Estimated reading time: 8 minutes
After stopping the source of water and calling a plumber, immediately reach out to a public insurance adjuster. We help homeowners and businesses get the proper photos and information needed quickly to avoid claim denials and paying out of pocket for hotels and expensive water mitigation bills.
Few things are more frightening than watching water pour through your home. A burst pipe during extreme cold doesn’t just damage walls and ceilings—it instantly turns daily life upside down. Panic, fear of making a mistake, and anxiety about dealing with the insurance company are completely normal reactions.
If you’re reading this because your home has just flooded, take a breath. You are not alone—and there is a right way to move forward that protects both your family and your claim.
Below is a step-by-step guide to help you understand what to do immediately, what documentation matters, what the insurance assessor’s role is, and how involving a public insurance adjuster early can reduce stress and prevent costly mistakes.
Step 1: Safety Comes First — You Did the Right Things
In an emergency, your first responsibility is safety—not paperwork.
If you:
- Shut off the water using the main valve (typically found under the kitchen sink)
- Turned off electricity
- Moved belongings away from standing water
- Took steps to protect a child or vulnerable family member
- Left the home when conditions were unsafe
You did exactly what you were supposed to do.
Insurance policies require mitigation after a pipe burst—not perfection. Mitigation in this context is any reasonable action taken to prevent additional damage by cleaning up water and drying the area. You are not expected to document everything in the middle of a crisis. Acting to prevent further damage to the property and protect your family is sufficient when facing a crisis.
When in doubt, reference a water damage emergency checklist, such as the one linked here as provided by the Ohio Department of Insurance. This Severe Weather Toolkit covers many emergency situations but it is highly applicable when dealing with severe water losses.
Step 2: Understanding What to Photograph (and What You Can Photograph Later)
It’s very common for policyholders to panic when an insurance adjuster asks for photos. The fear is usually: “I only took 1 or 2 pictures but I didn’t get everything.”
Or, “what if I missed something and my claim gets denied? I can’t afford to pay for all this myself!”
Here’s the truth: photos are evidence, not traps.
Take photos of:
- Collapsed or sagging ceilings (especially where water pooled)
- Stained, cracked, or swollen drywall
- Buckled floors, warped trim, swollen doors
- Wet insulation if visible
- Water-damaged furniture, electronics, appliances, and cabinetry
- Standing water marks on walls or contents
- Any area where water traveled—even if it looks minor
Helpful tips:
- Take wide shots to show the room
- Take close-ups to show damage
- If something has already been moved or dried for safety, that’s okay
If you miss something today, it does not invalidate your claim. Avoid disposing of anything even though it is wet. A public adjuster can help document damages thoroughly after the emergency phase. In the meantime, use the Ohio Department of Insurance inventory checklist to provide guidance on best practices for insurance claim photo documentation.
Step 3: Temporary Housing (Additional Living Expenses)
If your home is unsafe or unlivable, most homeowners policies provide Additional Living Expense (ALE) coverage. In cases of a total flooding of the home, most insurance adjusters will voluntarily provide arrangements. But, in cases where the flooding is contained to a few rooms, this can become a bit complicated where you are dealing with the adjuster’s perception of whether your damages are severe enough to warrant housing.
Most people, when faced with the “perception roadblock,” will naturally make arrangements to stay with a friend or family members. Unless the person you’re staying with has a large enough home to make you comfortable for several months (during your period of repairs), do not agree with the adjuster that this is your housing solution.
Many times an adjuster will ask if you “have a place to stay” to which you would naturally answer yes, I’m staying with so and so (friend or family). Only to later find out the adjuster documented the claim file stating they have spoken with you and you have refused ALE after it was offered.
If you prefer those arrangements, then yes—you can typically claim temporary housing even if you’re staying with a friend, as long as:
- There is a real cost (where you have paid rent, a contribution, or some documented expense)
- The arrangement is temporary
- It’s reasonable for your situation
What evidence helps:
- A lease, a simple written agreement or a receipt confirming payment from your friend
- Proof of the normal household expenses before the loss
- Any additional costs caused by displacement (meals out, travel to and from work from a greater distance, increased cost in utilities)
If these situations do not apply and you need housing support, make it very clear in your first conversation with the adjuster. It helps prevent misunderstandings and costly up-front out of pocket hotel expenses.
