The claim, step by step
Tick each one off as you go. The first group protects your home and your claim.
On this page
How long your insurer has
Most states set time limits for each step. Three large states, as examples:
| State | Acknowledge | Accept or deny | Pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 15 days | 15 business days after it has what it asked for; up to 45 more if it tells you why | 5 business days after it says it will pay |
| Florida | 7 days | 60 days after you report it, for the whole claim or part of it | Within those same 60 days |
| California | 15 days | 40 days after it has your proof of claim | 30 days after it accepts |
Deadlines can pause while the insurer waits for information you owe it, and some stretch after a declared disaster. Your state’s insurance department publishes its rules.
What to ask the adjuster
Write down each answer with the adjuster’s name and the date.
- Do you work for my insurer, or are you an independent adjuster it hired?Either way, they’re working for the insurer. A public adjuster is the one who works for you.
- What does my policy cover for this, and what’s my deductible?If something isn’t covered, ask to see the policy language.
- Will you pay for the drying and emergency repairs I’ve already paid for?Bring the receipts.
- If we can’t live here during repairs, are extra living costs covered?The standard policy covers added living expenses when the home is unfit to live in. Keep receipts.
- When will I get your estimate, and will it be itemized?
- Will any of the payment be held back until the repairs are done?Replacement-cost policies often hold back depreciation.
- Will the check include my mortgage lender?Ask how your lender releases the money.
If you disagree with the payout
Start with the adjuster: list each line you disagree with, send your contractor’s estimate and photos, and ask for a second look. If that doesn’t settle it, these are the usual next steps.
Appraisal
For disagreements over the amount, not over whether it’s covered. Each side hires an appraiser and an umpire settles differences. You pay your appraiser and half the umpire.
State mediation
Some states run it. In Florida, for disputes of $500 or more after the deductible, the insurer pays the mediator. You don’t have to accept a settlement, and you get three business days to back out of one if you haven’t cashed the check.
A complaint to your state
Your insurance department can look into delays and unfair handling and ask the insurer to take another look. Its power has limits: in Texas, it can’t make a company pay unless the refusal breaks a law or your policy.
A public adjuster
A licensed public adjuster works for you for a share of the payout, capped in some states: 10% in Texas, 12.5% in New York, and in Florida 10% for a year after a declared emergency, 20% otherwise.
Mistakes that cost money
These are the ones that shrink a payout or stall a claim.
- Don’t throw out damaged things before the adjuster sees them. Photograph them and set them aside, unless they’re a health hazard.
- Don’t sign a proof of loss you haven’t checked. It’s a sworn statement. Check every amount against your own list first.
- Don’t sign over your insurance benefits without reading. An assignment of benefits lets a contractor deal with your insurer and get paid directly. Florida bars them on home policies issued or renewed since 2023.
- Don’t hire a public adjuster without checking the license and fee. Your state insurance department can confirm the license. In Texas, you can cancel within 72 hours, and a public adjuster can’t also be your contractor.
- Don’t let deadlines slide. Your policy sets a deadline to sue: two years in the standard form, but state law can change it, and in California it’s 12 months. Florida also requires new claims to be reported within a year.
Check the numbers
Most water claims pay for drying and repairs. For one room with gray water, the bill usually lands in this range. Use it to sanity-check the adjuster’s estimate.
$3,650–$7,850
Questions people ask
How long does a homeowners insurance claim take?
It depends on the damage and your state. In Texas, an insurer has 15 days to acknowledge a claim, 15 business days to decide once it has what it asked for, and 5 business days to pay after approving it. Big repairs, missing paperwork and disputes add time.
Should I file a claim for small damage?
Get a repair estimate and compare it with your deductible first. If the damage costs less than the deductible, the insurer can close the claim without paying, and a claim can raise your premium or cost you a claim-free discount, Texas’s insurance department says.
What if I find more damage after the claim is settled?
Tell your insurer as soon as you find it and ask to reopen the claim. California’s insurance department says you can usually reopen a claim for damage found later, and Florida gives you 18 months from the loss for a supplemental claim.
Do I have to use the contractor my insurer recommends?
Usually not. Insurers may suggest companies they’ve worked with, but you can generally pick your own; Washington’s insurance commissioner says so plainly. Read your policy too: the standard form lets the insurer choose to make the repairs itself if it tells you within 30 days of your proof of loss.
Sources
The cost range comes from our calculator: drying prices from 10 published price sheets, repair prices built from published labor hours, federal wage data and store prices. Read the full methodology.
- Homeowners 3 – Special Form (HO 00 03 10 00), sample policy, ISO, hosted by the Insurance Information Institute.
- Filing a home insurance claim, Texas Department of Insurance.
- What you should know about settling a homeowners insurance claim, NAIC.
- Flood insurance claims checklist, FEMA FloodSmart.
- Consumer Bill of Rights: homeowners, dwelling and renters insurance (28 TAC §5.9971), Texas Department of Insurance.
- Fla. Stat. 627.70131, insurer’s duty to acknowledge communications regarding claims; investigation, Florida Senate.
- Fla. Stat. 627.70132, notice of property insurance claim, Florida Senate.
- Guide for Adjusting Property Claims in California After a Major Disaster, California Department of Insurance.
- Residential property claims guide, California Department of Insurance.
- Homeowners and tenants insurance guide, New York State Department of Financial Services.
- Actual cash value vs. replacement cost value, North Carolina Department of Insurance.
- How do home insurance companies pay out claims?, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
- What if I disagree with my insurance company?, Texas Department of Insurance.
- Adjusters, appraisers and umpires, New York State Department of Financial Services.
- Residential property mediation, Florida Department of Financial Services.
- Homeowners and renters insurance complaints, Texas Department of Insurance.
- Why would my home insurance claim be denied or not paid?, Texas Department of Insurance.
- Will my premium go up if I file a claim?, Texas Department of Insurance.
- Public adjusters, Texas Department of Insurance.
- Fla. Stat. 626.854, public adjusters, Florida Senate.
- Fla. Stat. 627.7152, assignment agreements, Florida Senate.
- Assignment of benefits, Florida Department of Financial Services.
- Filing a homeowner insurance claim, Washington Office of the Insurance Commissioner.
- Published restoration price sheets (state and county contracts, contractor price lists), RestoreCost.
