House Fire Claims. Michigan & Ohio Insurance Claims Guide
The house fire lawyers of Fabian, Sklar, King & Liss regularly get calls from families whose homes and lives were up-ended overnight by flames, smoke, and water damage. In nearly every case, our house fire lawyers step in because the insurer is slow-paying, under-paying, or wrongfully denying coverage. If that sounds familiar, you’re in the right place.
Common Causes of House Fires in Michigan & Ohio
According to the U.S. Fire Administration, cooking remains the #1 ignition source in U.S. residences, followed by heating equipment, electrical malfunctions, and open flames such as candles or smoking materials. In Michigan alone, 80 % of fatal 2024 residential fires occurred in homes without working smoke alarms. Ohio posted 94 home-fire deaths in 2023—one of the highest state totals nationwide content.
Insurance Exclusions our House Fire Lawyers Regularly See
Even when cause and origin are clear, carriers may invoke policy exclusions to avoid paying the full loss. The most common we litigate include:
- Arson or intentional acts—insurers will dig hard for proof the insured “set the blaze.”
- Vacant or unoccupied dwellings—coverage gaps if nobody lived there for 30+ days.
- Wear, tear, or gradual deterioration—used to dodge electrical-wiring claims.
- Code-upgrade costs—unless you added “ordinance or law” coverage.
- Failure to maintain heat—frequent in winter-related furnace or chimney fires.
Michigan Fire-Property Law: Key Protections
Michigan’s Insurance Code (§ 500.2833) mandates that every homeowner’s policy include at least a one-year suit-limitation clause and the option for replacement-cost coverage. The Michigan Uniform Fire Prevention Code gives local investigators broad subpoena power—often leveraged by insurers to frame arson defenses. We have litigated hundreds of these cases statewide, forcing carriers to honor statutory duties or face bad-faith exposure.
Ohio Fire-Property Law at a Glance
Ohio Revised Code § 3929.25 requires prompt payment once coverage and liability are “reasonably clear.” Unlike Michigan, Ohio also lets policy-holders recover attorney fees in certain bad-faith actions, creating powerful leverage in settlement. Our Managing Partner, Jason Liss, is licensed in Ohio and routinely also appears pro hac vice in complex fire losses across the countries.
House-Fire Statistics You Should Know
Michigan reported 125 fire deaths in 112 incidents during 2023, a 4 % increase over the prior five-year average. As of March 24 2025, news media had tracked 63 additional fatalities for 2024.
Ohio sees 8.4 deaths and 34.4 injuries per 1,000 residential structure fires—well above national averages.
These numbers underscore why fast, experienced legal action matters: insurers know delay saves them money.
Next Steps—Free Claim Review from a House Fire Attorney
If your insurer is dragging its feet or citing exclusions, contact our attorneys today for a free consultations about your property insurance rights in Michigan and Ohio.
External Resources Used in This Article
U.S. Fire Administration — National Statistics
NFPA® Fire & Life Safety Resources
Michigan Bureau of Fire Services
Ohio State Fire Marshal