4 min read
The first days after a loss
Safety, reporting the claim, preventing more damage, and the photos you can only take once.
1. Stay safe first
Don’t go back inside until fire officials, utilities, or a building inspector say it’s safe. Smoke, ash, standing water, and damaged wiring can all be hazardous.
2. Report the claim
Call your insurance company or use its app or website. Write down the claim number, the name of the person you spoke with, and the date and time. If you bought the policy through an agent, let them know too.
3. Prevent more damage if you safely can
Most policies expect you to take reasonable steps to protect the property — tarping a roof, shutting off water, boarding a window. Keep every receipt for that work, and photograph before and after.
4. Photograph everything before cleanup
Take wide shots of every room, then close-ups. Include labels, model and serial numbers, and the inside of closets and cabinets. A slow video walkthrough is a useful backup.
5. Don’t throw damaged items away yet
Ask the adjuster whether they want to see damaged items before they’re discarded. If something has to go for health reasons, photograph it first and note why it was removed.
6. Ask about living expenses
If you can’t stay in your home, ask what your policy covers for temporary housing and extra costs, and how to submit receipts. See Living expenses while you’re displaced.
7. Read before you sign
Take the time to read any contract, work authorization, or payment agreement before you sign it. In California, work of $1,000 or more generally requires a contractor licensed by the CSLB, and a home-improvement down payment is limited to 10% or $1,000, whichever is less.
8. Start your log today
Every call, email, visit, and payment. The record you start now is the one you’ll rely on later.
5 min read
Get your policy and read the declarations page
How to get a complete copy, what each coverage part does, and replacement cost vs. actual cash value.
Ask for the complete policy
That means the policy form, every endorsement, and the declarations page. In California, after a covered loss, your insurer must give you a complete copy free of charge within 30 calendar days of your request (Insurance Code §2084). There’s a ready-to-send request in Letters.
The declarations page
Usually the first page or two. It lists who is insured, the property address, the policy period, your deductible, and the limit for each coverage.
Common coverage parts on a homeowners policy
- Dwelling (often “Coverage A”) — the house itself.
- Other structures (“B”) — detached garages, fences, sheds.
- Personal property (“C”) — your belongings, also called contents.
- Loss of use (“D”) — additional living expenses while you’re displaced.
Look also for extended replacement cost, building code upgrade (“ordinance or law”), and debris removal. Names and letters vary by policy; renters, condo, and business policies are organized differently.
Replacement cost vs. actual cash value
Many policies first pay actual cash value (replacement cost minus depreciation), then the rest — the depreciation holdback — once you repair or replace. California gives you at least 12 months from the first actual-cash-value payment to collect the rest — at least 36 months after a loss in a declared state of emergency — with extensions for good cause (Insurance Code §2051.5).
Read the “duties after loss” section
It lists what the policy asks of you: prompt notice, protecting the property, an inventory, records, a proof of loss if requested, and showing the damaged property. Knowing it early avoids surprises.
4 min read
Living expenses while you’re displaced (ALE)
What “additional living expense” usually covers, how to track it, and California’s emergency rules.
What it is
Additional living expense (ALE) coverage pays the increase in your living costs when a covered loss makes your home unlivable — for example rent or a hotel, extra mileage, restaurant meals above your normal grocery bill, laundry, or pet boarding. Your policy’s wording decides what’s included.
Track the difference from normal
Because ALE covers what you spend above normal, note what you usually spend on food, commuting, and utilities. LossKeeper’s Living costs tab lets you set a normal weekly food cost so the math stays visible.
Keep every receipt, submit on a schedule
Save receipts as you go, submit them regularly (many people do it monthly), and log each submission and payment. A running total helps you see how much of your limit is left.
California rules after a declared state of emergency
- For a total loss of your primary home, the insurer must provide an advance of at least four months of living expenses on request (Insurance Code §2061).
- ALE must be available for at least 24 months from the loss, with up to 12 more months if delays beyond your control slow the rebuild (Insurance Code §2060). Your policy’s dollar limit still applies.
