I did have a bunch of photos and a spreadsheet of what got ruined (I’m a bit obsessive with that stuff), but he didn’t nitpick every detail.
That’s interesting, because my experience was almost the opposite. When we had a pipe burst in the crawlspace last year, the adjuster wanted receipts for everything—even stuff like old paint cans and a busted shop vac. I had some photos, but not nearly as organized as you, and I think that made it harder. Maybe it’s just luck of the draw with who you get, or maybe being super prepared really does make them less suspicious.
I will say, from what I’ve seen on jobs, the folks who document everything—photos, dates, even humidity readings—tend to get through the process faster. But yeah, it can feel like overkill. I’m still not convinced all adjusters are “reasonable” by default, but being thorough seems to tip things in your favor. Just wish it didn’t feel like you’re prepping for an audit every time something goes wrong...
I’ve seen both sides of this too—sometimes you get an adjuster who’s all business, other times they’re more relaxed. I always tell people to keep a running log of repairs and purchases, even if it feels like overkill. It’s a pain, but it can save you a lot of back-and-forth later. Out of curiosity, did anyone here ever have to fight with their insurance over “depreciation” on stuff like flooring or appliances? That’s one thing that seems to catch folks off guard.
Out of curiosity, did anyone here ever have to fight with their insurance over “depreciation” on stuff like flooring or appliances? That’s one thing that seems to catch folks off guard.
Yeah, that “depreciation” thing is a real gotcha. I ran into it last year when our dishwasher leaked and wrecked half the kitchen floor. Insurance tried to pay out way less because the floors were “old.” It felt like a slap in the face, honestly. Keeping receipts and photos helped, but I still had to push back. You’re right about the log—feels tedious, but it’s a lifesaver when they start nitpicking.
Depreciation is such a frustrating loophole. When our washing machine hose burst, the water ruined the bamboo flooring we’d put in about ten years ago. The insurance adjuster basically shrugged and said, “Well, those floors weren’t new, so here’s a fraction of what you paid.” It felt like they were punishing us for not having replaced perfectly good floors sooner. I get that things wear out, but honestly, bamboo is supposed to last decades if you take care of it.
We ended up paying a lot out of pocket because we wanted to replace it with something sustainable again, and their payout barely made a dent. If I could go back, I’d probably look into “replacement cost” coverage instead of “actual cash value.” The difference in premiums might be worth it if you ever have to deal with this kind of mess. Also, keeping documentation is key, but it shouldn’t be this hard to get fair value for stuff you’ve maintained.
Yeah, depreciation can be a real headache. I’ve had similar run-ins with insurance after water damage—once had to replace laminate in a rental and the payout barely covered half. Did you find any contractors who were willing to work with the insurance estimate, or did you just bite the bullet and pay the difference? Sometimes I wonder if it’s even worth filing a claim for stuff like this.
