How to Document a Homeowners Insurance Claim

Documenting a homeowner's insurance claim is easy to do but is time consuming. If you do your homework before an incident happens, you'll help yourself out greatly when it's time to make a claim. Once a claim is made, you have to take some important steps to make sure your claim gets paid.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

1. Conduct a home inventory. Go through your house room by room and write down everything in it along with when it was purchased and how much you paid. Then take pictures or video tape each room. Store at least one copy of the completed inventory and the photos or tape in your safe deposit box.
2. Hold on to receipts for big-ticket items (a big-screen TV, a new computer, one-of-a-kind jewelry or artwork) to prove how much you paid. It's a good idea to store these receipts with your inventory.
3. Call the police first if your house is burglarized. Always get a copy of the police report for your records.
4. Contact your insurance agent immediately after any loss no matter what the cause (theft, storm damage or leaky plumbing). He will help determine if you are covered.
5. Make temporary repairs to damages such as a leaky roof to ensure that your losses won't be multiplied.
6. If you can't remain in your home, keep receipts from any expenses you incur while living elsewhere. Your policy will likely cover at least a portion of what you pay for a hotel and meals until repairs have been completed.
7. Keep all papers affiliated with your insurance policy and your insurance claim. Keep copies of all letters and correspondences via email to your insurance company. These can come in handy when trying to plead your case.