01
Photograph before you touch anything
The instinct to mop destroys the evidence of extent. Video every room, every wall line, every affected item, with something for scale.
Home playbook · 10 tactics
10 Moves in the First 24 Hours of Water Damage
The claim is decided by what you do before the restoration truck arrives.
02
Find and record the source
Whether it was a burst pipe, an appliance hose or surface water decides whether the claim is covered at all. Photograph the source itself.
03
Stop the water, then stop the electricity
Standing water and live circuits are the fastest way to turn a property claim into an injury claim.
04
Notify the insurer the same day, in writing
Late notice is one of the most common grounds for reducing a claim, entirely separate from whether the loss was covered.
05
Get an independent moisture reading
A restorer's reading is evidence supplied by the party being paid for the drying. An independent one carries more weight later.
06
Do not sign an assignment of benefits on a wet floor
It transfers your right to the insurance money to a contractor and makes their dispute with the insurer your problem.
07
Keep every damaged item until the claim closes
Insurers can request inspection. Disposing of ruined items early hands them a reason to reduce the figure.
08
Start an expense log immediately
Hotels, meals, laundry, replacement essentials. Additional living expenses are separate coverage that most claimants never invoke.
09
Get your own repair estimate
The adjuster's figure is an opening position. An independent itemised estimate is what moves it.
10
Ask which category the water was
Clean, grey or contaminated determines whether materials can be dried or must be removed. It can double the correct payout.
Put it to work
Calculators for these tactics
Home & Property
Water Damage Restoration & Claim Calculator
Restoration cost by category and class, and what your policy is likely to pay.
InsuranceInsurance Claim Value Calculator
Work out what a property or liability claim should pay after depreciation and deductible.
Home & PropertyRoof Replacement & Insurance Claim Calculator
Replacement cost by material, and what a storm claim actually pays after depreciation.
Estimates, not advice. Every figure here is produced from the inputs you enter and the formula printed on the page. Rules differ by state, carrier, lender and contract, so use these numbers to prepare for a conversation with a qualified professional rather than to replace one. See our full disclaimer.