Start a water damage claim with your own insurer, in writing, and keep the records from the first day: dated photographs, drying readings, the written scope and every invoice. If the claim cannot be settled, the Kansas Insurance Department is the state insurance regulator, and its Consumer Assistance Division takes complaints.
Key takeaways
- Your insurer decides the claim under your policy, and it should be contacted first, in writing, with a dated record.
- The Kansas Insurance Department is the state insurance regulator, and its Consumer Assistance Division is the place for a claim complaint.
- This site states no claim deadlines, coverage limits or contact details, and the policy and the insurer set those terms.
- Photographs, readings, the drying log, the scope and invoices form the file an insurer will ask for first.
- Generally, policies differ on sudden and gradual losses and on backup and flood endorsements, so read your own policy.
- A restoration company's records support the claim, but the company does not decide the claim or promise a result.
Who do I contact first about a water damage claim?
Your own insurer, in writing, as soon as you reasonably can. Ask the insurer how it wants the loss reported and which records it needs, and keep a dated copy of everything you send.
A phone call is a useful first step, but a written report gives you a dated record that the loss was reported. Include the date the water was found, the source if known, the rooms affected and the steps taken to stop further damage.
Your policy sets its own reporting terms, and this site does not state any deadline. Read the policy, or ask the insurer to explain the reporting rule, so the claim is not weakened by a delay you did not know about.
What is the Kansas Insurance Department for?
It is the state insurance regulator, and its Consumer Assistance Division takes complaints about how an insurance claim has been handled when a homeowner and an insurer cannot settle it between them.
A state insurance regulator oversees insurers that sell policies in the state. A complaint to it is a different step from a claim, and it is usually taken after the claim has been raised with the insurer in writing and the matter remains unresolved.
Keep the complaint factual. Set out the claim number, the dates of each contact, what the insurer said and what you asked for, and attach copies of the records that support your position.
What records should I keep for the claim?
Dated photographs of the source, the water and each damaged item, the drying log with readings, the written scope, every invoice and receipt, a list of damaged contents with ages, and a note of every call and visit with its date.
Photographs are the strongest early evidence. Take them before anything is moved, and keep the originals rather than only copies. A reference object in each picture helps show scale, and a note on each photograph saying where it was taken helps later.
The drying log is the record of what was done to dry the building. It shows readings across visits and the date each material reached its dry level, and an insurer uses it to judge the work. Keep it complete, even on visits where the readings changed little.
- Dated photographs of the source, the water and each damaged room
- The drying log, with the readings and the equipment in each room
- The written scope you approved, and any changes to it
- Invoices and receipts for each repair, cleaning and replacement
- A list of damaged contents with their age and where each was kept
What do insurers generally look at after a water loss?
In general, insurers look at how the loss started, whether it was sudden or gradual, the steps taken to limit further damage, and the cost of the repair. Those points are usually decided against the policy wording rather than against a general rule.
A sudden loss, such as a burst line, is often treated differently from a gradual one that went unnoticed for a long time. Records of the time the water was found and the time it was stopped help the insurer place the loss in one category or the other.
Backup and flood losses can fall under separate endorsements or exclusions in a policy. Read your own policy for the words about water backing up through drains, sewers or sump pumps, and about flood, because the insurer will apply the wording it sold you.
Can the restoration company deal with my insurer for me?
The company can provide the records of its work and can explain what they show. It does not decide the claim, set its value or promise an outcome. You should send the records to your insurer yourself, with a covering letter.
A covering letter that lists the enclosures makes the file easier for an adjuster to follow. Keep a copy of the letter and of each enclosure, and note the date each was sent.
If the insurer asks for something the company holds, ask the company to send it to you in writing so you can forward it. That keeps the chain of records in one place.
What if the insurer offers less than the repair costs?
Ask the insurer in writing to explain the figure, the policy terms it relies on and the records it has reviewed. Compare the insurer's figure against your own scope and quotes, and raise any difference in writing before you accept the settlement.
