First 24 Hours After a Claim
What to do immediately after any insurance loss — triage steps, evidence to preserve, and who to call first.
Immediate triage (first 60 minutes)
-
1
Make sure everyone is safe
Life and safety come first. If there is any risk of injury, fire, or structural danger, get everyone out and call 911 before doing anything else.
-
2
Prevent further damage
You have a duty to mitigate. Cover a broken window, tarp a roof hole, shut off the water main. Save all receipts for emergency repairs — they are reimbursable.
-
3
Document before you clean up
Take photos and video of every damaged item and area before moving or discarding anything. More is better. Date-stamp everything if your phone does not do it automatically.
-
4
Locate your declarations page
Find your dec page or pull it from your carrier's app. You need your policy number and the claims phone number before you call.
-
5
Report the claim
Call your carrier's claims line or file online. Report promptly — most policies require timely notice. Give the basic facts: date, cause, and a general description of damage. Do not speculate about fault.
What to say (and not say)
Stick to observable facts. State what happened, when it happened, and what you can see. Avoid guessing at dollar amounts, admitting fault, or describing pre-existing conditions that are unrelated to the loss.
Do not sign any settlement release in the first 24 hours. You likely do not have a full damage estimate yet, and a signed release closes the claim permanently.
The evidence you need
- Time-stamped photos and video from every angle
- A written list of damaged or destroyed items with approximate value
- Receipts for any emergency mitigation work you paid for
- Police report number if applicable (theft, vandalism, auto accident)
- Names and contact info of any witnesses
- A copy of your claim number once assigned
Who to call and when
Call your carrier's claims line first — not your agent, not a contractor. Get a claim number assigned. Once you have a claim number, you can call us and we can advocate on your behalf during the adjustment process.