Stop the water and limit further damage first, since you have a duty to mitigate. Photograph and video everything before you remove items, then call your insurer promptly to open the claim. Meet the adjuster, get written repair estimates, and file a sworn proof of loss.
What to do in the first hour
Your first job is to stop the water and prevent more damage. This protects your home, and it is also part of your contract. Standard homeowners policies include a duty to mitigate, which means you are required to take reasonable steps to keep the loss from getting worse. If you skip this step and the damage spreads, the insurer can refuse to pay for the part you could have prevented. Shut off the source. If a fixture failed, close its supply stop; if you cannot find one or the leak is large, close the main water shutoff for the house. For a leaking water heater, turn off the power or gas first, then close the cold inlet valve.
Once the water stops, make temporary repairs to limit further harm. Move furniture and valuables to a dry area, soak up standing water, set up fans, and tarp or board anything exposed. Keep every receipt for what you spend on emergency work, fans, dehumidifier rental, or a board-up service. These mitigation costs are often reimbursable, and the receipts prove you met your duty to act.
Do not start permanent repairs yet, and do not throw anything away. The line between mitigation and repair matters: drying out a room is mitigation, but ripping out and replacing drywall before the adjuster sees it can cost you part of the claim. If water is still spreading and you cannot stop it, call a 24/7 plumber and an emergency water-removal crew right away.
Document the damage before you clean up
The record you build now is what the insurer pays from later. Photograph and video everything before you move or remove a single item. Capture wide shots of each affected room, then close-ups of damaged walls, floors, baseboards, cabinets, and contents. Film the source of the leak too, because the cause decides whether the loss is covered.
Build a written inventory of damaged belongings. List each item, its age, and a rough replacement cost, and pull up receipts, photos, or manuals if you have them. The Insurance Information Institute recommends keeping a home inventory exactly so you have this list ready before a loss. For a water claim, note which items got wet and how high the water reached.
The hardest rule to follow is the most important: do not discard damaged items until the adjuster has seen them. You can move ruined carpet or soaked drywall out of the way to dry the structure, but keep it on the property, photographed, until the adjuster inspects or releases you to dispose of it. If health or safety forces you to remove something sooner, document it thoroughly first.
Contact your insurer and meet the adjuster
Call your insurer or agent to open the claim promptly. Policies set time limits for reporting a loss, and a long delay can give the company grounds to question or deny payment. When you call, have your policy number ready and give a short, factual account of what happened, when, and what you have done so far. Write down the claim number, the date, and the name of every person you speak with.
The insurer will assign a claims adjuster to inspect the damage and estimate the cost to repair it. The adjuster is sent by your insurer at no cost to you. Walk them through the home, hand over your photos, video, inventory, and mitigation receipts, and point out the source of the leak and every affected area. The more organized your documentation, the smoother and faster the inspection goes.
A note on the process worth keeping in mind: payment is usually staged, not a single check. You may get an early payment to cover emergency mitigation and a partial advance, then later payments as repairs proceed and you submit invoices. If your mortgage is not paid off, the lender's name often appears on repair checks, and the lender may release funds in stages as work is completed.
Get repair estimates and file the proof of loss
Get written, line-item repair estimates from licensed contractors. A good estimate breaks out labor, materials, and scope room by room, rather than giving one lump sum. In Arizona, confirm any plumber or restoration contractor holds an active license with the Registrar of Contractors before they start. Multiple estimates help you and the adjuster agree on a fair repair cost.
Most water claims require a proof of loss, a sworn statement listing the damage and the amount you are claiming, usually signed before a notary. Insurers often set a deadline to return it, frequently around 60 days from request, so do not let it sit. Fill it out carefully and attach your inventory and estimates. If you disagree with the adjuster's figure, you can submit your own contractor estimates as support; many states, including through the Arizona Department of Insurance and Financial Institutions, offer a consumer complaint process if you and the insurer cannot agree.
Keep a claim diary through the whole process. Log every call, email, payment, and inspection with dates and names. Note what was said and what each person promised. This running record is your best protection if a question comes up later, and it keeps you organized when several things are happening at once.
A few habits make the whole claim go faster. Save your documents in one folder, paper or digital, so the photos, the inventory, the receipts, and the estimates are easy to find. Return forms before their deadlines, and ask for any extension in writing if you need more time. If the insurer offers a payment you do not understand, ask them to explain in writing how they reached the figure before you cash the check.
Will the damage actually be covered?
Coverage depends on your policy and the cause of the water damage, and this is where many claims turn. Standard homeowners policies generally cover sudden and accidental water damage, such as a pipe that bursts without warning. They typically exclude damage from gradual leaks, wear and tear, or poor maintenance, and a slow leak you ignored can be denied as neglect. A slab leak claim, for example, often hinges on whether the discharge was sudden, so see our page on whether homeowners insurance covers a slab leak.
Two common causes need a closer look. Flood from outside water is not covered by a standard homeowners policy and needs separate flood insurance. Sewer or drain backup is also a gap. As the Insurance Information Institute puts it, "Sewer backups are not covered under a typical homeowners insurance policy, nor are they covered by flood insurance," and coverage "must be purchased either as a separate product or as an endorsement to a homeowners policy, usually at a nominal cost."
Because policy language and endorsements vary, confirm your specific coverage, deductible, and limits with your insurer or agent before you assume a loss is or is not covered. Read your policy and ask questions in writing. While you wait for help to arrive, see our guide on what to do while waiting for a plumber so you can keep the damage contained and your claim on solid footing.