Documenting Damage for Homeowners Insurance Claims

Documenting the damage of home insurance claims involves getting multiple estimates, providing receipts and other proof of ownership, showing the insurance company that the damaged items were in your home inventory, and keeping a record of loss of use costs, including hotel stays. Scroll down to learn top tips on how to document damage for home insurance claims.

UPDATED: Jan 9, 2023

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UPDATED: Jan 9, 2023Fact Checked

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Michael earned a degree in Business Management degree with an insurance focus, which led to a successful 25-year career in insurance claims operations and support. He possesses a high-level of business acumen across multiple areas of the insurance industry. Over the course of his career, he served in multiple roles supporting claims operations including: Claims Specialist, Claims Trainer, Claim Au...

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Written by Michael Leotta
Insurance Operations Specialist Michael Leotta

Laura Walker graduated college with a BS in Criminal Justice with a minor in Political Science. She married her husband and began working in the family insurance business in 2005. She became a licensed agent and wrote P&C business focusing on personal lines insurance for 10 years. Laura serviced existing business and wrote new business. She now uses her insurance background to help educate...

Full Bio →

Reviewed by Laura Walker
Former Licensed Agent Laura Walker

UPDATED: Jan 9, 2023

Advertiser Disclosure

It’s all about you. We want to help you make the right coverage choices.

Advertiser Disclosure: We strive to help you make confident insurance decisions. Comparison shopping should be easy. We are not affiliated with any one insurance company and cannot guarantee quotes from any single insurance company.

Our insurance industry partnerships don’t influence our content. Our opinions are our own. To compare quotes from many different insurance companies please enter your ZIP code above to use the free quote tool. The more quotes you compare, the more chances to save.

Editorial Guidelines: We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything insurance related. We update our site regularly, and all content is reviewed by insurance experts.

UPDATED: Jan 9, 2023

Advertiser Disclosure

It’s all about you. We want to help you make the right coverage choices.

Advertiser Disclosure: We strive to help you make confident insurance decisions. Comparison shopping should be easy. We are not affiliated with any one insurance company and cannot guarantee quotes from any single insurance company.

Our insurance industry partnerships don’t influence our content. Our opinions are our own. To compare quotes from many different insurance companies please enter your ZIP code above to use the free quote tool. The more quotes you compare, the more chances to save.

UPDATED: Jan 9, 2023Fact Checked

If you have to file a claim on your homeowners insurance policy, it will help you considerably if you provide enough documentation to back up your claim. Documenting the damage for your home insurance company includes having multiple estimates, providing receipts and other proof of ownership, showing the insurance company that the damaged items were in your home inventory, and documenting the total amount you claim for loss of use.

Emergency Repairs

Even before you start the process of filing a homeowners insurance claim, take immediate steps to prevent the damage from getting worse. Emergency repairs include covering a hole in the roof, boarding over damaged doors and windows, and take any additional steps that are needed to prevent the damage from getting worse. Failure to perform emergency repairs could result in your claim being denied or reduced.

Get Estimates

Get repair estimates from 2 or 3 different contractors. Even if you are planning to do the repairs yourself, these estimates will be used to determine the amount of the claim. Most insurance companies will send out an adjuster to make their own estimates, but this does not mean you have to accept the estimate given by the adjuster.

Include Receipts

If you have the original receipts for items that are damaged, include copies of them with your insurance claim. Being able to document when you bought the item and what you paid for it will help you get the claim settled faster. Because these receipts are so important, it is a good idea to keep them in a safe place such as a home safe or a safe deposit box at a financial institution.

Home Inventories

When you buy homeowners insurance, and anytime you make a substantial purpose, you need to make a home inventory. This might include a written list, but the best type of home inventory is a video recording. Move from room to room recording every item that belongs to you, from your appliances to your wardrobe. Don’t forget things that are outside of the
dwelling such as toys, lawn equipment, sporting goods or items stored in another structure on the property.

Loss of Use Claims

If you are not able to use some or all of the dwelling and other structures, you can claim the costs related to that loss of use on your homeowners filing. Be sure to provide receipts and document what each one was for. Loss of use might include renting a hotel room, using a Laundromat, or dining out at restaurants, among other things

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Editorial Guidelines: We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything insurance related. We update our site regularly, and all content is reviewed by insurance experts.

Michael earned a degree in Business Management degree with an insurance focus, which led to a successful 25-year career in insurance claims operations and support. He possesses a high-level of business acumen across multiple areas of the insurance industry. Over the course of his career, he served in multiple roles supporting claims operations including: Claims Specialist, Claims Trainer, Claim Au...

Full Bio →

Written by Michael Leotta
Insurance Operations Specialist Michael Leotta

Laura Walker graduated college with a BS in Criminal Justice with a minor in Political Science. She married her husband and began working in the family insurance business in 2005. She became a licensed agent and wrote P&C business focusing on personal lines insurance for 10 years. Laura serviced existing business and wrote new business. She now uses her insurance background to help educate...

Full Bio →

Reviewed by Laura Walker
Former Licensed Agent Laura Walker

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