General adjuster Laura Haber provides an overview of documentation requirements when filing a homeowners insurance claim.
CONIFER, COLORADO, AUGUST 15, 2022 — When something bad happens to a home, it is a very upsetting time. Laura Haber explains that many events, such as a fire, a natural disaster, or even an accident, feature additional impacts on a person’s life, making it difficult to consider everything that needs to be done at the moment.
However, it is extremely important to consider the basic requirements of an insurance claim as soon as possible to ensure long-term success. Insurance policies are there to help recover losses after a major event, so it is important to pursue a claim in the most thorough way possible from the beginning.
Table of Contents
Laura Haber Covers Documentation 101
Initial Damage
Following a fire, a tree fall, a flood, or any disaster or accident, documenting the immediate aftermath with photos is extremely important. Cell phone cameras have made this basic step much easier to pursue in a very efficient manner.
According to Laura Haber, safety is the primary consideration in an active emergency, but as soon as it is safe to do so, start documenting.
Use a cell phone or camera to photograph all points of damage to the property. Take large views of any rooms and areas impacted, and then take detailed shots of specific areas or objects damaged. Use zoom to avoid any off-limit areas, and consider filming companion videos to narrate any points you need to remember later.
Start a spreadsheet or label photos to document the serial numbers, model numbers, brand, warranty information, and age of any damaged items. Search out older photos showing the objects in use in the home prior to the event. Even if the object is in the background, it establishes its placement in the house.
Back up all documentation to a second physical device, such as a portable hard drive or cloud storage, to ensure all files are easily accessed and retained in two places.
Subsequent Damage
Certain natural disasters and other events cause initial damage, but the days following can reveal new issues. For example, a flood causes immediate problems with water damage, but mold quickly becomes a problem based on how quickly demolition and remediation efforts begin. Similarly, damage from storms may immediately destroy a roof and the surrounding area, but ongoing investigations could reveal structural issues. Laura Haber advises taking pictures regularly as new points of damage are discovered and as immediate clean-up and mitigation work starts.
Backtracking
In a major emergency, it may be impossible to capture photographs right away. In these instances, reach out to emergency responders for assistance. Fire departments, police, and other agencies need to document scenes for their own records, and these files can often be obtained or purchased and help with a claim when photos start several days later, Laura Haber advises.
Living Expenses
For extreme damage scenarios, such as flooding or complete or partial home destruction, relocation is necessary. Most insurance policies cover at least a portion of temporary housing costs. Save everything while living somewhere else. Keep hotel receipts, food receipts, lease agreements, and any other documentation, such as texts or emails, establishing the expenses associated with relocating.
Consider photographing all receipts in addition to keeping the hard copy as a way of backing up the information should original files be lost.
