The single biggest cause of an underpaid claim is not the adjuster. It is that nobody can prove what was in the house. Thirty minutes now is worth thousands later.
Do this
- Walk every room and record a slow video. Open closets, cabinets and drawers on camera. Narrate what you see. A phone video is accepted evidence and takes minutes.
- Photograph high-value items individually — electronics, appliances, jewellery, instruments, tools, bikes, firearms. Include serial numbers and model plates.
- Photograph the exterior from all four corners, plus the roof if you can safely see it, the A/C unit, the water heater, and the electrical panel.
- Write a simple list of the twenty or thirty most valuable things with approximate purchase dates and prices. You do not need receipts for everything; you need a credible record.
- Store it in three places: your phone, cloud storage, and email to yourself. A copy in the house is a copy that can be destroyed with the house.
Why the video matters most
After a loss, you will be asked to list damaged contents. Under stress, people forget entire categories — the contents of a closet, the tools in a garage, what was in a storage room. A video made before the storm lets you reconstruct the list accurately, which is exactly what a claim requires.
Keep your policy documents with it
Your declarations page, your policy number, and your insurer's claims phone number. When you need them you will be standing in a damaged house with no power.
General information, not insurance advice. Your policy and Florida law govern what must be documented and by when — confirm the requirements with your insurer and the Florida Department of Financial Services.