Adjusters who encounter hoarders on property claims can expect to have trouble in determining the cause of a covered loss as well as damages, said Jeff Taxier, education and training manager for American Technologies, Inc. Typically, a hoarder equals more risk of a property insurance claim, he said. According to the National Fire Protection Association, hoarding is defined as “collecting or keeping large amounts of various items in the home due to strong urges to save them or distress experienced when discarding them. Many rooms in the home are so filled with possessions that residents can no longer use the rooms as designed. The home is so overloaded with things that everyday living is compromised.”
