What You Should Do Before Making Your Home Insurance Claim?

Call the police, if necessary, and then your insurer. Whether or not you're filing your claim right away, it’s important to keep your insurer in the loop. This will give them an opportunity to advise you on any additional steps that you might need to take. 

Read your insurance policy. You want to make sure that your damages are covered. For instance, you might be surprised to learn that most home insurance policies exclude flooding, so a flooding claim may not be allowed. 

Evaluate the cost of the damages. Can you comfortably cover the losses out-of-pocket? If so, then that's usually the best option. For most minor damages — such as broken windows and fences or damaged drywall — the deductible is going to outweigh the actual repair costs. Insurance claims are best reserved for damages that can’t be comfortably covered on your own. 

Create documentation. Use a video camera to scan the damages so that you can show your insurer exactly what happened. Video is recommended because it's easier to capture a whole room; you might forget some critical detail if you're using a photo camera. 

Make what repairs you can for now. You want to control the damages, because the initial incident might be covered, but any additional damages owing to homeowner negligence might not be. 

Get an estimate. Get an estimate from a reliable contractor. 

Inform your mortgage lender. This step is only needed if the home isn’t yet paid off in full.