Our house fire experience - insurance was the least of our problems

Kitchen fire spread to the attic and we lost about 40% of our house 6 months ago. Everyone asks about the insurance part but honestly the emotional part is what nobody prepares you for.

Living in a hotel for 3 months with two kids. Trying to make a complete inventory of everything you owned from memory. Fighting with contractors. The insurance company was actually relatively fair (Hartford) but the sheer amount of STUFF you have to deal with is overwhelming.

One thing I'll say: our adjuster told us most people massively undervalue their contents claim because they forget things. Go room by room, open every drawer in your mind. That $8 spatula, the $15 shower curtain, 200 books at $15 each - it all adds up fast.

Our contents claim ended up being $87,000 and I still think we forgot stuff.