Claims that get paid in full have one thing in common: a documentation file the homeowner can email in 30 seconds. Claims that get short-paid have a homeowner hunting through a phone camera roll for photos they're not sure they took. Here's the file structure we recommend.
The folder structure
- 01_Policy — declarations page, endorsements, wind/hail rider, prior claims history.
- 02_Storm — NOAA report, local news coverage, neighbors' confirmation if available.
- 03_Photos_Roof — labeled by slope (N/S/E/W) with date in filename.
- 04_Photos_Soft_Metals — gutters, AC fins, vent caps, chimney chase, garage doors.
- 05_Photos_Interior — every leak or stain, with the date first noticed.
- 06_Roofer_Inspection — the contractor's written report with test-square hit counts.
- 07_Adjuster_Scope — the carrier's Xactimate PDF when it arrives.
- 08_Supplements — every supplement request and the carrier's written response.
- 09_Correspondence — email chain with the carrier, organized chronologically.
How to photograph damage that holds up
- Always include a scale — a quarter, a tape measure, or a piece of chalk circling the strike.
- Photograph the same strike from two distances: wide context shot, then close-up.
- Capture EXIF data by using your phone's native camera, not a third-party app that strips it.
- Time-stamp the photo session within 72 hours of the storm — adjusters discount older photos.
The paper trail that wins appraisals
If a claim ends up in appraisal, the panel reviews the documentation file. Homeowners who arrive with the structure above almost always win. Homeowners who arrive with a verbal summary and 'I think I have those somewhere' lose — even when the damage is obvious. The evidence wins, not the argument.
