Water claims move on a clock: soaked contents grow mold within days, so you must move and discard — but everything you throw out undocumented is money gone. The rule is simple: photograph, list, then discard. This page is the sequence.
Wide shots of each room showing the waterline, then close-ups of damaged items in place. If you must discard quickly (sodden mattresses, upholstery, carpet), photograph each item from two angles, note brand and size, and keep a swatch or label where practical. Your inventory list references these photos.
Porous items that soaked — mattresses, upholstered furniture, particle-board furniture, books, most textiles after category-2/3 water — are generally total losses. Solid wood, metal, glass and many electronics (dried properly, assessed before powering on) may be restorable. List damaged items either way; restoration costs are claimable too.
Burst pipes and appliance failures are usually covered by home policies; rising floodwater usually is not (that's separate flood insurance). Sewer backup often needs its own endorsement. Build the same inventory regardless — the list is identical work, whichever policy pays.
Fans, dehumidifiers, tarps, wet-vac rental, emergency plumber, first month of storage — reasonable costs to stop further damage are typically claimable on top of contents. Keep those receipts separate from the inventory itself.
ClaimList replaces the empty spreadsheet with a room-by-room catalog of 1,300+ household items with editable typical prices. Tap through it the way you remember your home, watch the claim total build, and export an adjuster-ready spreadsheet. Free to build and preview everything; $12 once to export. Runs entirely in your browser — your flood or water damage inventory never leaves your device.
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