Start with safety and your insurer
Follow local emergency instructions and enter the property only when it is safe. Contact your insurer promptly to report the loss. Ask what documentation is needed, how to submit it, and which deadlines apply to your policy and claim.
Keep the claim number, your insurer’s contact details, and a copy of your policy together. Record the date of each conversation and any agreed next steps.
Document the loss
When safe, photograph or record the damage before cleanup. Include wider views and close-up details. Make a list of affected belongings, with available receipts, model numbers, and other ownership records.
For an NFIP flood claim, official guidance recommends documenting damaged items before disposal and discarding items that pose a health risk after documenting them. Ask your insurer about preserving samples and evidence for your particular loss.
Keep one claim file
Keep copies of what you send. Ask your insurer about temporary protection and repair steps, and retain receipts. Discuss any questions about the estimate before accepting it as complete.
- Policy documents, claim number, and contact information.
- Dated photos, videos, and an inventory of damaged items.
- Estimates, invoices, receipts, and copies of submitted forms.
- Messages, inspection notes, and a list of outstanding questions.
These guides provide general education. Your policy, circumstances, and state requirements determine what applies to your claim. Sources from individual states support questions to ask; their rules do not apply nationwide.
Find your state insurance department