When a tree or a limb comes down on an insured structure, the instinct is to start clearing it right away. Before you do, stop, because how the cleanup is handled can decide whether your insurance covers it.
Why documentation matters more than people think
It is smart to document every jobsite, but natural disasters and anything insurance related sit in a category of their own. You need a clear trail leading back to what happened. When a big storm hits, insurance carriers get buried. After Superstorm Sandy and every major disaster since, companies were flooded with claims and started losing track of files, adjusters, and paperwork. That is not a knock on them, it is just what happens when the volume triples overnight.
The problem lands on you six to twelve months later, once the dust settles and they finally get to your claim. If all you have is a phone call and a memory, it turns into a he said, she said. If you can hand them documentation from start to finish, there is nothing left to argue about.
What to document
- Photos of every step. Before, during, and after. Wide shots and close-ups. Photograph the damage before a single limb moves, because once cleanup starts you cannot get that view back.
- Conversations in writing. Keep it in email so there is a trail. A verbal approval from an adjuster is worth nothing if that adjuster gets reassigned or the claim changes hands.
- Estimates on paper. Not a number over the phone. A written estimate ties the scope and the price together and puts a date on it.
The worst thing that can happen in an already bad situation is losing the coverage you are owed because a photo never got taken or an approval never got written down. The storm is out of your control. The paper trail is not.
Ready when the storm hits
An experienced contractor documents the damage from start to finish and works in a way that prevents further damage instead of causing more. JWSR keeps excavators, skid steers, bucket trucks, dump trailers, saws, and more on standby for work during and after a storm, and we photograph and record as we go so your file is complete when the carrier finally asks for it. If you have an immediate emergency, we are available 24/7 for storm response.
Common questions
Should I photograph storm damage before cleaning it up? Yes, and it is the one step you cannot go back and redo. Photograph the damage before a single limb moves, wide shots and close-ups, then keep photographing during and after. Once cleanup starts, the view that proves what happened is gone.
Why does documentation matter so much on a storm claim? Because of timing. After a major storm, carriers are buried in claims and files, adjusters and paperwork get lost in the volume. That lands on you six to twelve months later when they finally reach your claim. A phone call and a memory turns into a he said, she said. A documented trail leaves nothing to argue about.
What should I document besides photos? Conversations, in writing. Anything agreed by phone is worth following up in an email so there is a record of it, along with dates, who you spoke to, and what was said.
Will cleaning up too fast affect my insurance coverage? It can. How the cleanup is handled can decide whether it is covered, because the evidence of what happened disappears with the debris. Make it safe, but document before you clear.
Call or text 862-268-2510, or email office@jwsrllc.com. Stay safe.
Still not sure how this applies to your property? That is what a free on-site estimate is for. Call 862-268-2510 or tell us what is going on, and we will give you a straight answer, including when the answer is that you do not need us.