Natural disaster claims move fast and emotions run high — which is exactly when evidence gets lost before it's ever recorded.
Safety first, then photograph before touching anything
Once it's safe to return, photograph the damage from wide angles and close-ups before moving, cleaning, or discarding anything — insurers assess claims based largely on this initial evidence, and it's much harder to recreate convincingly afterward.
Make temporary repairs only where necessary
You generally have a responsibility to prevent further damage — tarping a roof, for example — but keep receipts for any temporary repair materials and photograph the situation before and after. Avoid full repairs or replacements until the insurer has assessed the damage or explicitly told you it's fine to proceed.
Build a full loss inventory before disposing of damaged items
List every damaged or destroyed item with a description, approximate value, and photo — do this before council clean-up collections or skip bins take items away for good. Where safe, keep small damaged items until the insurer confirms they're no longer needed as evidence.
Track emergency expenses separately
Temporary accommodation, emergency repairs, and other costs incurred because of the incident are often claimable under an insurance policy's emergency or additional living expenses provisions — keep every receipt and note the reason for each expense as you go.
Get repair estimates from more than one source where possible
Multiple quotes support a fair valuation and give you a stronger basis to query the insurer's own assessment if it seems low. Keep every quote, even ones you don't ultimately use.
Sources
Related Kibbo Tools
- Insurance Damage & Loss Documentation Checklist — the full sequence for documenting damaged or lost property.
- Insurance Damage & Loss Inventory Workbook — itemize every damaged item with automatic value totals.