Totally get where you’re coming from—arguing with insurance over what’s “reasonable” is such a time sink. I keep a folder on my phone for receipts, but sometimes they still want originals or weird details. One thing I’ve wondered: did you ever try submitting before/after photos or extra documentation? I had to do that for a vintage camper rebuild and it actually made a difference, but it felt like jumping through hoops. Curious if that’s worked for anyone else dealing with home repairs...
- I’ve tried the before/after photo route with car stuff, but not for the house. Honestly, I’m always a bit skeptical if they even look at the photos or just check a box saying “received.”
- For my last roof claim, I sent in invoices, receipts, and even a weather report from the day of the storm (felt a bit overkill, but whatever). Still got pushback about “average market rates.”
- The originals thing drives me nuts. Who keeps paper receipts anymore? I always end up digging through email archives.
- I do think extra documentation helps if you end up appealing their decision, but it’s a gamble—sometimes it feels like busywork.
- With the camper, did you notice if they gave you a better payout because of the photos, or did it just speed things up? I’m curious if it’s worth the hassle for bigger claims like roofs, or if they just stick to their “standard depreciation” formula no matter what.
- Anyone ever try getting a contractor to write up a “scope of work” with line-by-line costs? I’ve heard that can sometimes nudge the insurance adjuster, but I haven’t gone down that rabbit hole yet.
- At this point, I half-expect them to ask for a DNA sample just to process a claim...
I’m honestly wondering if there’s a magic combo of docs that actually gets results, or if it’s just luck of the draw with which adjuster you get.
Magic combo of docs? If there is one, I haven’t cracked it either. I’ve had a similar experience where I sent in a whole packet—photos, contractor estimates, receipts, even a screenshot of the weather radar when the hail hit. Still got a payout that felt like it was based on some spreadsheet from 2010. I get what you mean about busywork. Sometimes it feels like they just want you to give up.
About the “scope of work” thing: I did try that once, but only after my first claim got lowballed. My contractor broke everything down line by line—materials, labor, disposal fees, even the nails. The adjuster actually called me back and asked a couple questions, which was more than I got with just photos and receipts. In the end, they bumped up the payout a bit, but not all the way. It seemed like it at least got their attention, though.
I’m with you on paper receipts. Who even gets those anymore? Half my stuff is just screenshots from my phone or PDFs in my email. I’ve never had them push back on digital copies, but I always worry they’ll use it as an excuse to stall.
Honestly, I think a lot of it comes down to which adjuster you get and how much they care. Some seem super by-the-book, others will actually talk things through. I wish there was a way to request a different one if you get stuck with someone who’s just checking boxes.
If you’re still fighting your claim, maybe try getting that detailed contractor estimate and resubmitting. It’s a pain, but it might help. Or at least make them work for their “no.” At this point, I just keep everything—photos, emails, even text messages with contractors—just in case. Feels like you have to be your own private investigator to get anywhere.
Feels like you have to be your own private investigator to get anywhere.
That’s the truth. I swear, half the time I’m just digging through my phone trying to find some random text from my contractor because I know they’ll ask for it. I tried the “scope of work” thing too, and yeah, they bumped it up a little, but it still didn’t cover what I actually paid. The whole process feels like a game where the rules change every time you play. I wish they’d just be upfront about what they’ll pay instead of making us jump through hoops.
It really does feel like you need a detective badge just to get through the paperwork. I’m new to all this and honestly, I thought insurance would be more straightforward—pay your premium, get help when you need it. Instead, it’s like a scavenger hunt for receipts and emails. I get why people are frustrated. Still, I’m hoping if I keep everything organized from the start, maybe it won’t be as bad next time... but who knows.
