How to File a Home Insurance Claim, Step by Step

A burst pipe, a wind-damaged roof, a kitchen fire, a break-in — home insurance claims come from a wide range of events, but the process for filing one follows roughly the same path every time. Here's what that path looks like, from the first hour after the loss through the final payment.

1. Stop the damage from getting worse

Shut off the water at the source of a leak, tarp an opening in the roof, board up broken windows or doors, and get any wet materials moving toward dry as soon as it's safe to do so. Most homeowners policies require reasonable steps to prevent further damage, and failing to take them can affect how the claim is evaluated. Keep every receipt for materials or emergency services — a tarp, a water mitigation company, a board-up service — since these costs are generally reimbursable.

2. Document everything before cleanup

Photograph and video the damage from multiple angles before moving anything. Capture the overall scene, close-ups of the specific damage, and — where relevant — the apparent cause (a cracked supply line, a fallen branch, forced entry at a door). For damaged belongings, photograph each item where it sits before discarding or moving it.

3. Report the claim promptly

Call your agent or your carrier's claims line as soon as reasonably possible. You'll need your policy number, the date and approximate time of the loss, and a description of what happened. If a fire department or police response was involved, get the incident or report number — carriers often ask for it.

4. Build your personal property list, if applicable

For claims involving damaged or destroyed belongings, most carriers require an itemized list — item, approximate age, approximate replacement cost, and, where you have them, receipts or photos. Go room by room rather than trying to remember everything at once; it's easy to underestimate the true scope of damaged contents after a significant loss like a fire or major flooding.

5. Meet the adjuster and walk the damage together

Be present for the inspection if at all possible. Point out anything that might not be obvious — damage inside walls, in a crawlspace, or in an attic. Bring your own documentation and any contractor estimates you've already obtained. Ask the adjuster to explain their scope of repair if it looks incomplete relative to the damage you're seeing.

6. Understand your settlement — ACV, RCV, and depreciation holdback

If your policy includes replacement cost coverage, you'll typically receive an initial actual cash value (ACV) payment — the estimate minus depreciation and minus your deductible — with a second "recoverable depreciation" payment released once repairs are complete and documented. If your policy is actual cash value only, the ACV payment is the final settlement. Check your declarations page or ask your adjuster which type of coverage applies to your policy, since the two work very differently.

7. If you and the carrier disagree on the amount

Get an independent contractor estimate and compare it against the adjuster's scope, line by line. Ask for a written explanation of any gap. Many homeowners policies include an appraisal clause — a formal process using independent appraisers and an umpire — for resolving disputes over the amount of loss when the cause of loss itself isn't in question. Your agent can walk you through whether that option applies to your policy.

What to do before you ever need this guide

The single best thing you can do for a future home claim is make sure your dwelling coverage, personal property limit, and deductible are accurate today — not whenever the policy was originally written. See our annual policy review checklist and guide to reading your declarations page.