- Outside a declared emergency, the time limits in your policy apply — check the loss-of-use section.
There’s a ready-to-send advance request in Letters.
5 min read
Building a contents inventory
Room by room, memory aids that work, and the 2026 California rule that changes the math after a total loss.
Go room by room
Include closets, drawers, the garage, attic, patio, and yard. For each item: what it was, brand or model, quantity, roughly how old, condition, and what it costs to replace today (a link to a comparable item helps).
Memory aids that work
- Photos and videos on your phone and in cloud backups — look at the backgrounds.
- Online order history and email receipts (search for “order confirmation”).
- Bank and credit card statements, store loyalty accounts, warranty registrations.
- Old real-estate listing photos, holiday photos, and social media posts.
California rules after a declared state of emergency
- For a total loss of your primary home, the insurer can’t require you to use its own inventory form, and must accept an inventory that groups similar items into categories (Insurance Code §2061).
- For a total loss of a furnished primary home in a declared emergency, insurers must offer a payment of at least 60% of your contents limit, up to $350,000, without an itemized inventory (Insurance Code §10103.7, as amended by SB 495, effective January 1, 2026). You can still itemize to claim more — the inventory is how you document the rest.
Depreciation
Contents are often paid at actual cash value first, with the rest after you replace items. Keep receipts for what you buy back.
4 min read
California claim timelines
The deadlines insurers must meet under California rules — and the ones that apply to you.
What your insurer must do
| Acknowledge the claim, send forms, begin investigating | 15 calendar days after notice | 10 CCR §2695.5(e) |
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| Respond to your communications | 15 calendar days | 10 CCR §2695.5(b) |
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| Accept or deny, in whole or in part | 40 calendar days after proof of claim — or explain in writing why more time is needed, every 30 days | 10 CCR §2695.7(b)–(c) |
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| Pay the accepted amount | 30 calendar days after acceptance | 10 CCR §2695.7(h) |
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| Send claim-related documents you request (estimates, scopes, expert reports) | 15 calendar days | Ins. Code §2071 |
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| Send a complete copy of your policy | 30 calendar days | Ins. Code §2084 |
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| Send a written status report when a third adjuster is assigned within six months | When the new adjuster is assigned | Ins. Code §2071 |
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Dates that apply to you
- Proof of loss. The California standard fire policy sets 60 days after the loss unless the insurer extends it in writing (Ins. Code §2071); after a declared state of emergency an insurer can’t require it sooner than 100 days after the loss (Ins. Code §2051.5). Most insurers send a request with a due date — log it the day it arrives.
- Replacement cost. At least 12 months from the first actual-cash-value payment to collect held-back depreciation; at least 36 months after a declared emergency (Ins. Code §2051.5).
- Lawsuit deadline. The standard policy says 12 months from the loss, or 24 months for a loss related to a declared state of emergency (Ins. Code §2071). How that clock runs in your situation is a question for an attorney.
Your policy may add its own deadlines. When in doubt, ask your insurer to confirm dates in writing and log the answer.
3 min read
Keeping a record that holds up
What to write down, confirming calls in writing, and how to keep a file anyone can follow.
Log it the same day
Who you spoke with, their role, what was said, what happens next, and any reference number. Short and factual beats long and emotional.
Confirm phone calls in writing
After an important call, send a short email: “Just to confirm our call today…”. It gives both sides the same record. There’s a template in Letters.
Put the claim number on everything
Every email subject, every attachment name, every receipt you submit.
Record inspections
Who came, how long they stayed, what they looked at, and whether they took samples or measurements. Take your own photos alongside theirs.
Keep numbers exact
Record the amounts people actually quote you — don’t estimate or round. If a figure changes, log the new one; don’t overwrite the old one.
Share a clean copy
When someone asks for your records, use Report to print or save a PDF of exactly the sections they need.
4 min read
Where to get help — free and paid
Free public resources, and how public adjusters, attorneys, and appraisal differ.
