The actions you take immediately after a loss have a direct effect on the quality of your claim. Most of what goes wrong happens in the first three days.
Address the cause of the loss before anything else. Call a plumber for a broken pipe. Use a fire extinguisher or call the fire department for a fire. Call the police for theft or vandalism. Flood water needs a mitigation company on site immediately. Once the source is stopped and the property is safe, take pictures.
A photograph taken before demolition or dryout cannot be recreated later. Take overview photos of every affected room and close-up photos of all visible damage. If a pipe burst, document the damaged section of pipe before the plumber removes it — most plumbers know to leave it for the adjuster, but not all do.
Policyholders commonly photograph contents extensively while capturing little or no documentation of the property itself. Both matter. Separate contents into three categories: damaged beyond repair, possibly repairable or cleanable, and undamaged. Photograph every item in the first two categories individually. Nothing should be disposed of before a formal inspection.
If a mitigation company removes materials, request all their documentation and photos. Also ask them to leave one sample piece of each finish material removed — flooring, baseboards, door casing, cabinets, crown molding. This matters where unit costs will be in dispute.
Before dryout or demolition begins, document the waterline on one interior wall and one exterior wall. Once affected materials are removed, that physical evidence is gone permanently.
Arm’s length or further back. Measuring tape in the frame showing the waterline in context.
Close-up showing the measurement in inches. Make the number clearly readable.
Photograph one interior wall following the above sequence before any dryout or demolition.
Photograph one exterior wall following the same sequence. Both locations matter.
Two photos per wall × two walls = four photographs minimum. Do this before the mitigation company touches anything.
Your policy requires you to take reasonable steps to prevent further damage. If a damaged portion of the home can be documented and then removed by a mitigation professional, doing so is appropriate and expected. Higher-dollar finish items — cabinets, wood floors, tile work — typically warrant more documentation and sometimes more consideration before removal, particularly if the adjuster has not yet inspected.
A note on preferred mitigation companies: When an insurer refers their own preferred mitigation vendor, that company has a contract with the policyholder — not the insurer. But a mitigation company that receives a substantial volume of referrals from an insurer may face competing pressures on scope and cost decisions that an independently selected company does not. It is worth asking any mitigation company about their documentation process before they begin.
Every word you use with your insurer is recorded from the first contact. The way you describe what happened can affect how a claim is categorized — and whether it is covered at all.
Examples — word choice matters
“My house flooded”
“A pipe burst”
“My toilet backed up”
“There was a plumbing stoppage and overflow”
“Could have been a month for all I know”
“I don’t know”
“I found mold in my house”
“I have damage caused by a leak from [source]”
Flood damage is almost always excluded under standard homeowners policies. Sewer backup is commonly excluded or requires a separate endorsement. If you describe a covered loss using a word that matches an exclusion, you have created a problem that could be difficult to undo. Answer questions accurately. If you do not know something, say so. Do not guess.
This is a formal sworn proceeding used when the carrier has questions about whether a claim is covered. A reservation of rights letter typically accompanies the request. Do not give an EUO without legal representation. Contact an attorney before responding.
Two types of agreements are appropriate in the first 72 hours: service agreements for emergency repair work (a plumber if plumbing repairs are needed, a mitigation company if water removal or dryout is required), and a public adjuster contract if you have decided you want professional representation.
Assignment of Benefits (AOB) is an arrangement in which a policyholder signs their insurance claim benefits over to a contractor, who then deals with the insurer directly. This arrangement is prohibited in Texas following widespread abuses. If a contractor presents an AOB agreement, do not sign it.
Be cautious with any contractor agreement that includes language about negotiating with your insurance company on your behalf. That type of language creates legal exposure for the contractor and may not be enforceable under Texas law. See our For Contractors page for more on what that means.
If you plan to manage the claim on your own, contact your insurer and report the loss. Keep detailed notes of every conversation and get follow-ups in writing when you can.
We will document the loss and file the claim after the initial documentation is complete. There is no wrong time in the first 72 hours to call. When you do, have the following ready:
If you don’t have everything, call anyway.
There is no charge for the initial claim review or the on-site visit. If your loss isn’t something we can help with, we’ll tell you that directly — and offer what guidance we can.