Your claim is only as strong as its documentation

Most claim disputes are not disagreements about coverage. They are disagreements about evidence — what was wet, how wet, for how long, and what it took to fix. We capture that from the moment we arrive.

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Claim process

Eight steps, in this order

Report it immediately

Call your carrier and open the claim as soon as the property is safe. Late reporting is one of the most common reasons claims get reduced. You do not need a full assessment first.

Document before you touch anything

Wide shots and close-ups of every affected area, plus the source if you can see it. Photograph before moving or discarding anything.

Stop further damage

Policies include a duty to mitigate. Shut off the water, board up openings, tarp the roof. Keep receipts — these costs are usually reimbursable.

Choose your contractor

It is your decision, not the carrier's. Verify licensing, insurance and a physical local address before signing anything.

Meet the adjuster on site

We can be there with our documentation so the scope is agreed with the evidence in front of everyone rather than reconstructed afterward.

Track everything

Keep a log of calls, names and dates, and every receipt including hotel, meals and additional living expenses if you have to relocate.

Review the scope before work starts

Compare the written scope against the documented damage and ask about anything that is missing. Questions are far cheaper before the walls are closed than after.

Keep the final records

Estimates, invoices, photographs, drying logs, completion documents and correspondence. Keep them for a future claim and for the buyer's inspector at resale.

What we provide your carrier

Dated photographic documentation of every affected area, taken before work begins
Moisture maps showing the measured extent of water migration, including inside wall cavities
Daily drying logs with material readings, temperature, humidity and equipment counts
Line-item scopes in the estimating format carriers work from
Itemized contents inventories with condition and disposition
A complete closing package for your records at completion

What is usually covered — and what usually is not

Typically covered: sudden and accidental water damage such as a burst pipe, failed water heater or appliance line; fire and smoke damage; damage from wind and hail; and in many cases mold that results directly from a covered event that was reported and remediated promptly.

Typically not covered: flooding from outside the property, which requires separate flood insurance; gradual leaks and seepage; damage attributed to deferred maintenance; and in most base policies, sewer and drain backup unless you carry that endorsement. Many Texas policies also cap mold coverage at a fixed amount regardless of actual cost.

Every policy is different, and this is general information rather than advice about your specific coverage — your policy documents and your carrier are the authority on what you have.

A warning about post-storm door knockers

After every significant DFW hail event, out-of-state crews work neighborhoods within days. Some are legitimate. Be very cautious with anyone who arrives uninvited, pressures you to sign immediately, offers to waive or absorb your deductible, or asks you to sign an assignment of benefits before you have read it. Absorbing a deductible is illegal in Texas and it makes you a party to it. Ask any contractor — including us — for a physical local address and current proof of insurance before you sign.

Claim FAQs

Questions we get asked most

Should I file a claim for a small loss?

Weigh the repair cost against your deductible and consider how a claim affects your premium history. If the likely cost is close to or below your deductible, filing may not help you. We will give you a free assessment and a realistic cost range so you can make that decision with real numbers instead of guessing.

Who chooses the restoration company?

You do. Carriers frequently have preferred vendor programs and they will often suggest one, but in Texas the choice of contractor is yours. A preferred vendor works within the carrier's program; you are entitled to hire whoever you want.

What is a supplement?

An additional claim submission for damage discovered after the original estimate — typically once walls or flooring are opened and hidden damage becomes visible. Supplements are normal on restoration jobs and they are one of the main reasons thorough documentation matters.

Do you bill my insurance directly?

On most covered losses, yes. That usually means your out-of-pocket cost is the deductible. We will confirm what applies to your specific claim before work begins.

What is ordinance or law coverage?

Coverage that pays to bring repaired areas up to current building code, even where the original construction was compliant when it was built. It comes up regularly on older DFW homes with electrical and plumbing, and it is frequently overlooked.

What if my claim is denied or underpaid?

Start by requesting the written reason and reviewing it against your policy language. You can request a re-inspection, and Texas homeowners have the right to engage a licensed public adjuster or an attorney. We are not public adjusters and we do not negotiate claims — what we can do is provide the complete physical documentation of the loss, which is often what the dispute actually turns on.

Glossary

Terms you will hear, in plain English

Claims run on vocabulary most people never need until the worst week of their year. None of this is advice about your specific policy — your policy documents and your carrier are the authority on what you have.

Deductible: The amount you pay before coverage applies. On most restoration claims it is your main out-of-pocket cost. Absorbing or waiving a customer's deductible is illegal in Texas.
Actual cash value (ACV): Replacement cost minus depreciation for age and wear. Many policies pay ACV first and release the remainder once repairs are actually completed.
Replacement cost value (RCV): The cost to replace without deducting depreciation. Usually an endorsement rather than a default, and worth knowing which you carry.
Recoverable depreciation: The difference between ACV and RCV, released after the work is done and documented. It is a common reason people think a claim was underpaid when it was not.
Supplement: An additional submission for damage found after the original estimate, typically once walls or flooring are opened. Normal on restoration jobs.
Scope of loss: The itemised list of what was damaged and what it takes to repair it. The document your settlement is calculated from.
Mitigation: Emergency work to stop damage getting worse — extraction, drying, board-up, tarping. Your policy generally requires you to do it.
Ordinance or law coverage: Pays to bring repairs up to current code where the original construction was compliant when built. Frequently overlooked on older DFW homes.
Additional living expense (ALE): Reimburses the reasonable extra cost of living elsewhere while the property is uninhabitable. Keep every receipt.
Assignment of benefits (AOB): A document transferring your claim rights to a contractor. Read it carefully; it can hand over control of your claim and your settlement.
Public adjuster: A licensed professional who negotiates claims on your behalf for a fee. We are not one, and any contractor telling you they will negotiate your claim is describing licensed work.
Proof of loss: A sworn statement of the amount claimed, which carriers may require. There are deadlines attached, so do not let one sit.

Mistakes that cost people money

Throwing damaged items away before photographing them

The single most expensive habit we see. An item photographed, described and listed is an item your policy can reimburse. An item already in a dumpster is one you will be asked to prove existed, months later, from memory.

Waiting to report

Late reporting is one of the most common reasons claims get reduced. You do not need a full assessment before you open the claim — report it as soon as the property is safe, then let the detail follow.

Doing nothing because you are waiting on the adjuster

Your policy requires you to prevent further damage. Waiting a week for an inspection while water sits is not neutral; it grows the loss and gives the carrier a reason to question the additional damage.

Signing on the doorstep

Nothing about a legitimate restoration job requires a signature within five minutes of meeting someone. Pressure to sign immediately is itself the warning.

Accepting a first number without a written scope

A settlement figure with no itemised scope behind it cannot be checked. Ask for the line-item scope, and compare it against what a contractor says the work actually involves.

Not asking about code upgrades

On older properties, code-driven costs are real and often covered by ordinance or law coverage. Nobody will volunteer this. Ask.

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Not sure where to start with your claim?

Call and we will tell you what to document, what to say when you open the claim, and what happens next.

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