Untold Stories of a PA: Non-salvage vs Repair Depending on the type of insurance claim you have you may not have any personal property that was affected by the loss. Fire and water claims are losses that typically have damaged personal property. The extent of the damages determines if items can be cleaned/repaired or non-salvaged, meaning you are paid to replace that item.
For example, a fire occurs in the kitchen and is contained in that room, but smoke traveled throughout the home. Usually, items in the kitchen would be considered non-salvage. Items in bedrooms would be considered cleanable, except for consumable items such as hygiene, beauty, cleaning, and office supplies. Typically contents like clothing, bedding, furniture, and décor can usually be cleaned. Consumable items cannot be cleaned because they are now contaminated and have gone through a chemical reaction