A public adjuster can help structure this properly so reimbursement is smooth and compliant. Please know that initial water bills associated with the leak are not generally reimbursable under the claim. The public adjuster will explain which expenses you can rightfully claim after the loss.
Step 4: What the Insurance Assessor (Adjuster) Actually Does
When the insurer sends an assessor, their job is to:
- Inspect visible damage
- Confirm the cause of loss
- Apply policy language to the situation
- Prepare an estimate from the insurer’s perspective
They are not there to coach you, advocate for you, or explain what might be missing. Some adjusters will do their best to empathize with your situation and many are very helpful in explaining the rules according to the insurance company’s internal processes.
What many policyholders do not know is that the insurance company’s internal processes are:
- Not well understood by many adjusters, depending on their experience level
- Not always properly explained by the adjuster (or sometimes intentionally misleading)
- While the company’s rules are written according to allowable state laws, the practices of an individual adjuster—or even a manager—are still up to the interpretation of the court system. Meaning, the decision or rules you are provided may be viewed very differently by the Department of Insurance or a judge.
Public adjusters are experienced in insurance policy. While a public adjuster is typically not a licensed attorney, they can guide you in the various phases of handling the claim and help you sidestep the misinformation trap.
What you should do:
- Be honest and factual, but brief (too many words spoken in anxiety can be used against you later on)
- Describe what happened to the best of your knowledge and where water has visibly traveled
- Point out all affected areas—even ones that seem minor
- Do not guess costs or minimize damage (sometimes people will say “its not really that bad” only to find out later from a professional there is greater—or hidden—damage
- Do not feel pressured to agree with conclusions on the spot
You are allowed to say:
“I’m still trying to determine the full extent of the damage.” Or better yet, if you are unsure say, “I don’t know exactly how much damage there is.”
It is better to ask for help understanding the damage than to downplay its severity.
Step 5: Why a Public Adjuster Can Help — Especially Early
The fear of “saying the wrong thing” is one of the most damaging parts of a major loss. A public adjuster acts as your personal advocate and part of their role is to help remove that fear.
A public adjuster helps by:
- Taking over documentation of the extent of damage
- Explaining complex policy language in plain words
- Identifying hidden and structural damage overlooked or overruled as being related damage
- Managing contents inventories properly
- Coordinating ALE documentation (getting you into proper housing ASAP)
- Ensuring damage mitigation and property repairs don’t compromise your coverage limits
- Communicating with the insurer so you don’t have to
Most importantly, a public adjuster works for you—not the insurance company.
Early involvement often prevents:
- Under-evaluated estimates
- Missed documentation of personal property (Contents) items (this happens frequently because items were discarded early on without proper supporting identification)
- Improper application of depreciation amounts
- Disputes over what caused the damage
- Delays that leave families in limbo looking for funding or proper housing (not living in a cramped hotel room for months on end)
If you are interested in early public insurance adjuster involvement, please review the services offered by Green Public Insurance Adjusting and select the “Claim Help” button to send us a message.
You Are Not Being Judged — and You Are Not Alone
If your anxiety feels overwhelming, that doesn’t mean you’re doing something wrong. It means you’re experiencing a traumatic disruption to your home and sense of security.
Insurance claims are technical, procedural, and emotionally taxing—especially when income is disrupted or children with special needs are involved. That is precisely why professional help exists.
The goal is not just to “file a claim,” but to recover fully, safely, and with dignity. And to make sure your family can trust you to protect them in the face of such a jarring, life-changing experience.
Final Thought
You don’t need to know everything today. You don’t need perfect photos. You don’t need to memorize policy language.
What you need is support, clarity, and advocacy.
If your home has been flooded by a burst pipe, getting the right guidance early can mean the difference between months of stress and a structured path toward recovery.
Consumer Advocacy Disclaimer
Green Public Insurance Adjusting is a licensed public insurance adjusting firm that advocates for policyholders in the preparation, presentation, and negotiation of insurance claims. Green Public Insurance Adjusting does not employ attorneys and does not provide legal advice. Policyholders are encouraged to consult qualified legal counsel for legal interpretation of policy language or rights under applicable law.
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