Documenting water damage for an insurance claim
Whether a loss is covered is your insurer's decision. Whether the facts are clear is yours.
Nobody on this site can tell you what your policy covers — that is determined by your insurer applying your wording to your facts. What you can control completely is the quality of the record. Most of the documentation that matters can only be captured in the first hours, before water recedes and before a contractor starts removing material, which is why knowing the list in advance is worth more than knowing your policy.
The short version
- Photograph before anything is moved; several categories of evidence disappear within hours.
- Record the time you discovered the damage and the time the water was stopped.
- Keep every receipt, including for things you bought to limit further damage.
- Ask the restoration contractor for the moisture logs — they are objective evidence of extent.
- Most policies require prompt notice and reasonable steps to prevent further damage; do both.
The photographs that expire
Some evidence is only available for a short time. The high-water mark on a wall disappears when the water recedes and the wall dries. The source of the leak disappears when the plumber repairs it. The condition of materials disappears when the restoration contractor removes them. So the order is: photograph the scene wide before anyone enters or moves anything, photograph the water line against something recognisable for scale, photograph the source once identified and before repair, and photograph every material and item before it is removed or discarded. Video walking through the affected area is fast and captures relationships between rooms that still photographs miss.
The facts to write down
Write these down while they are fresh, because you will be asked for them more than once and consistency matters. When you first noticed the damage, and what you saw. When you last saw the area in normal condition. When the water was shut off, and by whom. What the weather was doing, if it might be relevant. Who you called and when. For appliance and water-heater failures, the make, model, serial number and approximate age. For a sewer backup, whether neighbours were affected at the same time. A plain-text note with timestamps is sufficient and is far better than reconstructing it a fortnight later.
What to ask your contractor for
A restoration contractor working to standard produces documentation as part of the job, and you are entitled to it. Ask for the initial moisture readings and the dry standard they established; the daily moisture logs; the equipment list showing what was placed and for how long; the scope of work describing what was dried and what was removed; and photographs taken during the work. Ask at the start rather than at the end — it is routine when requested up front and awkward when requested afterwards. This documentation is the objective account of what was wet and how wet it was, which is precisely the question a claim turns on.
What we will not tell you
We will not tell you that your loss is covered, that a particular type of damage is always covered, or that mentioning particular words will help. Policies differ, endorsements differ, and the facts of each loss differ. Water backup from a sewer or drain and surface flooding are commonly handled differently from a sudden internal pipe failure, which is why reading your declarations page is more useful than reading general advice. If you disagree with how a claim is handled, the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance publishes consumer information and complaint procedures.
Common questions
Should I stop cleanup until the adjuster has seen it?
Generally no, and most policies expect you to take reasonable steps to prevent further damage. The resolution is documentation: photograph thoroughly before and during, keep removed materials available if practical, and tell your insurer promptly that mitigation has begun. Waiting days for an inspection while materials stay wet usually increases the damage, which helps nobody.
Do I need to use a contractor my insurer recommends?
In general you choose your own contractor, though insurers may have expectations about reasonable cost and some offer preferred networks. What matters more is whether the contractor works to a measured standard and provides documentation. Ask the same questions of a recommended contractor as of any other.
Find out who to call
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