Water damage: what to document before everything is repaired
An insurer’s first question is not “how much”, but “where did the water come from”. Once the walls are rebuilt, nobody can answer it.
Updated
Why the cause matters as much as the damage
A home insurance policy does not cover “water” as a whole. It covers certain causes and excludes others, and the wording differs between policies. That is why the exact origin is the first thing you will be asked to establish.
The practical problem is that the origin and the place where water appears are often two different spots. Water on a basement ceiling may come from a fitting upstairs, from a drain backing up or from seepage through the foundation — three causes your policy does not treat alike.
Until the cause is established, the file sits on an open question. That is where the delays come from.
What to capture right away
Order matters: safety first, documentation next, repairs last. Shut off the water, then take the time to document before drying out — once materials are thrown away and walls opened up, the evidence leaves with them.
- Wide photos of the room, then close-ups of the point of origin, before any cleanup.
- The failed part itself: hose, fitting, tank. Do not throw it out, even once replaced.
- The date and time of discovery, and what was happening — a storm, a freeze, a long absence.
- Invoices for emergency work, including any after-hours call-out.
- Damaged belongings, photographed before being moved or discarded.
What a plumber’s finding adds — and what it does not do
A plumber’s written finding answers the technical question: which component failed, why, and where the water started. It rests on what was observed on site, with dated photos, while the situation was still visible.
What it does not do deserves saying just as plainly: it does not price the damage to the building and takes no position on your coverage. Both belong to the loss adjuster, a profession regulated in Québec by the Autorité des marchés financiers. Be wary of anyone promising a report that “guarantees” a claim will be accepted.
The time to call is before restoration work, not after. Once the walls are closed up, a finding rests on memory alone — which is exactly what a file cannot use.