Can another person locate it?
Use the same room and item names in photos, inventories and estimates.
Policyholder resourcesDocumenting Your Loss
Documenting Your Loss
Give every detail a place.
A photo is more useful when you can tell where it was taken, what it shows and when you noticed the change.
Explore This Guide ↓A useful photo sequence
Wide view. Close detail. Supporting record.
- 01
Show the location
Start with the room or exterior area. Include landmarks such as a doorway or window so someone else can understand the view.
- 02
Show the condition
Add a closer image of the affected material. Keep the original photo; avoid filters or edits that change what it shows.
- 03
Connect the evidence
Give the file a clear name and pair it with a note, inspection finding or invoice. Separate what you observed from what a professional concluded.
Only document from a safe, permitted location. Do not enter an unsafe building or climb a roof to obtain a photograph.
Your claim folder
Make the record easy to follow.
- Event notes
- Record the event date if known, the discovery date and what you noticed. Mark uncertain information as uncertain.
- Property photos
- Group images by room or exterior area. Preserve the original files and any available before-loss photos.
- Belongings
- List each item with a description, quantity, approximate purchase date and available ownership records. Do not invent missing prices or dates.
- Professional findings
- Keep inspection reports, measurements and estimates with the area or item they describe.
- Expenses
- Save the receipt, date, purpose and payment record. Keep temporary housing and emergency work in separate groups.
- Communication
- Keep letters and emails. After a call, note the date, person, subject and agreed next step.
Example record · Not a real claim
One observation, clearly described.
Kitchen / ceiling near east window: brown staining first noticed Monday morning. Two overview photos and three close views saved. Plumbing inspection requested; cause not yet confirmed.
This identifies the location and observation without guessing the source or treating a stain as proof of coverage.
Before you send it
Check the gaps, not just the file count.
Are facts and opinions separate?
Label your own observations and attach the professional report supporting a cause or repair recommendation.
Can you find the original?
Keep a backup and a copy of exactly what you submitted, with its submission date.
Keep exploring
Your next useful resource.
Understanding Claim Payments
An estimate, a payment and the final repair cost are different figures. Learn what each number represents before comparing them.
Explore →Prepare Before a Storm
Create a usable record of your home, keep policy information accessible and know where to find official emergency guidance.
Explore →Definitions
Look up the terms used in your policy, estimate and claim letters.
Explore →You Pay Nothing
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Free Consultation☎ (405) 856-8008Corporate Mailing Address
3033 NW 178th Street, Suite B-131
Edmond, OK 73012