The claim-proof checklist
Print it (browser menu → Print → Save as PDF) or fill it in the field. When you email your claim, this is the paperwork that makes your side of the story undeniable.
1. Photo sequence — do this BEFORE demo (10 minutes)
- ☐ Video walk-through of every affected room, slow pan, narrate out loud ("kitchen, water 3 inches, started ~8 p.m.")
- ☐ Wide shot from each doorway of each affected room
- ☐ Close-up of the waterline on walls (mark it with painter's tape + pen, write the date/time ON the tape)
- ☐ Close-up of the water SOURCE (burst pipe, appliance, sump) before anyone repairs it
- ☐ Damaged belongings in context: item in the room first, then close-up, then serial number/label if any
- ☐ Ceiling/stacking damage: photograph from below AND above (attic) if safe
- ☐ Timestamps on (phone camera default) — do NOT crop or edit; originals are evidence
2. Waterline markers — the 30-second trick adjusters love
- ☐ Strip of painter's tape on each wet wall, pressed to the highest wet point, dated in pen
- ☐ Photograph tape + a ruler/coin for scale
- ☐ Same for floors if standing water: photo of tape line, note depth in inches
3. Itemized belongings list — losses that pay best when written best
| Item | Where it was | Age / condition | Est. value + receipt? | Photo? (file name) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Rule of thumb: photos + receipts + this table beats a vague list every time. "Clothing damaged in basement flood, 2 bags, approx $600" with photos is a paid line; "miscellaneous stuff" is a denied line.
4. Mitigation receipts — keep a folder, every dollar is claimable
- ☐ Every mitigation/plumbing/drying invoice (itemize labor vs. equipment days)
- ☐ Equipment rental daily logs — ask the crew for their moisture readings log; it's proof the drying was real
- ☐ Hotels/meals if the home was uninhabitable (keep all receipts, ALE coverage)
- ☐ Before/after of anything you disposed of — photograph junk before it leaves the house
5. The journal format — write one line per event, three columns
| Time | Action taken | Who / contact |
|---|---|---|
| 8:05 p.m. | Noticed water, killed breaker | self |
Why the journal matters: adjusters and carriers settle disputes by timelines. A contemporaneous, boring log ("8:05 noticed, 8:12 breaker off, 8:30 plumber called — name Chris, Dispatch #441") kills the "gradual leak" argument and the "inadequate mitigation" argument at the same time.
6. What NOT to write
- ✗ "It's been dripping for a while" (about a sudden event) → say: "It failed suddenly at 8 p.m."
- ✗ "I think there might be some mold" before inspection → say: "there is moisture and I started mitigation the same day"
- ✗ Guessing the cause in writing to the carrier before the plumber's report
Want it as a printable PDF?
Download the printable 2-page PDF → (opens in a new tab — save it to your phone's Files, print at home, or keep it in your glovebox). Prefer it by email? Send hello@homepanic.com the subject "claim checklist" and we'll reply with the PDF attached — that email also tells us you're mid-claim, and if you're still wet we'll get pros moving for you free.
This checklist is a documentation guide, not legal advice. Carrier policies differ; your policy language always wins.