Guide 3 of 8 · Insurance claim · Free
The Insurance Claim Survival Guide
Insurance does not manage your project for you. This is the long guide, written for the night after the storm: what to do first, how the claim moves from the first call to the last check, and what the two checks mean.
Free to read. Free to download. Print the toolkit pages for the kitchen table.
What is inside
- 1How insurance really works: expectation, reality, and who does what
- 2Your policy, before you file and at renewal: RCV, ACV, deductibles, endorsements
- 3The first 72 hours, and what you say on the call
- 4The claim, step by step: the 13-step timeline
- 5The adjuster meeting, estimates, and supplements
- 6Contingency agreements and insurance-related contracts
- 7Payments, depreciation, and mortgage companies
- 8When things go sideways: partial approvals, re-inspections, appraisal
The toolkit pages
- 13-Step Claim Timeline
- RCV and ACV Worksheet with blanks to fill in
Printable and fillable. Built to be used at the kitchen table, not read on a screen.
What this guide protects you from
Losing track of your own claim, or handing it to someone who does not work for you.
We teach how a claim moves. We do not interpret your policy or adjust your claim. Questions about what your policy covers go to your insurer, your agent, or a licensed public adjuster.
Look inside
Sample pages from this guide
A few pages as they appear in the PDF, including a drawing and a toolkit page. Tap a page to see it larger.
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Start where you are
After a storm. What to do, in order.
The first week after hail or wind, in order: what to photograph, who to let on the roof, how a claim moves, and the questions to ask any roofing contractor.
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Guide 4: Contracts and Payments