The short version: before anything is thrown away, photograph and video everything, room by room. Build a contents inventory with ages and prices. Secure the property and keep every receipt for hotels, food, and clothing, because additional living expenses are owed while the home is uninhabitable. Do not sign a cleanup contract before the carrier scope is documented or your adjuster has seen it.
Week one sequence
Day one: request the fire report. Day one or two: photograph everything, including rooms that seem fine, because smoke travels. Start the contents list; most policies owe actual cash value now and replacement cost later, and both require proof you owned the item. Day three: emergency mitigation to prevent further damage, which is your duty under the policy. Everything after that is negotiation.
Smoke and ash count as damage
Walls, HVAC systems, insulation, and personal property absorb smoke far from flames. Carriers scope visible charring first; a complete claim includes odor and contamination remediation that is invisible in photos but real in air samples and wipe tests.
The inventory is the claim
Fire claims settle on contents schedules. The policyholder who produces a room-by-room inventory with receipts, credit card records, or even photos of the rooms pre-loss (social media helps) recovers dramatically more than the one who relies on memory under stress.