BLOG Step-by-Step Guide to Homeowner's Insurance Claims Mar 16, 2025

So you are thinking about making an insurance claim on your house or property? Well, this guide was created for you. My goal is to give you a concise overview of my process, help you set expectations and present the steps on how to complete your claim successfully. There are 5 phases and multiple steps in each phase. If you follow this guide you will be able to make informed decisions that put you in the driver seat on this journey of restoration. Let's Go!

Phase 1

Filing An Insurance Claim.

• Overview: This is the foundation to your entire claim and entails assessing, documenting and claiming your damage to your insurance company.
• Expect: Taking photos, writing lists, contacting your insurance company.
• Steps: Know your coverage, assess and list damage, make the claim. Check out this detailed guide for more information. How to File Homeowner's Insurance Claim

Phase 2

Adjuster Meeting.

• Overview: This is the first contact your insurance company will have with your claim. They will send out a representative either from within their organization or by hiring a third party adjustment firm to asses your damage.
• Expect: They set the time and rarely reschedule, 30 min to 2 hours meeting lengths, they may or may not give you their assessment on site, adjuster sometimes write check for initial coverage amount on site.
• Steps: Be prepared and confident, Listen and ask questions, do not argue.

Phase 3

Supplement.

• Overview: After you receive initial estimate from your insurance company you add or supplement to the claim any missed or incorrectly calculated items. Each insurance company has their own specific way you submit these requests.
• Expect: Insurance company pushback, delayed responses, your claim may be moved to different handlers, settle on prices, getting multiple bids, receive more checks.
• Steps: Use data to check estimate for errors, send data to insurance company and request changes.

Phase 4

Construction.

• Overview: The reconstruction of your property by either you or a hired contractor of all covered work according to final estimate after supplements.
• Expect: Construction on your property, picking color and material types, obtaining permits, photos of completed work, more supplement requests.
• Steps: Ordering materials, scheduling material delivery, coordinating with contractors, entering contracts, documenting progress, checking for quality, paying contractors.

Phase 5

Closing Claim.

• Overview: Construction is complete and your insurance company pays final amount after you or contractor provide appropriate documentation.
• Expect: Provide completion documentation, possibly send final check to mortgage company, pay contractor if applicable
• Steps: Submit documentation, wait for final payment from insurance company, send checks to mortage company, final payment to contractors.

That's it, a concise workflow including all five phases of the insurance claim process. As you engage with your insurance company you will now have the confidence needed to ask informed question throughout the claim. Feel free to reach out to me to discuss the nuances of your project and I will gladly assist you if possible.

Cheers!

Michael Hullinger

Blue Spring Construction

417-712-0076

Blue Spring Construction provides service through all 5 Phases of the claim process. 100% of my customers, with Replacement Cost Value coverage, have no out-of-pocket expense for the services I provide beyond their deductible. To be clear, that means if their deductible was $1500 and they had Replacement Cost Value coverage, that is what it cost them to hire me AND replace all items covered by their insurance company. It sounds to good to be true but I assure you it is not, this is standard in my industry!