Water damage claims: the first 24 hours decide everything

General information, not legal or insurance advice.

Act in this order

• Stop the source — main shut-off valve first; then cut electricity to affected areas.
• Call the claims line, get a claim number, ask what mitigation they expect from you.
• Photograph standing water with something for scale before pumping it out.
• Move undamaged belongings away; set soaked items aside — don't discard until the adjuster sees them.
• Dry fast: mold starts in 24–48 hours, and gradual-mold damage is a classic denial reason.
• Note the water type — clean (supply line), grey (appliance) or sewage — it changes both the claim and the cleanup.

Why an inventory matters here

Water ruins things by category: everything on the floor, the bottom two drawers, the storage boxes you forgot about. A room-by-room photo inventory with prices lets you claim all of it — not just what you remember while standing in a wet living room.

More: fire claims · theft claims