Effective Ways to Document Property Damage When Filing an Insurance Claim

When you’re filing an insurance claim after damage to your home, business, boat, or other property, you need evidence to back up your claim for losses. Even at the best of times, insurance companies usually assert that your losses are far less than they actually are. When you have documentation that shows the contents and their condition before and after damage, it will be much harder for the insurance company to dispute your claims. You may receive payments sooner, and if you end up having to dispute your claim through legal action, having proper documentation makes it much easier to win your case.

When it comes to documentation, it is better to have too much than too little. If your insurance company denies or undervalues your claim, an attorney who represents policyholders can help you determine which documentation will be most effective to submit with your claim. Here are some ways you can document property damage for an insurance claim. Ideally, you would document your property with these methods both before and after damage, but taking these steps after damage can still be extremely effective in many situations.

Take Photos

Although this first step seems obvious, it is surprising how many people fail to do it properly. Take pictures of everything. Include both closeup photos and photos from a distance to provide context and perspective. Take photos from different angles. If your phone or camera gives you the ability to timestamp your photos, use that feature to provide additional evidence.

Photograph areas that are damaged as well as areas that do not appear to have damage. It can be difficult to determine what may be useful until later, so take enough photos to give you a panoramic view of any area that could have been damaged by the storm, fire, or other incident that is providing grounds for your claim.

It is not necessary to print out all of your photos, but ensure that you have copies of the photo files stored in multiple locations where they can be accessed. For instance, you might want to back up copies on your computer’s hard drive and save them to cloud storage. Ensure that metadata is complete and accurate so the photos can be searched and have date and time information included.

Record Video

Video recordings can often reveal information that is not apparent from still photos. So, it is a good idea to use a phone or other device to record damaged property, panning through as if you were filming a documentary. You can add commentary on what you’re seeing and what happened during the damaging event.

As with the photos, ensure that the video files are saved properly in multiple locations. If you have video footage from a security camera or doorbell, save that footage also, if possible. It could show what happened at key points to cause the damage you are experiencing.

Prepare a Written Inventory

It is very helpful to have a written inventory describing every damaged item. If possible, include information about the brand and model and features of the item as well as its age. Describe the condition of the item before and after the damaging event, along with the approximate value before and after the damage.

Don’t worry if you don’t have all the information at your fingertips—fill in what you can at first and research to add detail later if necessary. The more detail you have in your inventory, the easier it will be to back up your claim and negotiate with the insurance company if necessary. 

For instance, if your insurance company says the “book value” of a piece of office equipment destroyed in a fire is $50, but you can show that the replacement cost of buying a used piece of equipment similar to what you lost is $1,000, you’ve made a good case to get much more for the loss of that piece of equipment. The values can add up in a hurry.

Collect Records and Documents

Another key to documentation for a property damage claim is to gather all the records you can find. This includes:

• Your insurance policy
• Purchase receipts for damaged property
• Maintenance records
• Tax returns (including all schedules and depreciation schedules)
• Damage repair estimates
• Bills for supplies or work needed to stabilize or repair damage
• Correspondence regarding your claim and your losses (including emails and text messages)

In addition, if you talk to insurance representatives or contractors over the phone, take careful notes, including the date and time of the call and details about the information exchanged.

You need to keep copies of these documents someplace where they are protected and accessible, just as with the photos. If some documents are printed and others are electronic, you might want to take photos or scan the printed documents and keep copies of everything labeled and organized in a cloud file. Or do the opposite and keep all print copies in a single accordion folder in a secure place such as a personal safe.

Get Assessments from Professionals

Unless you are a professional in the field, it is helpful to consult experts in repairs and valuation to provide estimates on repair costs and replacement values. In the wake of a storm like a major hurricane, it can be frustrating to try to get a good contractor to provide a written estimate, but keep trying because it will be worth the investment of time and energy to have a professional assessment of the damage and repair costs.

When Documentation is Not Enough, Talk to Attorneys Who Can Help

When you have full documentation of your property losses, you might be able to negotiate a fair settlement with your insurance company. But they might still wrongfully insist that your damage is not covered or that the value of your losses is unfairly low. When that happens, it’s time to consult a legal team that is focused on helping insurance policyholders receive a full and fair recovery for their losses. At Ver Ploeg & Marino, we understand how insurance companies work, and we know the effective steps to take to get insurers to live up to their obligations.

If your insurance company has delayed, denied, or undervalued your claim, acted in bad faith, or failed to defend you in a lawsuit, we invite you to schedule a consultation to learn more about the assistance we may be able to provide.

Share