The first 48 hours after damage to your home

In the first 48 hours, get everyone out of danger, call your insurer to report the loss and get a claim number, stop the damage from spreading, and record what happened before you clean up. Hold off on permanent repairs, on signing contracts, and on throwing things away. What you do in these two days sets the evidence for the entire claim, and the policy itself requires some of it.

The steps below describe the standard ISO homeowners form (HO 00 03 05 11). Your own policy, your declarations page and your state's rules control the details. For the full claim process after these first two days, see how to file a homeowners insurance claim; for hurricanes in particular, see filing a homeowners claim after a hurricane.

Hour zero: safety before insurance

Nothing in a policy is worth an injury. Before any phone call about coverage:

• Fire or smoke. Stay out until the fire department says the building is safe. Fire-damaged structures can fail without warning, and soot and water make surfaces slick and contaminated.
• Gas smell. Leave at once and call the gas utility and 911 from outside. Do not flip switches or use a phone inside.
• Standing water and electricity. If water has reached outlets, the panel or appliances, do not enter until power is off at the main and an electrician says it is safe.
• Generators. The CDC says to run a portable generator outdoors at least 20 feet from the house, doors, windows and vents, and to have a battery-powered carbon monoxide alarm indoors (CDC). Never run one in a garage, even with the door open.
• Structural damage. Sagging ceilings, a shifted foundation, a damaged roof deck or leaning chimney are reasons to stay out and call a licensed professional.

If you cannot stay, go to family or friends, or contact a local shelter or the Red Cross. Keep the receipts for any lodging; more on that below.

The first few hours: call the insurer

Report the loss as soon as you are safe. The policy's duties after loss require prompt notice, and the first call also gets you a claim number and the name of your adjuster. Have your policy number and a short, factual description ready: what happened, when you found it, which rooms or areas are affected. Do not guess at causes.

Ask four questions on that call:

1. Is there a claim number and who is my contact?
2. What emergency repairs does the insurer expect me to make, and will it pay a mitigation company directly? Many insurers dispatch their own vendors for water.
3. Do I have coverage for living elsewhere, and can I get an advance? Loss of use is covered when a covered loss makes the home unfit to live in (loss of use and additional living expenses).
4. When will an adjuster inspect? Write down the answer.

If a crime was involved, call the police first, get a report number and the officer's name, and give both to the insurer. Report a lost or stolen credit card to the card company.

The next hours: stop the damage

The policy puts two obligations on you and one benefit. You must protect the property from further damage, you must keep an accurate record of repair expenses, and in return the form pays the reasonable cost of necessary measures taken solely to protect covered property from further damage (reasonable repairs: what you can fix before the adjuster comes).

Emergency measures that qualify are usually temporary and visible:

• Shut off the water at the main for a plumbing break, and the electricity if water is near the panel.
• Tarp a damaged roof, or board up broken windows and doors.
• Remove standing water and wet materials that cannot dry in place.
• Move undamaged furniture and belongings away from the wet or damaged area.
• Extinguish nothing yourself unless it is small and you are safe; otherwise let the fire department work.

Time matters on water. The EPA says to dry water-damaged areas and items within 24 to 48 hours to prevent mold growth (EPA). If you wait for an adjuster who is a week out, the insurer may argue that the mold, rot or warping resulted from your delay rather than the original loss. A mitigation company is the usual answer; see water mitigation companies and your claim.

Document before you clean up

Photograph and video every affected area before you move or discard anything. Capture wide shots first, then close-ups, then labels and serial numbers on damaged electronics and appliances. Include the source of the damage if you can see it: the failed pipe, the fallen limb, the broken lock. Date-stamp everything and back it up off your phone. documenting damage: photos, video and receipts has the full shot list.

If something must go for health or safety reasons, such as spoiled food or soaked insulation, photograph it first and keep a sample or tag where practical. Leave other damaged items alone until the adjuster has seen them, and then discard on the insurer's say-so.

If you made a home inventory before the loss, find it now. If not, start a list of damaged property with description, age and approximate cost. The list is a policy requirement; it does not have to be complete in 48 hours.

What to do by type of damage

Living expenses from day one

If the house is unfit to live in because of a covered loss, additional living expenses cover the increase over your normal costs while you cannot stay: hotel or rental, extra mileage, restaurant meals beyond your usual grocery bill, laundry and similar. The standard form pays for the shortest time needed to repair or replace the damage. Keep every receipt and keep a log of your normal monthly costs for comparison; the insurer is paying the difference, not the whole bill. The additional living expenses (loss of use) calculator can help you estimate it, and your policy limit is on the declarations page.

What to hold off on

• Permanent repairs. Until the adjuster has inspected, or the insurer gives you the go-ahead, do not rip out or replace anything beyond what is needed to prevent further damage.
• Signing anything under pressure. Contractors, restoration firms and others will approach quickly after a visible loss. Do not sign an assignment of benefits, a contract that includes one, or a work authorization you have not read (assignment of benefits: what to know before you sign). Be wary of anyone who offers to waive your deductible, a practice several states restrict (contractor fraud after storms: how it works and how to stop it).
• Accepting a quick settlement. An early offer from anyone, including your insurer, is not necessarily complete. Damage is often bigger after drying and demolition.
• Giving a recorded statement without thought. Describe what you saw and when. Do not speculate. See recorded statements and examinations under oath.
• Throwing out evidence. Wet carpet, burned appliances and damaged roofing materials can be proof of the cause.

A short checklist

1. Safety: people, pets, utilities.
2. Call 911 or police if relevant, and get report numbers.
3. Call the insurer; get the claim number and contact.
4. Stop the damage with temporary measures; keep receipts.
5. Photograph and video before cleanup.
6. Arrange lodging if needed and start the expense log.
7. Start the damaged-property list.
8. Ask the adjuster for an inspection date and keep a log of every call.
9. Hold off on permanent repairs and contracts.

The home insurance claim checklist turns this into a tracker you can print.

Key takeaways

• Safety comes first: fire, gas, electrical hazards and structural damage are reasons to stay out until a professional clears the home.
• Report the loss early, get a claim number and ask what emergency repairs and lodging the insurer expects to cover.
• The policy requires you to protect the property and pays reasonable costs of doing so; dry water damage within 24 to 48 hours.
• Photograph and video everything before cleanup, and keep damaged items until the adjuster has seen them.
• Wait on permanent repairs, assignments, early settlements and anything a salesperson wants signed in a hurry.