Insurance Claim Records Checklist

If floodwater gets into your home, the evidence you gather in the first hours is what your insurance claim will rest on. The single most important thing is to record the damage before you clean up: take photographs or video of all damage and the flood water line, and mark the water levels on the wall before they recede¹. Contact your insurer as soon as possible, because they will tell you what to do next and may need evidence of damage before clean up begins¹.

Then keep everything. Do not throw damaged items away until your insurers have inspected them, with ruined food the one exception⁴. Keep receipts for any emergency repairs, keep a written list of damaged or lost items, and keep a record of every conversation you have with your insurer, loss adjuster or council⁶.

This checklist sets out what to record, in the order you will need it, and what to keep safe before a flood ever happens so that the claim is easier if the worst occurs.

Insurance claim records checklist

Work through this list as soon as it is safe to be in the property. Each item exists because an insurer, a loss adjuster or a recovery team has asked for it.

1. Contact your insurer and record your claim number. Call your insurance company and record your policy claim number, so every later conversation can be tied to it¹⁰.
2. Photograph and film everything before cleaning. Take photos of any damage and the flood water line before you start clearing up¹.
3. Mark the flood height on the walls. Use a permanent ink pen to mark the height the flood water reached, in every room affected⁵.
4. Write a list of damaged or lost items. Compile lists of damaged or lost items, and record the tide mark on walls⁷.
5. Keep a diary or log of activity. Note what happened, when, and who you spoke to⁷.
6. Keep receipts for repairs and cleaning. Records of repairs and cleaning costs may help your insurance claim¹¹.
7. Keep all correspondence. Keep copies of letters, emails and any messages with your insurer, landlord or council⁵.
8. Keep damaged items until you are told otherwise. Do not dispose of any item until you are told to do so².
9. Keep samples of flood damaged carpets. Cut off and keep samples if you need to get rid of them, as this speeds up settlement¹⁴.
10. List any ruined food you throw away. If you are covered for loss of perishable goods, make a list of all the foods you throw away¹⁴.
11. Record contact details of everyone you speak to. Keep the names, numbers and reference numbers of the loss adjuster, insurer and other experts⁸.
12. Keep your insurance documents safe and dry. Important documents, including home insurance details, should be kept safe¹⁵.

Photograph and film flood damage before you clean up

The order matters more than the equipment. Take photos of any damage before you start to tidy and clean up, because this is important for insurance purposes¹⁶. Record details of damage with photographs and video, which will be useful when making an insurance claim¹⁷. Take photographs or video footage of all damage, and mark the water levels on the wall before they recede².

Marking the height is not a detail. Guidance for households is to use a permanent ink pen to mark on the wall the height the flood water got to, in every room affected by flooding⁵. A photograph of a marked wall shows the depth of the water in a way a picture of a damp patch cannot.

Do not let the recording delay safety. Only assess damage when it is safe to do so, and gather evidence such as photos at that point⁴. If you rent, contact your landlord as well as your insurer, and get approval before carrying out any repairs¹⁹. The same principle applies across the UK: in Scotland, official advice is to contact your insurer as soon as possible and take photos of any damage to your home²⁰.

Keep damaged items, receipts and a written list

The most common way a claim is weakened is by clearing up too thoroughly, too early. Do not discard any property until instructed by your insurer⁴. Contact your insurers as soon as possible, and do not throw damaged items away until your insurers have inspected them⁴. Where a claim is to be made, it may be necessary for loss adjusters to visit prior to removal of damaged belongings¹⁸.

There are two narrow exceptions. Ruined food should go, and if you are covered for loss of perishable goods you should list everything you throw away¹⁴. Flood damaged carpets can be removed, but cut off and keep samples, which will speed up the settlement of your claim¹⁴. When you do dispose of contaminated or flood-damaged property, use your council's bulky waste collection service or speak to customer services rather than leaving it on the street²¹.

Receipts carry weight beyond the obvious. If you must arrange emergency repairs, tell your insurer and keep receipts, as you will need these in any claim after storm or flood damage⁹. Insurers may also be able to provide financial assistance for blowers and skips, and recommend reputable contractors, so ask before you hire²². Keep records of repairs and cleaning costs, as this may help your insurance claim¹¹.

Records to keep safe before a flood

Gather your insurance evidence on a dry day. Take detailed photos of your home before any flooding happens, and make sure your buildings and contents insurance covers flood damage²⁰. Check that your insurance provides cover against flood damage to property⁶. If you live in an area at risk of flooding, check your insurance policy for your property, or speak to your landlord²⁵.

Keep the documents themselves where water cannot reach them. Make sure important documents are safe and will stay dry, including details of your home insurance¹⁵. A household flood plan should list the documents worth protecting: passport, driving licence, medical cards, insurance documents, computers or laptops, mobile phones and chargers, important photos and papers, and items of sentimental value²⁶. Copies of important documents, including your passport, insurance certificates and your flood plan, belong in a flood pack you can pick up and carry²⁷.

For the wider preparation, see Making a Household Flood Plan and Emergency Kit: What a UK Household Should Keep Ready.

Flood Re: insurance for homes in flood risk areas

If your home is in a flood risk area and cover is hard to find or expensive, Flood Re is the scheme to know about. It helps homeowners in need of insurance in flood risk areas. It was launched as a joint government and insurance industry initiative to help provide affordable insurance to households at highest risk of flooding²⁸. The scheme began in April 2016, enabling participating insurers to pass the flood risk element of home insurance policies to Flood Re²⁹.

One point of confusion is worth clearing up. Some documents give the launch as April 2017 rather than April 2016, so the two dates disagree; the 2016 date appears in more than one account²⁸. What matters for a household is simpler: ask your insurer whether your policy includes Flood Re cover, and check that your buildings and contents insurance covers flood damage before you need it²⁰.

Flood Re does not replace the records. Whatever the policy, the claim still depends on the evidence you gathered: the photographs, the marked water line, the list of damaged items and the receipts. If you are uninsured or underinsured, help exists elsewhere; see Recovery Grants and Help If You Are Not Insured. For the policy side in more depth, read Home Insurance in a Flood Risk Area and Flood Re and Making an Insurance Claim After a Flood.