Last month, the Los Angeles Fire Department responded to a call reporting a fire at a massive mansion belonging to actor Denzel Washington. By the time authorities arrived, the mansion’s inhabitants had already evacuated. Interestingly, reports mentioned no reference to who exactly those inhabitants were. However, incidents like these shed some light on a wider trend of fires in California, and the need to learn how to file an insurance complaint. 

Denzel Washington Mansion in LA

Even though reports made no mention of who exactly the residents of the mansion in question were, the media had a pretty good guess. Denzel Washington is known for living as large as his movie roles. After starring in Hollywood classics like Remember the Titans, and American Gangster, Washington has grown his net worth to around $190 million. This is evident in his nearly 30,000 square-foot Beverly Crest mansion. 

The extravagant mansion features french-inspired architectural detailing, with a garden fit for a king. In fact, the backyard has as its centerpiece a symmetrical pool surrounded by a very well manicured lawn. You’d hardly expect such well defined taste from an actor known to portray rugged and humble characters. 

Investigators inspecting the property mentioned that they detected no fire inside the home. They used a special thermal imaging camera to scan the walls and make sure there were no active fires spreading through the cavities. Ultimately they only detected smoke that had risen to the second floor of the four-story mansion. Apparently, several of the furnaces in the building had recently been serviced, and could have caused the smoke spreading. The sight of smoke may have also prompted neighbors to call the fire department. 

A Common Problem

While home fires are common all around the world, California residents are no strangers to the threat of fire. In 2020, California experienced one of its highest fire seasons in recent history. There are many reasons including climate change, but also faulty power lines such as the fires caused by PG&E transmission lines. These fires started by human error have been the deadliest, killing hundreds and damaging many acres of property.

Because of this, many residents insure their homes against fire damage, sometimes insuring against total loss. But filling out an insurance claim is a difficult position for anyone to be in. It means that you’ve lost some or all of your property, and are sometimes left without a place to live. To avoid this, homeowners protect themselves with fire insurance that can replace the damages. It is important to note that while fire is the main threat, smoke can also increase damage costs.

Many California residents live in high risk areas surrounded by woods and are susceptible to strong winds that can carry flames in their direction. These homeowners assume the risks involved and so it is crucial not only to get insurance, but know how it works.

The Dangers of Smoke and Fire

When a fire burns in your home, smoke from different buildings and furnishing materials rises throughout the building. It carries soot and ash through your vents, into your appliances and electronics. It even damages your furniture, leaving a burnt and greasy residue that is sometimes permanent and needs replacing. When your insurance company sends an adjuster to assess the damages, you need to make them aware of smoke damage that is often left out. These are the types of details that can make or break a successful insurance claim. 

When dealing with adjusters it’s good to note that your insurance company is looking to give you the least amount of money for your damages. This is called payout, and you’re often left in the dark about how much your damaged property is really worth. To protect yourself, it may be a good idea to hire a public adjuster who benefits from getting you the maximum amount of payout possible. They’ll take a cut of what the insurance company pays you if they successfully negotiate a higher payout. 

This shouldn’t be a problem for the celebrity, because with a house that big you better believe he’s got insurance to cover all the costs. The incident at the Denzel Washington mansion in LA is a strong example about how anyone needs to watch out for fire damage, even the richest celebrities.

And in related news,  Tyson Fury wants Denzel to play the role of himself (read here) in his future biopic.  It would be an interesting juxtaposition for the Black Hollywood star to play a ‘perceived white’ Gypsy who made it to the top ranks of championship boxing.

Can it be done? Of course.  However, Denzel’s very keen about playing roles that are glued to Black culture.    However,  the surface image of ‘Urban’ American culture is very similar to that of Gypsy culture in Europe