How to document damage for a home insurance claim in Ontario
The hour you spend documenting before the cleanup starts is worth more than anything else you will do on the claim.
The instinct after a flood or a burst pipe is to start cleaning immediately. It is a good instinct for limiting the damage and a terrible one for the claim, because the evidence goes out with the ruined carpet.
You do not have to choose between the two. Give it one hour of documentation first, then mitigate as fast as you like.
Photograph in three passes
Most people take a handful of close-ups of the worst spot and nothing else. Adjusters and contractors need context as much as detail.
- Wide: stand in each doorway and photograph the whole room, including rooms that look untouched. Proving what was not damaged matters too.
- Medium: each damaged area in its surroundings, so it is clear where in the room it is.
- Close: the actual damage, with something in frame for scale.
Take video as well, walking slowly and narrating what you are seeing. It captures things you will not think to photograph, and the timestamp is useful.
Measure, do not estimate
This is the single most useful thing a homeowner can do, and almost nobody does it. Put a tape measure in the photograph.
How high did the water reach on the wall? Photograph the tape against the baseboard showing the exact height. That one number determines how far up the drywall has to be removed, and it is the detail scope disagreements most often turn on.
Find the cause, and photograph that too
Coverage often turns on what caused the loss rather than what the loss looks like. A supply line that let go, a failed valve, a backed-up drain and a roof leak are treated very differently by a policy.
Photograph the source before anybody replaces it, and if a part failed, keep the part. A cracked fitting in a bag is worth a great deal more than a description of a cracked fitting.
Keep one file for everything
- A running log with dates: when it happened, when you called, who you spoke to, what they said.
- Every email. Move phone conversations to email afterwards with a short summary, so there is a written record.
- The scope of loss the insurer produces, and every version of it.
- All quotes, invoices, and receipts.
- Your policy document, including the declarations page with your limits and deductible.
Claims run for months and involve several people. The homeowner with an organised file gets a smoother process, every time, and it is not close.
Report it promptly
Policies require you to report a loss and provide a proof of loss within set timeframes, and there are limitation periods for legal action. Do not let a claim drift because you are waiting to feel organised. Report it, then document.
If you want a second opinion on scope before you agree to it, ask a contractor to walk the property. We do this for homeowners without charging for it, and if the insurer's scope looks right we say so.
Common questions
Should I clean up before the adjuster sees it?
Document first, then mitigate. You have a duty under most policies to prevent further damage, so you should not leave water sitting to preserve a photograph. Take the pictures, then get on with drying it out.
Can I get my own quote instead of accepting the insurer's estimate?
Yes, and it is often worth doing. Have your contractor quote against the insurer's written scope so the documents compare line for line rather than as two different totals.
What if the insurer and I disagree on the amount of the loss?
Ontario policies typically include an appraisal process for disputes about the amount rather than about coverage, where each side appoints an appraiser and they agree on an umpire. Your policy sets out how it works, and it is worth asking your adjuster about before things become adversarial.
Do I need a public adjuster?
For a large or contested claim some homeowners hire one. Adjusters in Ontario are licensed by FSRA, so verify the licence before engaging anyone. For a straightforward repair, a clear scope and a contractor who will walk it with you is often enough.
Where we do it
