with Sarah and the team, who helped us to get a hotel the next day and further helped us to process the lengthy claim to the end. It was almost 6 months leaving away from home, but thanks to Excel team, we are back at our beautifully remodeled home. I highly recommend Excel Adjusters to be on your side!
Elijah Z.
21:33 30 Jan 25
We had an amazing experience with Excel as they represented us during our insurance claim. Dealing directly with our insurance company was absolutely horrible until we contacted Excel for help, and it was a total game changer when they took over. Andrew and the entire Excel team were amazing to work with. He communicated everything on our behalf, was super responsive, and helped us navigate the lengthy process of dealing with our claim. They fought hard to get every penny we deserved in order to repair the damages covered under our insurance policy and took so much of the weight and stress off our shoulders. Because of Excel, we settled for 3x the amount of what the insurance originally offered. I highly recommend Excel to anyone dealing with insurance claims and can’t thank them enough for helping us with this entire process!
Matt C.
19:49 24 Jan 25
While the representative was polite and professional, their quote of 20% was double the rates of the four other public adjusters I contacted that same day. This was surprising, especially given that all adjusters are also overwhelmed with work during the Eaton and Palisade fire crisis. While the state does not explicitly cap public adjuster fees at a specific percentage, it indirectly limits the amount they can charge by ensuring the insured receives the full settlement amount offered by the insurer prior to any contract with the public adjuster.
For residential claims, industry practice in California typically caps public adjuster fees at 10%, though this specific percentage may not be directly stated in Section 15027. A public adjuster quoting 20% for a residential claim may be considered unreasonable or exploitative, particularly during a crisis.
For residential claims, industry practice in California typically caps public adjuster fees at 10%, though this specific percentage may not be directly stated in Section 15027. A public adjuster quoting 20% for a residential claim may be considered unreasonable or exploitative, particularly during a crisis.
