Storm and Flood Damage: How to Document It for Your Insurance Claim

Ontario storms are getting harder to ignore. Heavy summer downpours overwhelm city sewers and flood basements, spring thaws push water through foundations, and high winds tear off shingles and bring down trees. When it happens to your home, the way you document the damage in the first few days can shape how smoothly your insurance claim goes.

This guide walks you through what to photograph, what to write down, what to keep, and the mistakes that most often slow down storm and flood claims in Ontario.

First, make sure everyone is safe

No photo is worth getting hurt. Before you start documenting:

• Stay out of flooded basements if the power might still be on, or if water is near the panel, furnace or outlets.
• Keep away from downed power lines and call your utility.
• Watch for sagging ceilings, which can hold a lot of water and collapse without warning.
• Assume water from a floor drain, sewer or outside flooding is contaminated. Wear boots and gloves, and avoid touching it.

Know what kind of damage you have

Insurers treat different kinds of storm water differently, so it helps to understand which one you are dealing with:

• Wind and hail damage: roof shingles, siding, windows, fences and fallen trees. Usually covered by standard home policies.
• Rain getting in through storm damage: water entering through a roof or window that the storm broke. Often covered along with the wind damage.
• Sewer backup: water coming up through floor drains, toilets or sinks when city sewers overflow. In Ontario this usually needs a sewer backup endorsement on your policy.
• Overland flooding: surface water from heavy rain, rivers or melting snow flowing into your home. This is usually optional coverage that must be added to your policy.

How the water got in is one of the first questions your adjuster will ask. Your documentation should help answer it.

Step 1: Call your insurer or broker early

Report the loss as soon as you reasonably can. Ask for your claim number, the name of your adjuster, and whether they want you to wait for an inspection before any work starts. Write down the date and time of every call and who you spoke with.

Step 2: Photograph and video everything before cleanup

Good documentation starts wide and gets closer. For each affected area:

1. Wide shots of each room from the doorway, showing the whole space.
2. Medium shots of each wall, floor and ceiling with damage.
3. Close-ups of damaged items, water lines on walls, stains, mould, cracks and broken materials.
4. The source: the floor drain, the broken window, the missing shingles, the fallen tree, the water coming in at the foundation.
5. Water depth: a tape measure standing in the water, or the water line left on walls and furniture.
6. Outside: the roof, siding, yard, flooding on your street and any storm debris.

Take a slow video walk-through of the whole house as well, talking through what you see. Phone photos are fine. Make sure the date and time are saved in the file, and back everything up to the cloud or email it to yourself.

Step 3: List damaged belongings

Make a list of every damaged item: what it is, the brand and model if you know it, roughly when you bought it and what it cost. Photograph serial numbers on appliances and electronics. Receipts, bank statements and online order history all help prove value.

Do not throw anything away until your adjuster says it is okay. If an item is a health hazard, such as food, or carpet soaked with sewage, photograph it well, keep a small cut sample if you can, and ask your adjuster before disposing of it.

Step 4: Prevent further damage, and keep proof you did

Most home policies expect you to take reasonable steps to stop damage from getting worse. That can include tarping a roof, boarding a broken window, pumping out water and starting the drying process. Insurers generally cover reasonable emergency costs like these as part of the claim.

Keep every receipt: tarps, fans, dehumidifier rentals, hotel stays, meals, and the invoice from any emergency service company. A professional restoration company will also keep a record of its work. Our storm and wind damage crews handle emergency tarping and board-up, and our basement flooding cleanup team starts extraction and drying right away.

Step 5: Keep drying records

For flooded basements and water damage, the drying log is some of the most useful documentation you can have. A restoration company should record moisture readings every day, along with photos and the equipment used. This shows the adjuster that the home was dried properly, and it helps if mould or flooring damage shows up later. Learn why this matters in water removal vs. restoration.

Step 6: Keep a claim diary

Use a notebook or a note on your phone to track:

• Every phone call and email with your insurer, adjuster and contractors
• Dates of inspections and site visits
• What each person told you and any deadlines
• Extra living costs if you had to leave your home

Keep copies of all estimates, reports and emails in one folder.

Common mistakes that slow down storm claims

• Cleaning up or throwing things out before taking photos
• Waiting days to report the loss
• Only photographing the damage and not the source of the water
• Letting a flooded basement sit wet while waiting for the adjuster
• Signing a contract with a storm chaser who shows up at the door
• Not keeping receipts for emergency costs

How 999 Restoration helps with your claim

We document every job from the first minute: photos, moisture maps, drying logs and a detailed scope of the work. We communicate with adjusters and can bill many insurers directly, so you are not stuck in the middle. See how we handle insurance claims, and if you need help right now, read your first 24 hours after water damage.

Frequently asked questions

Is basement flooding from a storm covered in Ontario?

It depends on how the water got in and what your policy includes. Sewer backup and overland flooding are usually separate coverages that must be added to your policy. Check with your broker.

Can I start cleaning before the adjuster comes?

Usually, yes. Take thorough photos first, then take reasonable steps to stop more damage, such as pumping out water and starting drying. Keep damaged items and receipts, and tell your insurer what you are doing.

How long do I have to report a storm claim?

Policies generally ask you to report a loss promptly. The exact time limits depend on your policy, so report as soon as you can and ask your insurer about any deadlines.

Do I need my own restoration company, or will the insurer send one?

You can usually choose your own restoration company. Your insurer may suggest one, but in Ontario you generally have the right to pick who works on your home.

Storm or flood damage? Call now

999 Restoration answers live 24 hours a day with a 60-minute target response across Southern Ontario, including Toronto, Mississauga, Brampton, Oakville, Burlington, Hamilton, St. Catharines, Niagara Falls, Kitchener and London. See all locations, or call +1-888-999-0292 and a restoration manager will be on the line in seconds.