Insurance Claim Documentation Checklist for Restoration and Roofing Contractors

When a restoration or roofing job runs through an insurance claim, the work is only half the job. The other half is paperwork: proving the damage, getting the scope approved and getting paid. Most delays come from one missing piece, like an unsigned authorization, a claim number nobody wrote down or a check that still needs the mortgage company's endorsement.

This checklist covers what contractors typically collect from homeowners on a claim job, what to capture in photos and video, and how to keep the file moving from first visit to final payment.

Insurance policies and state and provincial rules differ, including rules about what contractors can and cannot do on a claim. This is general information. Check your policy requirements, your state or provincial regulations and, where needed, an attorney before relying on any item here.

The homeowner documents checklist

These are the items you will usually need from the homeowner. Request them early, ideally right after the first inspection.

Document	Why you need it	When to collect
Claim number and carrier name	Every communication with the carrier references it	First visit
Adjuster name, phone and email	To coordinate inspections and supplements	As soon as assigned
Policy declarations page	Shows coverage types, limits and deductible	First visit
Signed work authorization	Your agreement to perform the work	Before starting
Adjuster's estimate	The approved scope and pricing	When issued
Date of loss	Required on most claim paperwork	First visit
Mortgage company name and loan number	Needed for check endorsement	Early, before payment
Receipts for additional living expenses	If the homeowner is displaced	Ongoing
Photo ID	Identity confirmation, if your process requires it	First visit

Claim number, carrier and adjuster

Ask for these as simple questions rather than files. A typed claim number is easier to search than a photo of a sticky note. Include the adjuster's direct phone and email, since you will be coordinating with them.

Declarations page

The declarations page summarizes the homeowner's coverage, limits and deductible. Many homeowners can download it from their insurer's app or website. Ask for every page, since key details are sometimes on page two.

Signed work authorization

This is your contract with the homeowner for the work. Have it signed before work begins. If you use a standard form, send it with your first request so the homeowner can review it before your next visit. Rules on what these agreements may contain vary, so have your template reviewed by an attorney familiar with your state or province.

Adjuster's estimate

Once the adjuster issues their estimate, ask the homeowner to forward the full document, every page. You will use it to compare against your own scope and prepare any supplement.

Mortgage company check endorsement

If the home has a mortgage, insurance checks for structural repairs are often made out to both the homeowner and the mortgage company. The lender may need to endorse the check, and many have a loss draft or insurance claims department with its own process. Collect early:

• Mortgage company name
• Loan number
• Contact for the loss draft department
• Any forms the lender requires

Starting this early is one of the easiest ways to avoid waiting weeks for payment after the work is done.

Additional living expense receipts

If the homeowner had to move out during repairs, their policy may cover additional living expenses. Encourage them to keep every receipt (hotel, meals beyond normal, laundry, mileage) and upload them as they go rather than in a shoebox at the end.

Photo and video guidance

Good documentation is often the difference between an approved line item and a denied one. Whether you take the photos or the homeowner does, aim for the same standard.

Before work begins

• Wide shots first. Each elevation of the house, each affected room from the doorway.
• Then medium shots. The damaged area in context, so a reviewer can tell where it is.
• Then close-ups. Individual damage points, with something for scale (a tape measure, a coin).
• Video walkthrough. A slow, narrated walkthrough helps tie the photos together. Say the room and what you are looking at.
• Date and location. Keep the original files, which usually carry date and location data, and avoid editing or filtering them.
• Cause of loss. Photograph the source when visible: the failed supply line, the impact point, the missing shingles.

Roofing specifics

• Every slope, including ones without obvious damage
• Close-ups of hail or wind damage on shingles, vents, flashing and gutters
• Soft metals (vents, downspouts) that show hail marks clearly
• Interior ceiling stains, if any
• Collateral damage around the property (fences, siding, outdoor fixtures)

During and after

• Photos of hidden damage found during tear-out, before it is covered again
• Moisture readings, if you take them
• Completed work, from the same angles as the before photos

Asking homeowners for photos

Homeowners often take the first photos, sometimes before you arrive. When you ask them for photos, be specific:

Please upload at least 6 photos of the damage: 2 wide shots of each affected room from the doorway, plus close-ups of each damaged area. A short video walkthrough is also helpful. Please send the original photos, not screenshots.

Showing an example of a good photo removes a lot of guesswork.

A copy-ready first request

Hi [First name],

Thanks for meeting with us about the damage at [address]. To get your claim moving, please send the following by [date]:

• Your claim number and insurance company name
• Your adjuster's name, phone and email (once assigned)
• Your policy declarations page, every page
• Your mortgage company name and loan number
• The signed work authorization (attached)
• Any photos or video you took of the damage

You can upload everything from your phone here: [link]

[Your name] [Company]

For reminders and follow-ups, see our document request email templates.

Keeping the claim file moving

• One file per job. Keep every document, photo and answer for a claim in one place.
• Track what is missing. A short status list ("waiting on adjuster's estimate") saves hunting through email.
• Remind on a schedule. Homeowners dealing with damage are stressed and busy. Steady, polite reminders help. See our reminder schedule guide.
• Follow up after each milestone. After the adjuster visit, after the estimate, after the work, ask for what comes next.

Collecting claim documents with Tangentflow

With Tangentflow, you set up a claim checklist once: file items for the declarations page, photos and video (with a minimum count and an example of a good photo), plus questions for claim number, adjuster and mortgage company. Homeowners get a private link that works on a phone with no account. AI checks every upload in seconds, so a cropped declarations page is flagged before the homeowner leaves the page. Your work authorization can be attached as a fillable PDF that homeowners sign online.

The AI collection agent sends reminders and follows up on what is still missing after the homeowner submits. Learn more on our insurance restoration page.

FAQ

What documents do contractors need for an insurance claim job?

Usually the claim number, carrier and adjuster contacts, the policy declarations page, a signed work authorization, the adjuster's estimate, mortgage company details for check endorsement and thorough damage photos. Requirements vary by carrier and location.

How many photos should I take for an insurance claim?

There is no fixed number. Cover every affected area with wide, medium and close-up shots, plus a video walkthrough. It is better to have too many clear photos than too few.

Why is the insurance check made out to the mortgage company?

When a home has a mortgage, the lender usually has a financial interest in the property, so insurers often include the lender as a payee on checks for structural repairs. The lender's loss draft department handles the endorsement.

Should homeowners send original photos or screenshots?

Original photos are better. They are higher quality and usually carry date and location information that screenshots lose.