BurnClaim — Post-Fire Recovery and Insurance Companion
After a wildfire, this app walks homeowners through the insurance claim, debris cleanup, vetted contractor matching, and replacement-document recovery, with an AI-assembled damage log built from phone photos.
Homeowners in the days and weeks after a wildfire who lost or suspect damage to property and have no idea what to do first
- Photo-based damage assessment log with GPS, timestamp and itemized room-by-room inventory that auto-groups into the categories insurers ask for
- Insurance-claim checklist tuned for California (the 12 things most claims miss) with deadline tracker and a 'why this matters' note per line item
- Vetted, post-fire-aware contractor directory that flags known scams and prioritizes crews already cleared for debris removal programs like Cal OES
- Document replacement router for DMV, SSA, mortgage, deeds and insurance with prefilled agency forms and status tracking
Every recent California wildfire has left thousands of owners filing claims blind and chasing replacement paperwork for months — a persistent recovery gap that the 2026 fire season keeps reopening.
Strong, recurring demand visible — CA.gov maintains dedicated wildfire financial-assistance portals, multiple law firms (Greenspan, RightfullyYours) actively market wildfire claim help, and public-adjuster guides get regular updates; the 'pleasanton fire' trend spike confirms acute search interest post-event.Get financial assistance | CA.gov - California State Portal ↗Wildfire Insurance Claim Help for CA Wildfires | The Greenspan Co. ↗California Wildfire Insurance Claim Guide | RightfullyYours ↗
Fragmented but populated — incumbents include BELFOR and ServiceMaster Restore for cleanup, Greenspan/RightfullyYours/lawfty for claims, plus early AI damage tools (palmbld AI Damage Analyzer, Embergrade, WildfireRisk AI), but no dominant end-to-end companion combining claim workflow + AI photo damage log + vetted contractor matching + document recovery.Home - BELFOR Property Restoration - Canada ↗AI Damage Analyzer — Upload a Photo, Get an Instant Report | Free ↗Wildfire Home Assessment — built with AI on Blink ↗
Strong willingness to pay — public adjusters routinely charge 5–40% of settlements (~10% typical for large claims), disaster victims pay for temporary housing tracking, and contractor lead-gen has clear B2B revenue; however conversions are tough mid-crisis and many rely on insurance payouts they may not receive.Public Adjuster Fees: ICRS's Guide (2026) - Insurance Claim Recovery Support ↗How Much Do Public Adjusters Charge: Fees & Costs ↗
Structural and worsening — wildfire seasons are lengthening in CA due to climate/vegetation trends, multiple major events in recent years (Palisades, Eaton, etc.) and recurring government activations point to a persistent, growing need rather than a fad.California Wildfires: Homeowners Insurance Rights for Property Damage ↗
Moderately hard — AI photo-to-damage-log is tractable with modern vision models, but the hard parts are non-technical: vetting contractors during surge demand, integrating with insurance carrier portals, reliable document replacement across counties, and meeting a high UX reliability bar for users in crisis.The Promise and Challenges of AI in Wildfire Damage Assessment ↗