Hello,

For Ms. Duncan:

Sorry for your loss.........

1. Be sure that USAA is aware of your marital situation and the upgrade in the coverage recently as you explained. USAA has a Special Investigation Unit and they may be very interested in your situation. Call their main claims office in San Antonio, TX
1-800-531-8222
Initial Loss Reporting
24 hours a day, 7 days a week

Inquiries About Existing Claims
Best times to call:
Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
All Continental U.S. Time Zones

Mailing Address:
USAA (Claims Service)
P.O. Box 33490
San Antonio, TX 78265


2. Fires must be first investigated as to the origin and cause before a determination that an act of arson was commited.

3. The firefighter that gave you the 50% figure of "undetermined fires" should be questioned as to the source of that figure or is it hearsay.

4. Not to be too picky in semantic terminology in your time of loss and true concerns, but in respect to the many females in the fire services today the proper term is "firefighter" not firemen or fireman.......

5. It sounds like someone told you an area of origin. Think very hard as to what exactly may have been in that area prior to the fire. If there were any appliances or electrical outlets, etc they should be retained for examination by an engineer that would be normally be hired by USAA along with an independent fire investigator. You yourself may also hire a fire investigator to work for you in this situation if you can afford it. You mentioned your son was the last person in that area. Is he a smoker? Were candles in use? Many questions need to be asked.

Good Luck!

Ted J. Pagels
FIREPROSe, LLC
Green Bay, WI

Ted J. Pagels, NAFI/CFEI, IAAI/CFI
Senior Fire Investigator
FIREPROSe, LLC
Green Bay, WI
firepros@aol.com