Everything Your Insurance Company
Hopes You Never Learn
Free tools, plain-English guides, and licensed professional help for California homeowners and business owners navigating insurance claims after fire, vandalism, theft, smoke damage, or other disaster.
Leland Coontz III · CA Public Adjuster License #2B53445 · Public Adjusting throughout California · Appraisal Services Available in California and Select Other States
This website provides insurance claims education and information, not legal advice.
What's Your Situation?
Over 500 articles on the site. Start with the path that fits your situation.
I Had a Fire or Disaster
Emergency steps, documentation, ALE, and rebuilding decisions.
Denied or Underpaid
Negotiation, appraisal, bad faith, and CDI complaints.
Filing My First Claim
What to say, what to document, and what to expect.
Commercial Property Claim
Business interruption, coinsurance, and CP forms.
I Am a Professional
Attorneys, PAs, and contractors — deep-dive references, case law, and tactical resources.
How It Works
Whether you're filing your own claim or considering professional help, start here.
Use the Free Tools
Start with our personal property inventory tool — check off what you owned and download your list as a formatted Excel file.
Read the Guides
Our California-specific resources explain your rights, the claims process, and how to handle common insurer tactics.
Get Professional Help
If your claim is large or your insurer is giving you trouble, a licensed Public Adjuster can represent you and fight for the full value of your claim.
Personal Property Inventory
3,750+ items organized by room. Check off what you owned, add quantities and values, and download a formatted Excel spreadsheet for your insurance claim — completely free.
- ✓Bathroom, kitchen, bedroom, garage and more
- ✓Collectibles, antiques, clothing, electronics
- ✓Small items most people forget (adds up fast)
- ✓Exports to Excel with 3 worksheets
- ✓Includes California policyholder tips
Why It Works:
- Most people forget 60–80% of what they own after a loss
- Insurance companies know this — and pay accordingly
- A structured checklist catches items you'd never think of
- The formatted Excel output gives your adjuster no excuse to ignore items
- Completely free — no account, no credit card, no strings
Free California Claim Resources
Plain-English guides written specifically for California policyholders. No jargon, no paywalls.
CA Rules & Regulations
Insurance Code 790 and Fair Claims Regulations — timelines, rights, and requirements your insurer must follow.
Frequently Asked Questions
30+ answers to the most common insurance claim questions — from depreciation to examinations under oath.
Understanding Your Policy
HO3 vs named peril, commercial vs residential, co-insurance, endorsements, and how to read your entire policy.
The Claims Process
Step-by-step guide from filing to settlement. Timelines, documentation, and what to expect.
Xactimate Estimates
How insurance company Xactimate estimates can understate repair costs, what to look for, and how to dispute underpayment.
Mold Losses
Ensuing loss doctrine, mold limits, and why the insurer's mold argument may be wrong.
Types of Claims
Fire, water, vandalism, vehicle impact, sewage, flood, smoke — guides for every type of loss.
Bad Faith Practices
Unreasonable delays, lowball offers, misrepresentation — California has strong bad faith remedies.
Insurance Appraisal
When you and the insurer disagree on the amount of loss, most policies provide an appraisal process. How it works and when to invoke it.
For Attorneys
Need Technical Support on a Property Claim?
I work alongside insurance coverage attorneys, bad faith litigators, and plaintiff's counsel — handling damage documentation, Xactimate estimates, policy analysis, and appraisal so you can focus on the legal strategy.
When the Insurer Has Their Adjuster, You Should Have Yours
I'm Leland Coontz III, a licensed California Public Adjuster (Lic. #2B53445). Insurance companies have teams of adjusters, lawyers, and software working to minimize and delay what they pay. A Public Adjuster works exclusively for you — reading your policy, documenting your loss, and negotiating on your behalf.
Most Public Adjusters work on contingency — no recovery, no fee. If I can't improve your settlement, you owe nothing. I also have a nationwide referral network for claims outside California or outside my preferred case types.
Leland Coontz III
Licensed Public Adjuster
CA Lic. #2B53445
California · All 50 States via Referral Network
Start Documenting Your Claim Today
The free inventory tool takes 30–60 minutes and can add thousands of dollars to your claim. Use it now, even if you haven't filed yet.