Step 1. Stop the water and make it safe
Shut off the main or the fixture valve. Stay out of standing water near power. Your policy expects you to take reasonable steps to stop more damage, and a claim gets harder when a small leak was left to run.
Step 2. Know what is usually covered
From the Insurance Information Institute.
| Situation | Usually |
|---|---|
| Sudden discharge from plumbing or an appliance | Covered on most forms, not HO-1 or HO-8 |
| Flood, water from outside at ground level | Excluded from standard home, condo and renters policies |
| Sewer or drain backup | Not covered unless you added it |
| Damage from poor maintenance | Not covered |
Water damage and freezing were 22.6 percent of homeowners claims in 2023, and about 1 in 60 insured homes has one in a year. Adjusters see these every day.
Step 3. Document before anything moves
- Video walking through every wet room.
- Photos of the source, the water line on walls and every damaged item.
- Model and serial numbers of damaged appliances.
- The date and time you found it, and what you did first.
- Receipts for anything you buy to stop the damage.
Keep damaged items, or clear photos of them, until your adjuster says they can go.
Step 4. Report the claim
Call your agent or insurer, get a claim number, and write down every name and date. Describe what you saw in plain facts. A pipe under the sink burst, water reached the hall and bedroom, we shut off the main at 7:40. Do not guess at how long something leaked or what caused it if you do not know. A guess like it has probably been leaking for months can be read as long term seepage.
Step 5. Start drying now
Do not wait for the adjuster to start mitigation. EPA says wet areas should be dried within 24 to 48 hours to prevent mold. Waiting days for a visit while water sits is how a covered pipe burst becomes a mold problem that may not be.
This is where Restoration Pros 360 comes in. We extract, dry and document, and our file goes to you and, with your OK, to your adjuster.
Step 6. The adjuster visit
The adjuster looks at the source, the extent of the damage and whether it was sudden. Hand over a file that answers those questions before they are asked.
- Photos from before cleanup.
- The moisture map and the dry standard.
- The category and class, with the reason.
- A list of what was removed and why.
- Drying logs.
Step 7. Understand how you get paid
Policies settle in one of two common ways. Actual cash value pays what the damaged thing was worth, after depreciation for age. Replacement cost pays what it costs to replace it new, often in two payments, the second after the work is done. Your declarations page says which you have. It changes the check a lot, especially for older flooring and cabinets.
Step 8. The rebuild estimate
Get a separate rebuild estimate and compare it line by line with the adjuster's. Differences in square footage, materials or what counts as damaged are normal, and they are worth asking about. You can choose your own contractor. You do not have to use a preferred vendor.
Remember who does what. A contractor gives estimates. It should not represent you or negotiate your claim. Contractors that acted as public adjusters have drawn state cease and desist orders.
Step 9. If the claim is denied or lowballed
- Ask for the decision in writing, with the policy language it rests on.
- Ask for a review and send any missing photos or readings.
- Read your policy for an appraisal clause, used when you agree it is covered but not on the amount.
- Consider a public adjuster you hire, or a lawyer, for large or stuck claims.
- File a complaint with the Nevada Division of Insurance if you think the claim was handled unfairly.
Should you file at all
That depends on your deductible and the size of the loss. If the whole job is near your deductible, a claim may not make sense. Get the damage documented and an estimate first so you decide with real numbers, not fear. Whether a claim changes your premium depends on your insurer and your history. Ask your agent, not a contractor.