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Renters Insurance Claim Preparation Checklist

Renters insurance claim preparation checklist

General information, not advice. This checklist is built from duties found in three specific policy forms and from regulator guidance. Your policy may ask for more, less or something different, and its wording controls. Items marked “In the forms we read” appear in all three; items marked “Practical suggestion” do not come from those forms. Nothing you enter is sent or saved; it stays in this page unless you download or print it.

Insurer

Claim number

Date of loss

First steps Practical suggestion Find your policy number, your declarations page and your insurer’s claim contact information. In the forms we read If property is still at risk, take reasonable steps to protect it from further damage, and keep a record of what you spend on repairs. In the forms we read If something was stolen, report it to the police and ask for the report number. (The forms differ on the exact wording and timing.) In the forms we read If a credit, debit or bank transfer card was lost or misused, notify the card company or bank. Practical suggestion Take photos or video of the damage before cleanup, where it is safe to do so. Practical suggestion Do not throw away damaged items until you know whether the insurer wants to see them. The forms we read allow the insurer to ask to see damaged property.

Contact the insurer In the forms we read Give your insurer or agent notice of the loss promptly. Check the notice wording and any deadline in your own policy. Practical suggestion Write down the date, time, method, person’s name and claim number every time you speak with the insurer. Practical suggestion Ask the insurer in writing which documents it wants from you.

Document what you lost In the forms we read List each damaged or stolen item with quantity, description, value and amount of loss. The forms we read use the terms actual cash value or cost; check your policy for what it asks. In the forms we read Gather bills, receipts and related documents that support the values. Two of the forms ask you to attach them to your inventory; the third asks for them on request. If you do not have receipts, see our guide to claims without receipts when it is published. In the forms we read Keep receipts for any extra living expenses if you must live elsewhere. Practical suggestion Where practical, keep damaged items separate from undamaged ones. One of the three forms asks for this.

Cooperate and keep records In the forms we read Provide records and documents the insurer reasonably requests, and keep copies of everything you send. In the forms we read Be prepared to show the damaged property when asked. In the forms we read Find the proof-of-loss provision in your policy and write down its deadline. In the three forms we read the clock starts at different points.

If you disagree with the result Practical suggestion Ask the insurer for its reasons in writing and keep its letters. Practical suggestion Look up the time limit for legal action in your policy; the forms we read differ. Practical suggestion If you cannot resolve it with the insurer, find your state insurance department and ask how to file a complaint. State processes differ.

Notes (stay on this page; included if you download or print)