An offer can be the start of a discussion rather than the final word. Ask which lines of the scope were accepted and which were not, and why. A line-by-line response is easier to answer than a single total.
Do not sign a release that closes the claim until you understand what it covers. If you still disagree, the Kansas Insurance Department takes complaints about how a claim has been handled, and it is the place to take the matter if it cannot be resolved with the insurer.
How long should I keep the claim file?
Keep it for as long as you own the house, with the policy papers and the repair invoices. A future sale, a future claim or a new insurer may ask for the history of water damage in the building.
Store the file in one folder, paper or digital, with a backup copy. Label each item with its date so the sequence of events is clear without reading every page.
A buyer or an inspector may ask whether the house has had water damage. A complete file lets you answer that accurately and show what was done, which is worth more than a recollection.
Does a storm or a city flood change how the claim is handled?
It can change which part of a policy applies, because storm and flood losses are often covered or excluded in different ways. The record should show the cause as clearly as possible, and the insurer decides which policy terms apply.
Wichita's storm record includes the Halloween Flood of October 1998, when the Arkansas River reached record flood levels, and heavy rain in October 2018 and May 2019. Those events are part of the context, but the claim is decided on the policy and the evidence for your own building.
If the cause is unclear, say so in the record and describe what you saw. A clear, honest account of the timeline is more useful to the insurer than a confident guess about the cause.
How do I organise the claim file in the first week?
Put the first photographs, the first call notes, the policy declarations and any letters from the insurer in one folder, in date order. Add each reading, invoice and scope as it arrives, and keep a single list of every contact with its date and the name of the person spoken to.
A file that is kept up as the work goes on is far easier to answer than one rebuilt from memory weeks later. The first week is when most of the evidence is made, so it is worth an hour to set the folder up properly.
Keep the policy declarations and the endorsements in the same folder, because the insurer will apply the wording it sold you. If you do not have the endorsements, ask the insurer for a copy in writing.
What should I say on a call with an adjuster?
Give the facts in order: when the water was found, what caused it as far as you know, what was done and by whom, and what records exist. Say what you do not know rather than guess, and confirm anything important in writing afterwards.
Keep the call short and factual. Do not agree to a figure or a scope on the phone without seeing it in writing. Ask the adjuster which records it needs and by when, and write the answer down.
After the call, send a short email or letter that confirms what was discussed and lists anything you agreed to send. That gives you a dated record of the conversation, which is worth more than any memory of it.
Frequently asked questions
Who is the Kansas Insurance Department?
It is the state insurance regulator. Its Consumer Assistance Division takes complaints about claims that a homeowner and an insurer cannot settle between them.
Does this site give claim deadlines?
No. This site states no deadlines, limits or contact details for claims. Your policy sets its own terms, and the regulator's own site has the current process.
Should I call my insurer or write to it?
Do both. Call to start the claim and ask what it needs, then confirm in writing with the date, the loss and the steps you have taken. The written record is what protects you later.
What if the company that dried my house says the claim is covered?
A restoration company does not decide the claim. Its records support the claim, and the insurer decides what is covered under your policy. Ask the insurer, not the company, for its decision.
Can I appeal an offer I think is too low?
You can ask the insurer in writing to review its figure, explain its reasons and reconsider the lines you dispute. If that does not settle the matter, the state regulator takes complaints about how claims are handled.
Does sudden versus gradual matter?
It can. Insurers often treat a sudden loss differently from a gradual one, and the policy wording decides how each is handled. Keep the timeline of when the water was found and stopped.
Do I need to be home when the adjuster visits?
It helps to be there, or to have someone who can speak for the property. Walk the adjuster through the damage and the drying record, and ask for any note the adjuster makes to be sent to you.
Sources
This guide is general information for Sedgwick County homeowners, not a substitute for an on-site inspection. Prices are estimates. See our disclaimer.