Free
- California Department of Insurance — consumer hotline 800-927-4357, online help, and a way to file a request for assistance if you believe a claim isn’t being handled properly. After some declared disasters the Department also offers mediation.
- United Policyholders — a nonprofit with free guides, workshops, and survivor-to-survivor help.
- Legal aid — free or low-cost legal help if you qualify; LawHelpCA lists local programs.
- Disaster aid — after federally declared disasters, FEMA assistance and SBA disaster loans (for homeowners and renters, not only businesses).
- 211 — dial 2-1-1 for local housing and recovery services.
Paid professionals
- Public adjusters are licensed by the Department of Insurance to represent policyholders in presenting and negotiating a claim, usually for a percentage of the recovery. California requires a written contract with specific disclosures, and limits when they may solicit after a disaster.
- Attorneys advise on legal rights and can file suit. Many handle insurance disputes on contingency. Check a license with the State Bar.
- Appraisal is a process in most property policies for resolving a disagreement over the amount of a loss: each side names an appraiser, and they choose an umpire.
- Independent estimators and contractors can document the scope and cost of repairs.
Whoever you consider, verify the license, ask exactly how they’re paid, and get it in writing. LossKeeper doesn’t refer you to any particular professional.
Letters you can send
Short, factual requests. Inside LossKeeper these fill in from your file; here, replace the highlighted parts yourself.
Confirm a phone call in writing
After any call where something was decided, promised, or scheduled.
Subject: Claim [claim number] — confirming our call on [today’s date]
Hello [adjuster's name],
Thank you for speaking with me today. To make sure we have the same record, here is my understanding of our call:
• [What was discussed]
• [What you agreed to do, and by when]
• [What I agreed to do, and by when]
If anything above is different from your understanding, please let me know in writing.
Thank you,
[Your name]
Claim number: [claim number]
Property: [property address]
Request a complete copy of your policy
Early in the claim — before you rely on what the policy covers.
Subject: Claim [claim number] — request for complete policy (Ins. Code §2084)
Hello,
I am the named insured on policy [policy number] with [insurance company], and I have a claim open for a loss on [date of loss] (claim number [claim number]).
Under California Insurance Code section 2084, please send me a complete copy of my policy, including the policy form, all endorsements, and the declarations page, for the policy period in effect on the date of loss.
Please send it by email to [your email] or by mail to [your mailing address].
Thank you,
[Your name]
Request claim-related documents
When you want the estimates, scopes, or reports the insurer relied on.
Subject: Claim [claim number] — request for claim-related documents (Ins. Code §2071)
Hello,
Regarding claim number [claim number] for the loss on [date of loss]:
Under California Insurance Code section 2071, please provide copies of all claim-related documents, including repair and replacement estimates and bids, appraisals, scopes of loss, drawings, plans, reports, third-party findings on the amount of loss, covered damages, and cost of repairs, and all other valuation, measurement, and loss adjustment calculations.
Please send them by email to [your email].
Thank you,
[Your name]
Request an advance on living expenses
After a total loss of your primary home in a declared state of emergency.
Subject: Claim [claim number] — request for advance of additional living expenses
Hello,
My primary residence was a total loss on [date of loss] in a declared state of emergency (claim number [claim number]).
Under California Insurance Code section 2061, I am requesting an advance payment of at least four months of additional living expenses. Please let me know the amount and when I can expect it, and what documentation you need from me going forward.
Thank you,
[Your name]
Ask for a written status update
When you haven’t heard back or aren’t sure what the insurer is waiting on.
Subject: Claim [claim number] — request for written status update
Hello [adjuster's name],
I’m writing for an update on claim number [claim number] for the loss on [date of loss].
Could you please tell me in writing:
• What has been decided so far, and what is still under review
• Anything you are waiting on from me
• When I can expect the next decision or payment
Thank you,
[Your name]
LossKeeper helps policyholders organize their own claims. It isn’t a public adjuster, law firm, insurer, or insurance agency, and these guides don’t create any professional relationship. Your policy and your situation control; laws change. Each guide links its sources.